Looking back: special 50th anniversary section.

When CONSUMER REPORTS published its first cover-to-cover auto issue in 1953, the automotive world was a dramatically different place. This year we cover a 210-vehicle mix of cars, pickups, minivans, and SUVs. By comparison, our May '53 issue covered 50 cars, and the editors told readers, "Do not be alarmed at the seeming profusion of models."

This issue covers 37 brands--Acura to Volvo--from automakers based in six countries. In '53 we included only 20 major brands, all American and several of which are long gone, including Hudson, Kaiser, Nash, Packard, Studebaker, and Willys. Fundamental safety features such as safety belts and disc brakes were still in their infancy. Designing for aerodynamics was a concept limited to the aeronautics industry. Tailpipe pollution was yet to become a major concern. Referring to the emerging idea of power steering, the editors wrote, "Last year, elderly people (of sufficient means) could maneuver their Cadillacs and Chryslers without overstraining their hearts."

Both to commemorate the 50th anniversary of our Annual Auto Issue and to acknowledge the extensive strides that have been made in auto design, performance, safety, and more, we present this special retrospective section looking at the past five decades of autos and the evolving role of CONSUMER REPORTS' test program and safety efforts.

Design & Performance How far we've come

America's nostalgia for classic cars continues to influence current models like the Chrysler PT Cruiser, Ford Thunderbird, and Volkswagen New Beetle. But when it comes to high performance with low exhaust emissions, "the good old days" weren't necessarily all that good. In 1953, our quickest performer, the Packard Deluxe Clipper 8, ambled to 60 mph in just under 14 seconds, while our slowest, the Hillman Minx, took all of 41 seconds. Today, cars routinely take less than 10 seconds. Back then, all vehicles spewed a toxic soup of smog-causing pollutants. Today's cars emit less than one-hundredth as much.

Here's a brief history of how today's sleek and efficient models evolved, and a look at styling and power trends to come.

1950s: POWER AND TAIL FINS SOAR