CHEVY CAVALIER OF THE 80S

The Chevrolet Cavalier was introduced for 1982 and, as you'll learn in this video, proved that U.S. automakers could build a contemporary small car to compete with the imports on the road and beat many of them in the showroom.

The Cavalier debuted as part of the General Motors J-car family. It was the first basic design to be shared by all five GM divisions -- a good thing for all of them except Cadillac.
Trying to make the sound but unspectacular J-car into the luxury Cadillac Cimarron proved an image-tarnishing stretch and a classic lesson in tampering with brand identity. This compact front-wheel-drive layout suited the Chevrolet Cavalier perfectly, however.
The four-cylinder engine design was dated upon its introduction, but the rest of the car was right on, with snappy styling, four different body styles, room for four, and low base prices.