How did Chevrolet Corvair get its name and history?

The Corvair name originated as a show car in 1954, which, like many Chevrolet concept cars of the period. The design was championed by Ed Cole, Chevrolet's chief engineer in the early 1950s and general manager in the late 1950s, as an answer to the growing popularity of small, lightweight imported cars. The name Corvair is an offshoot of the name Corvette as was Camaro.