{"id":31820,"date":"2019-12-31T12:55:55","date_gmt":"2019-12-31T17:55:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/motor-junkie.com\/?p=31820"},"modified":"2021-04-21T14:09:06","modified_gmt":"2021-04-21T18:09:06","slug":"40-classic-70s-cars-drivers-still-love-today","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dev.motor-junkie.com\/40-classic-70s-cars-drivers-still-love-today\/31820\/","title":{"rendered":"40 Classic ’70s Cars Drivers Still Love Today"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
The ’70s were an interesting time in automotive history. Despite the oil crisis that rocked the foundations of the car industry, the market grew. <\/span><\/p>\n Many of the car manufacturers presented numerous new and interesting models. Although most of them are forgotten, some are still popular. Read on below to learn more about 40 true ’70s motoring icons.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Mercedes presented the SL R107 in 1971. Soon, it became an enormously popular rag top and eventually, a classic cult car. For a long time, it was a symbol of success, wealth and elegance. <\/span><\/p>\n Besides the design, prestige and powerful engines, this Benz is also iconic for its exceptionally-high build quality.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n The Lamborghini Countach is probably the most famous supercar of its day. For many, it was the most popular poster car on every kid’s wall in the ’70s and ’80s. <\/span><\/p>\n Debuting in 1974 as a concept car, it soon became a reality for wealthy playboys of the day. It was notoriously hard to drive and cramped inside, but nevertheless, it became a legendary car.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Even though the Pontiac Firebird has been on the market since 1967, the late ’70s model is the most iconic. That’s due to the “screaming chicken” graphics on the hood. This car also made an appearance in the famous Smokey and The Bandit<\/em> movie starring Burt Reynolds. <\/span><\/p>\n Thanks to this film, everybody wanted to grow a mustache and drive across the country in this post-muscle car-era icon.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n In 1976, Cadillac introduced the last big Eldorado with an enormous 500-cubic inch engine and front-wheel drive. <\/span>It was the last of the big Caddies, so most people remember it as a high benchmark for the classic American automobile industry. It was also the last Cadillac convertible for a long time.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n The Pacer is a car that drivers equally love and hate, but nevertheless, it is legendary and widely recognizable. It was AMC’s effort to produce a compact car, but it turned out to be less compact than its competitors and with numerous flaws. <\/span><\/p>\n However, the design and the legend that revolves around its charm makes the AMC Pacer one of the most quirky and iconic ’70s legends of them all.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Buick offered the original Riviera way back in 1963. <\/span>But it wasn’t until 1971 that the Riviera became a design classic with the introduction of the iconic “boat tail” design. Even though it was in production for just three years, the Buick Riviera left a big mark on the industry with its unusual yet elegant styling.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n After decades of producing the venerable Beetle, VW decided to introduce a modern compact hatchback. Soon they created a revolution with the Golf, or Rabbit as they called it in the USA. <\/span><\/p>\n The simple design, great build quality, and economical engines were an instant recipe for success. In fact, the Mk1 Golf was so influential, it spawned a whole new marketing segment in the automotive industry.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Behind this unusual name lies an interesting little car from Fiat that was popular in the ’70s. It came with a mid-engine layout, giving it great handling capabilities. <\/span><\/p>\n The little X1\/9 was an affordable driver’s car from back in the day. Unfortunately, rust claimed most of them, which makes intact X19s highly desirable today.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n The Ford Pinto was a huge success but it was also involved in a big lawsuit for Ford. At first, the company was delighted that its small compact car was selling so well. <\/span><\/p>\n It was obvious that American drivers were turning to more sensible cars. But then, all sorts of problems emerged, and the Pinto became infamous for bursting into flame due to a serious design mistake. Today, the Ford Pinto is a notorious little car that many people still remember.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n It was 1976 when Mercedes introduced this mid-range car. Soon, it became their most successful car up to date. It featured an elegant design and wide engine choices, as well as an overall build quality that guaranteed a million miles. Most of the examples Mercedes produced are still on the road today. <\/span>That’s a living testament that there are cars that can last almost forever.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n In the mid-70s, Lancia wanted to go rally racing, so they made their first purpose-built rally car they named the Lancia Stratos. <\/span><\/p>\n But although they had the design, they didn’t have the engine, so Lancia borrowed a compact V6 from Ferrari. When powered by the Ferrari engine, the Lancia Stratos became a legend as well as the world champion for 1977.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Despite being famous for producing the 911, Porsche was ready to try something new, introducing the iconic 928 in 1977. <\/span><\/p>\n The car was completely new with a V8 engine and transaxle gearbox, as well as a space-age design and features. The Porsche 928 is fast and amazing to drive, even after 40 years.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Honda debuted the first-generation Civic in 1972 with modest dimensions and simple design. However, it was so well-made and affordable, it became widely popular as the main form of basic transportation. <\/span><\/p>\n Honda’s success with the small Civic led to the company’s growth. Thanks to this model, Honda is now one of the world’s leading car companies.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Although it is not the first turbocharged production car, the BMW 2002 Turbo was one of the fastest and the first of its kind in Europe. It was a hot little car with good performance and an interesting body kit that was instantly recognizable. However, all that innovative technology meant that it was expensive, so they are scarce today.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n The Stingray or C3 ‘Vette originally debuted in 1968, but in 1974 it had a big redesign. <\/span>Chevrolet transformed it into a true ’70s legend with swooping lines, big fenders and a classic sports car shape. Even though the power was lower due to environmental reasons, the design and style were still eye-popping.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n The Carrera 2.7 RS was much more than just a fancy 911. It was a fully-lightweight car with a wider rear track, revised suspension, racing instruments and distinctive rear ducktail spoiler. It was easily the lightest and fastest 911 up to date. All that made it the perfect racing car to conquer the world racing scene in the ’70s.<\/p>\n Porsche needed 500 of them, but since the car was so good, they built 1,580 cars in the end. Today, the Carrera 2.7 RS is a highly-sought-after classic collector’s car with an extremely high price tag.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Luxury SUV models are common these days, but all of it started in 1970 with the introduction of the legendary Range Rover. It was the first offroad car that provided all the creature comforts.<\/span><\/p>\n Also, it came with an attractive design and great on-road manners. It sold well, and it proved to be highly influential right up to this day.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n On the wings of the everlasting DS, Citroen presented the perfect avantgarde limousine for the ’70s in the form of the CX. <\/span>It featured several unique design cues and interesting interior details, making it one of the coolest cars of the era. Also, it is one of the most comfortable rides ever, but although it looked powerful, it wasn’t all that fast.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Even though it was just a dressed-up Pinto, most people remember the 1977 Mustang King Cobra. The wild graphics, big spoilers, and great sounding V8 made it a true ’70s ride. However, despite the great looks, the car was dead slow because its 5.0 V8 only produced approximately 140 HP.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n When Datsun introduced this car in the early ’70s, the 240Z was the perfect car for the times. It was an exotic import with a straight-six engine and sufficient power. <\/span><\/p>\n Also, it came with a great looking body and good build quality. The Datsun 240Z opened the doors for Japanese manufacturers, creating a new segment of import sports cars.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Built on the gorgeous Citroen DS base, the SM was a Gran Turismo coupe with a Maserati V6 engine. It had the perfect design and sublime comfort.<\/p>\n Debuting in 1970, it was a fantastic alternative to the Mercedes SL or Cadillac Eldorado. Unfortunately, Citroen ceased production in 1974 after only producing 12,000 of them.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n The beginning of an era for Porsche and sports cars, in general, was in 1975 when they unveiled the 930 Turbo. This was the first turbocharged 911 and an iconic car in its own right. <\/span><\/p>\n The 3.0-liter flat-six produced 260 HP, which was more than enough to launch the 930’s lightweight body to prohibited speeds in the blink of an eye. <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n In 1974 Pontiac completed the first restyling of the whole Firebird range. With the new front and rear end came an improved interior and other details. They carried the SD 455 model over from 1973, but in the new package, it featured an upgraded suspension and brakes. <\/span><\/p>\n The standard 455 V8 delivered only 215 HP. However, in SD trim, it developed 290 HP, which was absolutely fantastic for 1974. <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n The 1977 Camaro is important for two reasons. The first reason is that it marked the return of the Z\/28 option after years of absence. The ’77 Z\/28 had just 185 HP, but it came with a special body kit, graphics package, and spoiler, so it looked wild. <\/span><\/p>\n However, the second reason is much more interesting. In 1977, the Chevrolet Camaro outsold the Ford Mustang for the first time since 1967.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n The 1975 Seville was a shock to Cadillac purists because it was the first downsized Caddy ever. As an affordable luxury car, it was a brilliant move by the company and one of the best U.S. sedans of the late ’70s. The 1975 Seville turned out to be the perfect car for the time, so the sales went beyond the company’s expectations.<\/span><\/p>\n The Seville was elegant, perfectly sized and reasonably powerful. Also, it came with a long list of options and trim choices, including the interesting Slantback body style. Buyers could even get the Gucci-themed trim package.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Even though Alfa Romeo never officially sold the Montreal in Canada, this sports car had a big impact on the early ’70s auto market. They built it on the Giulia chassis, adding a timeless Bertone body and a high-revving V8 engine in the front. <\/span><\/p>\n All that made the Montreal fast, stylish, and exclusive since the production number was just 4,000 cars.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Mazda presented the first-generation RX-7 in 1978 and it stayed on the market until 1985. During that period, they built almost 500,000 RX-7s, selling most of them in America. <\/span><\/p>\n Under the hood was a 1.1 to 1.3-liter Wankel rotary engine, which was the RX-7’s most notable feature. This extremely compact and light engine produced 102 to 135 HP, which was more than enough for a lively performance from this little coupe.<\/span><\/p>\n\n
Mercedes SL R107<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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Lamborghini Countach<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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Pontiac Firebird Trans Am<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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Cadillac Eldorado<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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AMC Pacer<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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1971 Buick Riviera<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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VW Golf\/Rabbit<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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Fiat X1\/9<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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Ford Pinto<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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Mercedes W123<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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Lancia Stratos<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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Porsche 928<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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Honda Civic<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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BMW 2002 Turbo<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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Chevrolet Corvette<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 RS<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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Range Rover<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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Citroen CX<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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Ford Mustang King Cobra<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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Datsun 240Z<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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Citroen SM<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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Porsche 930 Turbo<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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Pontiac Firebird Trans Am 455 SD<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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Chevrolet Camaro Z\/28<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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Cadillac Seville<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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Alfa Romeo Montreal<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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Mazda RX-7<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n