On January 7, 1950, Chevrolet introduced the “Powerglide”, the first automatic transmission available in an affordably-priced car. Although many drivers clung to their beloved manual transmissions, much of the public greeted the new ” Powerglide” with enthusiasm. 300,000 Chevrolet cars equipped with ” Powerglide” models were sold the first year.
Source : Michigan Historical Calendar, courtesy of the Clarke Historical Library at Central Michigan University.