What strange evolution took place among cars during our time. I remember growing up with two kinds of cars running around our streets: the old ones built like boxes, and the newer sleeker ones. But they all had one thing in common: they were BIG! Volkswagens were plentiful, but you didn't see too many other cars that were small.
Then, in 1973, those blasted Arabs punished the US for its support of Israel. The oil embargo caused prices to triple. Suddenly, bigger was no longer viewed as better.
A forward-thinking auto company called AMC saw a market for a compact car that got good gas mileage. Not wanting to spring too much on its intended American customers, they chose to shorten the wheelbase while maintaining a standard width.
AMC also wanted a futuristic look to the car. And they wanted a powerful, fuel-efficient rotary engine to power it.
Unfortunately, the rotary engine idea had to be scrapped. GM, who was to sell the motors to AMC, suddenly canceled their production. AMC scrambled and came up with a small inline six that wasn't very powerful.
The car was presented to the public in 1975. They made fun of its squashed bug appearance, but they also bought nearly 150,000 of them. They were a common sight on American roads in the 70's.
That small engine got good mileage, but was notoriously underpowered. AMC reacted by offering a larger I-6 and a V-8 the next year, but sales never approached that initial promising first year. It was discontinued in 1980.
Many reviled the Pacer, but look for them to become popular as restored retro vehicles in the future. Anything that looked that funky has to make a comeback sooner or later.
Comments (4)
I was living in Las Vegas, Nevada when the Pacer appeared. The car became very unpopular there and in the region because the combination of large windows and (often) dark interior combined with the brutal Nevada sun changed the auto in an "oven on wheels"
Posted by Mike | July 30, 2007 11:54 AM
Posted on July 30, 2007 11:54
In the late 70s, I had a college roommate whose "dream car" was a baby blue AMC Pacer. I am not making this up! As she drove around in her used college student wreckmobile, she'd sigh, "someday, I'm going to get me that baby blue Pacer." Sad to say, as far as I know, she never achieved this lofty goal.
Posted by WkgnE77 | February 21, 2008 9:15 AM
Posted on February 21, 2008 09:15
I had one, a '76 maroon one. It was my favorite car ever. The wide wheel base made it so comfortable and easy to maneuver, the bucket seats were the greatest, the back seat could be made flat and you could transport furniture in it, handy for a young woman who moved frequently. It was great on road trips. People could sit comfortably. All that glass made it easy to see around yourself while driving. Mileage was pretty good. I kept it washed, polished, and used a lot of Armour All. It had 250,000 miles on it when I was at last hit by another car, totalling it. Even then, I was able to drive it onto the car lot. This article brings back memories. Oh, thanks. And by the way, men in general disparaged it. The Pacer and I knew better, didn't we?
Posted by Linda | October 3, 2008 10:38 AM
Posted on October 3, 2008 10:38
Look like a flying saucer or something! Didn't like them then, but for retro purposes now, I could live with it.
Posted by Rivers End | April 25, 2009 10:34 PM
Posted on April 25, 2009 22:34