A second Monza body style-a two-door notchback "Towne Coupe"-appeared in mid-'75. It shared the same mechanicals as its brawnier-looking 2+2 brother, but sported totally new sheetmetal and a more formal appearance.
In other small car news, Nova popularity was at its peak by mid-decade. The line finished 1974 with approximately 400,000 sales, and a new Nova arrived for 1975. In the works was a more formal, luxury look; a "boxier" appearance than in the past. Fancier uplevels known as Customs and LNs were added, and the LN took a styling likeness to some of the more upscale European entries on the market. It caused Road & Track magazine to label it, "A European Chevy." Nova left the Chevy lineup in 1979, returning as a completely re-designed subcompact in 1985.
Camaro received a facelift at mid-decade, encompassing a new front and rear design to accommodate new, lighter aluminum bumpers. Optional power door locks and cruise control made their first appearance. The Z28, which took a surprising hiatus in the mid-'70s, returned to the lineup in 1977. In 1978, more than 278,000 Camaro models were sold, a record model year for the Chevy ponycars.
Corvette, the epitome of performance cars, never lost its sparkle during the decade. True, power decreased somewhat in response to government actions on emissions, yet the car's popularity increased. Sales records were shattered in 1976, when 46,558 Corvettes rolled off assembly lines.
During the decade, minor body changes had been made-the "Kamm" tail had been replaced by an "energy-absorbing," rounded rear end. Five-mile-per-hour impact bumpers had been added, made of polyurethane and integrated to the body color. An anti-theft alarm was added, a testament to the Corvette model's incredible value. The car was no longer targeted at the race enthusiast only, but the upwardly mobile, young professional as well. It was a marketing strategy that paid off.
The Corvette 25th anniversary in 1978 was commemorated by a special edition two-tone silver model. The same year, Corvette was selected as the Indy Pace Car, and 6,200 replicas were produced, one for each dealer. They are rare and valuable collector cars today.
By the mid-'70s, Chevy was at the height of its "All-American" image. Advertisements re-inforced this theme, singing about "baseball, hot dogs, apple pie...and Chevrolet," while depicting "slices of life" from rural and urban America.
With memories of a fuel-conscious America still fresh, Chevrolet set the wheels in motion to introduce a score of new products for the late-'70s. The era was marked by the new trend and a new word: "downsizing."
It started in 1976 with the smallest Chevrolet to that point, the two-door Chevette Hatchback. A full 17 inches shorter than Vega, the Chevette unit-body construction, front-engine, rear-drive layout and rack-and-pinion steering would provide a remarkably sound, sturdy small car platform for years to come. Automotive writers called the car "bulletproof" for its ability to endure. After a rugged 24,000-mile test, Car and Driver magazine gave the car high marks in 1976, saying, "Chevette is the most trouble-free, slam-the-hood-and-forget-it...machine we've ever encountered."