When you’ve got a winner, how do you top it? Well, Chevrolet’s ad agency figured out a way. “The Hot One,” as the 1955 V-8 had been dubbed, “is even hotter.” So read the ads for 1956. This was referring to the high-compression, four-barrel, dual-exhaust Power Pack option, which now developed 205 brake horsepower, courtesy of higher compression, or 225 with two carburetors. The original “Hot One” managed only 180 brake horsepower.

This tidy 1956 Bel Air Convertible has the four-barrel, 205-brake horsepower V-8 with dual exhausts, which is coupled to the venerable and trustworthy Powerglide automatic. Other options on the car include an AM radio and a heater. The contours, paint, and chrome are all in excellent condition, while the interior is done in vinyl and cloth, which reprises the two-tone blue of the body. A light blue vinyl boot covers the white vinyl top when it is down. It received a mechanical and cosmetic refreshening less than two years ago, and during that time, a new convertible top was fitted, paint was retouched where necessary, and all of the brightwork was polished. The chassis frame and underbody are matte black and very clean, the engine compartment is all correctly detailed, and the near-50,000 miles shown are genuine.

Chevrolet reigned number one in 1956, and this car demonstrates why.