About This Quiz
The 1970s were certainly an interesting time for motoring! At times, cars were the last things on peoples' minds, especially during the oil crisis in 1973. And just as in the '60s, times certainly were changing. While some people didn't care in particular what car they drove, others loved their cars, sometimes more than their significant others!
The decade of disco gave us many different styles of cars, not only from American carmakers, including the Big Three of Chrysler, Ford and Chevrolet, but also from abroad. Japanese cars started to make an impact in the United States, and like in the '50s and '60s, those beautiful European designs continued to come into the U.S. as well.
And the popularity of muscle cars continued to grow, even though the early models of the decade were hampered by the oil crisis. When the crisis ended, however, large American V8 engines were cruising the streets of all the major cities in the United States, just as they had in the 1960s.
So, in this quiz, your knowledge of cars from the 1970s needs to be top-notch, because we cover all bases. And of course, they are all red, because nothing beats a red car, right? Good luck!
The first 4x4 Bronco hit the trails in 1966. Between that year and 1997, it proved to be a more than capable off-roader. Blessed with a turning circle of just 34 feet, thanks to a wheelbase of 92 inches, later models also included a Ford V8 engine with incredible torque.
Produced by the American Motors Corporation between 1968 and 1970, the AMX was a GT-style sports car. It featured a two-door coupe-styled body and had six different engine options, all V8s of varying size. AMXs came with either a four-speed manual or three-speed automatic transmission.
An economy model in the 02 series, the BMW 1502 first entered production in 1975. Powered by a 1.5-liter engine, the 1502 was marketed until 1977, even though production on the rest of the 02 range was stopped in 1975.
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A utility coupe produced by Ford from 1957 to 1979, the Ranchero was actually adapted from a station wagon design. Over 500,000 Rancheros were sold in the 22 years it was produced.
Created as a high-speed racing machine especially for NASCAR, the Superbird was also offered for sale to the public. The first models appeared in 1970 and were instantly recognizable, thanks to the massive spoiler on the back.
Produced for a decade, between 1970 and 1980, the Pinto was a Ford model in the subcompact car segment. It had three body styles — a two-door sedan, a station wagon and a three-door hatchback. The Pinto was popular, with Ford producing three million by 1980, when it was replaced by the Ford Escort.
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Since its inception in 1974, the Golf has gone from strength to strength. In fact, Volkswagen’s tagline, "The People’s Car," easily moved from the aging Beetle to this vehicle. The Golf is still a popular model around the world today, with the performance version, the GTi, standing out.
The Fiesta was originally made for the European and other world markets, with the model first produced in 1976. It remains a popular model today.
This luxury two-door saloon was produced by Rolls Royce between 1975 and 1986. It was designed by the legendary Pininfarina design house in Italy, with Paolo Martin as the lead designer. Interestingly, this was the first Rolls Royce not designed by the company itself since World War II.
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This full-sized station wagon was produced by Chevrolet over two periods — first from 1958 to 1961 and again from 1969 to 1972. It was an entry level station wagon, built for six or nine passengers.
Released between 1976 and 1986, Jeep’s CJ-7 was one of the most popular off-roaders available during those 10 years. It had a large 93.3-inch wheelbase which, coupled with a three-speed gearbox, meant the Jeep went places other 4x4s had trouble getting to. The top of the range CJ-7 was powered by a 304-cubic-inch V8.
The American Motors Corporation produced the subcompact class Gremlin between 1970 and 1978. A number of models were produced, but the Gremlin powered with either a 5.0-liter or 6.6-liter V8 is sometimes considered to be a muscle car.
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The Ford Mustang Mach 1 was powered by a 5.7-liter, 6.4-liter or 7.0-liter V8 engine, which produced just over 300 brake horsepower. This Mustang configuration was available as a performance upgrade from 1969 onward.
The Dodge Adventurer was a version of the Dodge D-Series pickup, marketed by Dodge from 1968 to 1971. By 1970, there were three Adventurer models for customers to choose from — the base model, the Sport and the SE.
The Challenger was first introduced in 1970 as a muscle car. The top of the range model from this era was powered by a 7.0-liter Chrysler Hemi engine. The Challenger was produced for a period of five years, up until 1974.
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A "super truck" of sorts, more than 5,000 Lil' Red Express Trucks were sold in 1978 and 1979. And it's not difficult to understand why. Not only did it look incredible, but it also had some serious speed. In fact, the modified 360-cubic-inch V-8 engine produced 225 brake horsepower, even more than Corvettes produced at the time.
Marketed by Toyota since 1951, the Land Cruiser is considered to be one of their best ever off-road vehicles — hugely popular in the Australian Outback. Starting in 1974, a four-cylinder, 3.0-liter engine was available.
The Grand Prix was built by Pontiac between 1962 and 2008. It underwent a number of cosmetic changes during its seven generations, but always had multiple V8 engine options to give it that muscle car appeal.
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The first-ever mid-engine Ferrari, the 512 was introduced in 1971. And what a looker! Only 25 of these sports cars were ever built, and most were used in endurance racing events. The "512" comes from the five-liter engine and its 12 cylinders.
Produced between 1977 and 1988, the Diplomat contested the mid-sized car segment. It is essentially the same car as the Plymouth Gran Fury. The Diplomat came with three engine options — a 3.7-liter straight six, a 5.2-liter V8 or a 5.9-liter V8. Diplomats were favored vehicles for city police forces around the United States.
First built in 1974, the Lamborghini Countach was unlike anything anyone had seen before. And that was its major appeal! Scissor doors made it look very futuristic, and the Countach was popular for the 16-year period when it was marketed.
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Pantera is Italian for "panther." This Italian two-door mid-engine coupe with a steel chassis was introduced in 1971. Over a period of 20 years, 7,260 were produced.
Throughout its history, Chevrolet has produced some incredible models, including the Corvette Mk1, Corvette Stingray, Impala and a number of muscle cars, including the Camaro. The El Camino was produced by the company from 1959 to 1960, then between 1964 and 1987. It was available in several body options, including a utility vehicle and a coupe.
By 1976, the fourth generation of the popular Mini had been introduced. It was available as a two-door saloon, two-door truck and two-door van. The Mark IV was powered by three different engines.
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Incredibly, this Ferrari was used in Formula 1 from 1975 to 1980, with minor upgrades each year. It won 27 races, three drivers' crowns and four constructors' championships. Not only a classic, but also a phenomenal winner.
Designed by the legendary Giorgetto Giugiaro, the M1 sports car was released in 1978 and built for a period of three years, in which 453 were made. This was BMW's first mid-engined car, powered by a 3.5-liter double overhead cam straight six engine. It had a top speed of 162 mph.
Competing in the subcompact segment, the Vega was produced by Chevrolet between 1970 and 1977. It was available as a hatchback, wagon, notchback and panel delivery vehicle. Over two million Vegas were sold during its production run.
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The Gran Sport badge first appeared on the Buick Skylark in 1965. By 1967, it was a marque all of its own. In 1970, the company released the Gran Sport 455, considered by many experts to be one of the greatest muscle cars ever built.
The Granada was marketed as a mid-sized car in the United States between 1975 and 1982. It came in many guises, including a two- and four-door sedan, station wagon and two-door coupe. It was also sold in Europe.
Only 351 2000GTs were produced by Toyota, between 1967 and 1970. This two-door fastback sports car was designed in conjunction with Yamaha. It came with either a 2.0- or 2.3-liter engine and with a five-speed manual or three-speed automatic gearbox.
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The Pony, Korea's first mass-produced car, was a rear-wheel-drive subcompact car, produced by the Korean manufacturer between 1975 and 1990. Two generations of the Pony were produced, with a range of body options, including sedans, wagons, a coupe utility and a hatchback.
Marketed between 1971 and 1994, the Colt was actually built by Mitsubishi Motors and marketed by Dodge in the United States. There were seven generations altogether. The Colt was also offered in other car markets around the world.
First released in the United Kingdom in 1979, the Astra is exactly the same as the Opel version except it is a right-hand drive car. Currently in its seventh generation, this vehicle has proved popular both for Vauxhall and Opel.
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The Commodore was first introduced in 1978 as a sedan, then expanded in the following year to include a station wagon. They were sold in Australia until 2017 as part of the Holden lineup. Before that, starting in 1967, Opel produced Commodores.
Contesting the supermini segment, the Audi 50 was a small, three-door hatchback. Produced between 1974 and 1978, the 50 was sold only in Europe. With a four-speed manual gearbox, it had three different engine options, the biggest of which was a 1.3-liter.
Available in Japan only, the Chaser was produced between 1977 and 2001, first as a compact car and then, from 1980, in the mid-sized car segment. The Chaser shared the same chassis with two other Toyota models, the Cressida/Mark II and the Cresta. Interestingly, thanks to its front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout, the Chaser became a popular car to use in drifting.
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The Alpine was a European Chrysler model, marketed under a host of other names in various car markets around the world. This front-wheel-drive hatchback was produced by Chrysler Europe between 1975 and 1979.
Marketed in the compact car segment, the Leone was manufactured between 1971 and 1994. During this time, three generations were produced. The Leone (meaning "lion" in Italian) was powered by a range of Boxer engines, and owners had the option of four-wheel drive. This vehicle came in a range of body options, including a station wagon, hatchback, coupe and sedan.
A stalwart of the Chevy pickup fleet in the 1970s, the C30 is considered to be the first of the modern pickup trucks. It was also the first Chevy with the crew cab option, meaning the truck could easily seat six people.
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