A Guide to 1952 Cars
From a 50th-anniversary Cadillac to the sporty Nash-Healey, these are the best 1952 cars.
Written by Sarah Gray
Reviewed by Jessica Barrett
From a 50th-anniversary
Cadillac Fleetwood
to the first-of-its-kind Nash Rambler, 1952 was a banner year for all types of cars.Dr. Jonas Salk’s polio vaccine was arguably the most important innovation of 1952, but we can also remember that year as one of the best for classic cars.
Whether you’re looking to add a classic to your collection, or for a road trip down memory lane,
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has compiled a guide to the best cars of 1952. 
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The best cars of 1952
The best car of 1952: Buick Roadmaster
Original MSRP: $3,200
Powertrain: 5.2 L Fireball straight-eight w/ two-speed Dynaflow automatic transmission
What makes it special:
The 1952
Buick Roadmaster
enjoyed much of its success as a carryover from its 1949 restyling that included a longer hood and front fenders and four distinctive “ventiports” on each fender. The 1952 model also added twenty horsepower to the engine thanks to a new four-barrel carburetor.The best luxury car of 1952: Cadillac Fleetwood Series Sixty-Special
Original MSRP: $4,269
Powertrain: 5.4L w/four-speed Hydra-Matic automatic transmission
What makes it special:
Cadillac
celebrated its 50th anniversary with the Fleetwood Series Sixty-Special. From its cavernous interior to the famous “Dagmar” bumper, the Sixty-Special was the epitome of style and luxury. While much of the exterior styling was identical to the two model years previous, the Golden Anniversary Edition Sixty Special made a few changes, like integrating the reverse lamps with the tail lamps and returning the “Fleetwood” script to the deck lid. A rear-exhaust redesign and winged crests mounted on the grille extensions completed the exterior updates for 1952. Under the hood, a new down-draft carburetor added 30 horses to Sixty Special’s previous 160-pony herd for a new total of 190 horsepower.
The best SUV of 1952: Chevrolet Suburban
Original MSRP: $5,673
Powertrain: 3.5 L Stovebolt straight-six w/ three- or four-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission
What makes it special:
The 1950s didn’t have anything like what we refer to as an SUV today. Instead, when selecting the most popular “SUV” of 1952, we had to look to the SUV’s ancestor, the carryall: a panel truck with a folding rear seat that allowed drivers to transport cargo, passengers, or both. In 1952,
Chevrolet’s Suburban
, based on the Advance Design pickup series, was the favorite.Today’s drivers wouldn’t recognize anything very SUV-like in the ‘52 Suburban. Instead, the 1952
Chevrolet’s
Suburban Carryall was all about utility, especially when it came to the Canopy Express models—affectionately known as “huckster trucks.” These featured an open display area drivers could use for peddling their wares, or for quick access during deliveries of items like newspapers and radio equipment.The best family car of 1952: Nash Rambler
Original MSRP: $2,119
Powertrain: 2.8 L straight-six w/ three-speed manual transmission
What makes it special:
What interested drivers, though, was the fuel economy. A convertible Rambler rated about 30 mpg, while hard-tops and station wagons could get around 25 mpg. Compared with cars like the Buick Roadmaster with only about 11 mpg, that’s a significant amount of savings.
The best sports car of 1952: Nash-Healey
Original MSRP: $4,000
Powertrain: 4.1 L straight-six w/ three-speed manual transmission with overdrive
What makes it special:
The Nash-Healey was the first sports car introduced to the U.S. by a major automaker since the Great Depression, and it represented a partnership between American manufacturer Nash-Kelvinator and British manufacturer Donald Healey.
Though only introduced in 1951, the 1952 model received notable styling tweaks by Ferrari-famous specialist coachbuilder, Battista “Pinin” Farina. The revised 1952 Nash-Healey featured a new grille with inboard headlights, distinct fenders ending in small tailfins, and a single-pane curved windshield that aligned it with the Nash line.
The best truck of 1952: Chevrolet KP (C3100)
Original MSRP: $1,407
Powertrain: 3.5 L straight-six w/ three- or four-speed manual or four-speed Hydramatic automatic transmission
What makes it special:
Chevrolet’s C3100 was the first in the Advance Design lineup that replaced the AK Series in 1947. Advance Design models were light and medium-duty trucks made larger, stronger, and sleeker from 1947 to 1955. The Advance Design lineup of trucks were the best-selling pickups in America throughout their manufacture.
The C3100 remained largely unchanged from its inception to 1952, but its designation did change from C3100 to KP ½ Ton. Additionally, Chevrolet began making some style updates, switching from turn-down door handles to push-button type, and from chrome window and wiper knobs to maroon-colored finishes.
What cars came out in 1952?
In addition to these most-popular cars of 1952, let’s take a look at some of the cars that made their debut on the auto market that year:
Model | Vehicle type | Engine | Original MSRP | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Lincoln Motor Car Works Allstate | Sedan | 2.2 L four-cylinder | $1,486 | Offered for sale through the Sears-Roebuck catalog |
Datsun DC-3 | Sports car | 1.0 L four-cylinder | $1,576 | Only 30 DC-3’s were ever sold |
DeSoto Firedome | Full-size sedan | Hemi® V8 | $2,740 | First V8 offered in a DeSoto since 1931 |
DeSoto Powermaster | Sedan, coupe | 4.1 L straight-six | $2,551 | Replaced the entry-level DeSoto Deluxe |
Hudson Wasp | Full-size sedan | 3.8 L or 4.3 L straight-six | $1,953 | Marketed as an upgraded version of the Hudson Pacemaker |
Full-size luxury sedan | 5.2 L V8 | $3,665 | One of the first vehicles to offer an automatic headlight dimmer |
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FAQs
What was the most popular car in 1952?
The Lincoln Capri was the most popular car of 1952, but it wouldn’t beat the Buick Roadmaster in sales until the next year.
What was the fastest car in 1952?
The prototype Alfa Romeo Disco Volante 1900 Touring Spider could achieve 0 to 60 mph in 6.8 seconds and reach a top speed of 181 mph, making it the fastest car of 1952.
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