Gas shortages, new safety rules, and shifting tastes during the 1970s forced engineers to try things nobody had tried before. A lot of those experiments looked strange sitting next to the muscle cars and land yachts of the previous decade, and plenty of buyers didn’t know what to make of them.
But strange doesn’t always mean bad. Some of these cars were simply ahead of their time, built with ideas that wouldn’t catch on for another twenty years. Others were just plain odd and never found their footing. Either way, they are a fun reminder that not every car needs to look like everything else on the road.
1. AMC Pacer
With its bubble-shaped windows and stubby body, the Pacer looked like it drove straight out of a cartoon. It was marketed as “the first wide small car,” but buyers weren’t sure if it was a hatchback, a compact, or something else entirely.
2. Citroën SM
This French-Italian hybrid combined Citroën’s hydropneumatic suspension with a Maserati V6 engine. It rode like a cloud and handled like nothing else on the road, but its complexity scared off a lot of American buyers.
3. Reliant Robin
A three-wheeled British oddity that tipped over if you took a corner too fast. It became a punchline more than a practical car, though it earned a strange kind of cult.
4. Bricklin SV-1
Built in Canada with gullwing doors and a safety-first design, the SV-1 wanted to be a safe sports car. Production problems and a short lifespan meant it never got the chance to prove itself.
5. Ford Pinto
Its odd tapered rear end made it look unlike anything else Ford built, and the notorious fuel tank issues didn’t help its reputation. It sold well early on because it was cheap and different.
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6. Chevrolet Vega
GM tried something new with an aluminum engine block, but the execution didn’t match the ambition. Its rounded shape made it stand out for the wrong reasons.
7. Triumph TR7
Nicknamed “the wedge” for its sharp, angular design, the TR7 broke from every sports car shape that came before it. Enthusiasts either loved the boldness or thought it ruined the brand’s classic look.
8. Renault Le Car
Its boxy shape looked nothing like the sleek European cars Americans were used to. It was practical and fuel-efficient, but its looks made it an acquired taste stateside.
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9. Volkswagen Thing
A boxy, military-inspired vehicle sold to civilians, complete with removable doors and a flat windshield. It looked more like an army item than a family car.
10. Chevrolet Chevette
Small, plain, and stripped of anything flashy, the Chevette was built purely for economy. Its look felt jarring next to the decade’s earlier chrome-heavy designs.
11. Datsun 200SX (S10)
With sharp creases and a low nose, this coupe looked more like a wedge-shaped toy than a serious sports car. It didn’t fit neatly into any category.
12. Lancia Beta Montecarlo
A mid-engine Italian car with sharp, geometric styling that confused shoppers expecting a traditional sports car layout. Its handling quirks did not help its case either.
13. Fiat X1/9
A tiny mid-engine car that looked more like a wedge on wheels than anything from Fiat’s earlier lineup. It was fun to drive but too unusual for buyers used to front-engine layouts.
14. Buick Century Aeroback
Its sloped, fastback rear end looked completely out of place on a full-size American sedan. Buyers expecting a traditional trunk were caught off guard by its shape.
15. Checker Marathon
Best known as the classic New York taxi, the Marathon kept its boxy 1950s-style shape well into the 1970s while everything else on the road was changing. It looked like a car that forgot what decade it was in.
Looking for similar content?
Check out 15 Cars From the 1960s That Changed Automotive History for a look at the icons that reshaped the industry. If offbeat rides are more your speed, The 15 Weirdest Cars From the 1960s rounds up the era’s oddest experiments. And to see how car culture ties into status, The 12 Most Popular Cars Among the Rich and Famous shows what celebrities are driving today.
