Even though America's first compact car, the Nash Rambler, hit showrooms in 1950, the Big Three only jumped on the bandwagon at the end of the decade. Chrysler introduced its first compact in 1959.

This ‘bring-it-on’ Plymouth compact looks like a formidable contender even when sitting still, especially with those fat boy tires out back and the skinny ones up front. This car wasn’t built for ...