For all intents and purposes, the 1957 Ford
Thunderbird was the best car of that year, and in many enthusiasts’ opinions, one of the greatest cars ever made. But 1957 didn’t stop there, as Chevrolet
managed to reclaim domestic car supremacy over Ford, intensifying the feud between the two American auto giants. 1957 was a year of continuing progress around the globe, from the beginning of the space race to Toyota
beginning to sell cars in the U.S. The year of the Chevy would see the invention of the ultrasound in Scotland and the less necessary but equally exciting frisbee in Connecticut. In music, Little Richard had everyone dancing and Elvis was at the height of his career—this was all in the same year that Congress approved the first update to the post-Civil War Civil Rights Act of 1875. Do you feel like you were born in the wrong decade? The best way to revisit the best of the 1950s is by getting behind the wheel of a classic ‘57 automotive icon. We're here to help you achieve that dream with this guide to the best cars of 1957.
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From game-changing drag racers to new heights in family luxury vehicles, 1957 brought us some of the coolest vehicles ever made, cars that would go on to influence the futuristic technology featured in the best cars of the 21st century.
The best car of 1957: Ford Thunderbird
Powertrain: 4.8L or 5.1L Y-block V8 w/2-speed Fordomatic automatic or 3-speed overdrive manual transmission
While it wasn’t Ford’s bestseller in 1957, the Thunderbird remains by far the most iconic Ford ever made and is absolutely one of the coolest cars of all time. Rather than trying to compete with Chevrolet’s Corvette, the T-bird was built to be something other manufacturers would want to compete with, offering comfort and luxury at a slight compromise to performance—the perfect amount to make this car the exact combination of fun, sexy, and prestigious that we still love 65 years later.
The best family car of 1957: Chrysler 300C
NADAguides average-high retail range: $28,400–78,900
Powertrain: 6.4L V8 w/3-speed manual or automatic transmission
When it came to cruising the highways in style with the family in the mid-50s, the most envied rides of them all were Chrysler’s 300 “letter series” cars. The ‘57 300C featured an upgraded Hemi engine which could produce 375 horsepower, with a rare 18 of them getting an exclusive limited edition 390 hp CID engine.
The best international car of 1957: Mercedes-Benz 300 SL
KBB fair market range: $23,772–$32,310
Powertrain: 3.0L straight-6 w/4-speed manual transmission
In 1957, the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL still appeared in coupe form, with its iconic gull-wing doors, but it was also the year that the 300 SL became a roadster, putting it in league with heavy-hitters such as the Maserati 300S, the Ferrari Monza, and the Aston Martin DB3S. The 300 SL would win the 1957 Class D Sports championship, beating the Maserati by triple the points.
The best SUV of 1957: Chevrolet Suburban
Powertrain: 4.3L or 4.6L V8 w/3-speed or 4-speed manual, or 4-speed Hydra-Matic automatic transmission
There’s a little joke here, because the term “SUV” was never really used until the time of the 1984 Jeep Cherokee (XJ). But if we’re being honest, the Chevy Suburban carryall should be considered the grandfather of modern SUVs. The Suburban is the longest-produced vehicle in existence, and its fourth generation of the late ‘50s featured some of the most unique classic American cars ever made.
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Start earning nowThe best sports car of 1957: Ferrari 335 S Spider Scaglietti
Last sale: $35.7 million (€25 million)
Powertrain: 3.5L V12 w/4-speed manual transmission
Where do we start? First off, these race cars are some of the rarest classic vehicles in existence—only 4 of them were ever made. In 2016, one of the 1957 Ferrari 335 S Spider Scagliettis became the second-most expensive car of all time, sold at a Parisian auction for a rumored €25 million.
The reason it’s worth so much—and the reason we had to include it in our list—is that this is a car that absolutely oozes history. In the 1957 World Sportscar Championship, it was involved in a violent crash at Mille Miglia, where it tragically killed ten spectators. This only left one of its kind in the championships, falling second to an Aston Martin DBR1 at the Nurburgring 1000km, failing at Le Mans, and falling second once again to Maserati at the Sveriges Grand Prix in Sweden.
On November 17, 1957, the Ferrari team trailed 22 points to Maserati’s 25 on the day of the final race of the season, the Gran Premio de Venezuela in Caracas. None other than the 335 S Spider secured first place—and the championship—for Ferrari, a race which saw all four of Maserati’s front-line cars destroyed, each in its own freak accident. 1957 became the year Ferrari killed Maserati—and the 335 S was the weapon of choice.
The best American sports car of 1957: Chevrolet Corvette
Price range: $80,000–$130,000
Powertrain: 4.6L V8 w/3-speed or 4-speed manual transmission or 2-speed Powerglide automatic transmission
While the Corvette
didn’t change the game immediately upon its release in 1953, by the time it was in its 1957 model year, Chevrolet was producing sport-tuned, read-to-race Corvettes on order. Unfortunately, 1957 was the Corvette’s third-lowest sales year in history, its sales marred by the 1958 recession. It’s undeniable looking back in time that even the first generation of Corvettes are some of the coolest cars in history, with their revolutionary V8 engines, a few of which even featured fuel injection in ‘57.
The best truck of 1957: Chevrolet Cameo Carrier
NADA guides average-high retail price: $66,400–$148,400
Powertrain: 3.3L V6, 2.7- and 3.5L twin-turbocharged V6, and 5.0L V8 engines
As we said, 1957 was the year of the Chevy. The Chevrolet Cameo Carrier was the ultimate luxury truck, a real looker, a defining “boss hog” car for the most successful of girl bosses. Nowadays, ‘57 Cameos are car show favorites, highly sought after by the most enthusiastic collectors. As much as we love the hi-tech trucks of today, there’s just something about the Bel Air look of the Chevy Cameo that you simply never see in modern truck design.
What cars came out in 1957?
Needless to say, 1957 was a historic year for the auto industry! Here are some cars that were completely new to the industry in 1957:
| | | | |
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| | | | One in a long line of Alfa Romeo brilliance |
| | | | James Bond drives one in the novel version of Goldfinger |
| | | | A highly influential little weirdo |
| | 479 cc, 499 cc, or 594 cc I2 | | The classic inspiration for the modern reboot |
| | | | Maserati’s first successful Gran Turismo car |
| | | | Produced in 1957 by the Prince Motor Company. |
| | | | The most fragile Lotus car ever made |
| | | | One of the first Toyotas sold in the U.S. |
How to save money on used car insurance
It’s no secret that if you’re springing to buy one of these legendary ‘57 classics, you’re going to want equally legendary car insurance
. Luckily, collectors of classic cars can often get great deals on their insurance, as the auto industry seeks to preserve the portions of its history still in existence. If you’re looking to insure that ‘57 Cameo that you plan on taking out to all the meets to show off every time you can, then let trustworthy super app
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