ClassicLine is taking a flight of fancy looking at our favourite bird related car names.
Some of you might think we’re winging it but there’s no ducking the issue. So, without feather ado, here’s five cars to flock around.
Ford Falcon
Produced in America by Ford from 1960 to 1970 across three generations.
However, what we really like is that television marketing for the car featured the first appearances of Charlie
Brown and Snoopy, along with others from Peanuts.
Other favourite cartoons from (roughly) the same era include Top Cat, Wacky Races, The Huckleberry Hound Show and Inch High, Private Eye.
Buick Skylark
This car was made in six production runs over 46 years.
Going back to cartoons, who remembers Noah and Nelly in the Skylark?
No surprise if you don’t as only 30 episodes of the British children’s cartoon were ever made over two seasons in 1976 and 1977.
However, during that brief period it reigned supreme as essential tea time viewing, along with Rentaghost, Chorlton and the Wheelies, Runaround and Record Breakers.
Pontiac Firebird
A great muscle car built from 1967 to 2002 over four generations.
Its crowning glory was when a Trans-Am was the star car in Smokey and the Bandit. This was the second highest grossing film of 1977 behind Star Wars (but what became of that!)
However, it is not the first time that the name Firebird has been employed by car makers as General Motors used it in the 1950s and early-1960s concept cars!
Nissan Bluebird
Produced by Nissan from 1957 to 2001 and renowned for its dependability and durability.
This could help explain why it is one of the longest-running nameplates of any Japanese car maker.
Another famous Bluebird is the series of vehicles used by Donald Campbell to set a string of land and water world speed records.
AMC Eagle
Manufactured from 1979 to 1987 and incredibly the only four-wheel-drive passenger car produced in the US at the time.
Some consider that it pioneered the crossover SUV category and was well ahead of its time.
Other pioneering models include the Flintstone’s car powered by Fred and Barney (zero-emissions here), the time-travelling Delorean in Back to the Future and The Family Truckster complete with faux wood panelling appearing in National Lampoon’s Vacation.
ClassicLine Insurance would love to hear your favourite cars named after birds. You can always send us a tweet!
