The car: 1960 Envoy Special 4dr Sedan
Price: $6,500
Location: Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
Original Ad: Click here
When Volkswagen found success in the American market despite the odds, other European brands decided that the U.S. was a good place to tout their respective visions of personal transportation. For General Motors’ European subsidiaries like Opel and Vauxhall, it was a relatively easy transition because there was a massive dealer network already in place. Germany’s Opel ended up being sold by Buick dealerships, while Pontiac dealerships had the honor of selling the British Vauxhall, which was sold from mid-1957 though the 1961 model year.
Canada had their own robust automotive market, importing cars unavailable in the US. Even the Big Three created their own versions of American cars (Pontiac had the Laurentian and Beaumont, for example) for sale in Canada. General Motors got the Vauxhall Victor in the act, selling it in Chevy and Oldsmobile dealerships as a new brand called Envoy. It had its own unique styling but otherwise was the same as the Victor, which meant it was powered by a 55-horse 1507cc four-cylinder coupled to a three-speed manual. One advantage this vehicle had over a comparable Opel at a Buick dealership was that the Envoy was built in the British Commonwealth, avoiding Canadian tariffs of the time. Envoy continued to be produced for the GM of Canada stable through 1970, upon which Canada revised its tariff rules and the Chevy Vega (and its Pontiac Astre brother) replaced the Brit in 1971.
This 1960 Envoy Special four-door sedan is one of 13,089 produced for the Canadian market, which also included a station wagon. With only 15,880 miles on it, it’s yet to be broken-in, and the recommended break-in sticker on the windshield bears this out. It’s currently only used for antique auto outings, according to the seller who purchased the Envoy with 6,000 miles. But what’s great about this vehicle is that it’s never going to be worth much money, so it’s practically your chance to buy a “new” 1960 car and drive it without worry.
If you know of a great, stylish car for sale and would like us to feature it, let us know!
Petrolicious makes no claim as to the accuracy of the information contained in the car’s original listing, nor will it be held responsible for any errors in said information. If you’re interested in this car, do your homework and research it extensively before you buy.
