The sporty Nomad/Safari wagons started with a 1954 General Motors Motorama concept car, a two-door hatchback built from the newly introduced Corvette. It was a hit at auto shows, but GM officials decided to get more buyers by basing the stylish wagon look on the Chevrolet Bel Air and Pontiac Star Chief, the automakers’ top models. The then-radical design proved popular, but with more admirers than buyers, most of whom ended up with more practical sedans and four-door wagons instead of Nomads or Safaris. The style lasted through the tri-5 era of 1955-57, with the names later recycled for “normal” station wagons.
1956 Pontiac Safari
Updated: Jul 30, 2023