Malaise Era

1973-1983

The dark ages of American automotive performance. Emissions regulations, fuel crises, and corporate cost-cutting produced some of the strangest and most overlooked vehicles in history.

Historical Context

The 1973 oil embargo and new emissions regulations killed the muscle car overnight. Detroit scrambled to build fuel-efficient cars while meeting new safety standards. The results were often ugly, underpowered, and unreliable. But this desperation also bred innovation: AMC's Eagle invented the crossover. Small cars learned to be fun. Some manufacturers figured out how to make horsepower without cubic inches. The malaise era's underdogs are finally getting their due.

Defining Characteristics

  • • Smog-choked engines with plummeting horsepower
  • • Bumper regulations creating ungainly designs
  • • Downsizing from land yachts to compact experiments
  • • Strange corporate badge-engineering decisions
  • • Early experiments with imports and fuel efficiency

Vehicles from the Malaise Era (36)

Oscar Mayer Wienermobile

Oscar Mayer Wienermobile

1969-present · Oscar Mayer

Priceless (not typically for sale)
1970 AMC Gremlin

1970 AMC Gremlin

1970-1978 · AMC

$5,000-15,000
1970 Citroën 2CV

1970 Citroën 2CV

1948-1990 · Citroën

$10,000-25,000
1971 Ford Pinto

1971 Ford Pinto

1971-1980 · Ford

$3,000-12,000
1971 International Scout II

1971 International Scout II

1971-1980 · International Harvester

$12,000-45,000
1974 Honda CL175 Scrambler

1974 Honda CL175 Scrambler

1968-1973 · Honda

$2,000-5,000
1974 Lamborghini Countach

1974 Lamborghini Countach

1974-1990 · Lamborghini

$400,000-2,500,000+
1974 MG MGB

1974 MG MGB

1962-1980 · MG

$8,000-25,000
1974 Triumph TR6

1974 Triumph TR6

1969-1976 · Triumph

$15,000-40,000
1974 Volkswagen Thing (Type 181)

1974 Volkswagen Thing (Type 181)

1969-1983 · Volkswagen

$15,000-35,000
1975 AMC Pacer

1975 AMC Pacer

1975-1980 · AMC

$5,000-18,000
1975 Cadillac Coupe DeVille

1975 Cadillac Coupe DeVille

1971-1976 · Cadillac

$15,000-35,000
1975 Cadillac Eldorado

1975 Cadillac Eldorado

1971-1978 · Cadillac

$15,000-45,000
1975 Checker Marathon

1975 Checker Marathon

1960-1982 · Checker

$8,000-25,000
1975 Chevy G20 Van

1975 Chevy G20 Van

1971-1995 · Chevy

$5,000-25,000
1975 Honda Gold Wing GL1000

1975 Honda Gold Wing GL1000

1975-1979 · Honda

$3,000-8,000
1975 Moto Guzzi 850 Le Mans

1975 Moto Guzzi 850 Le Mans

1976-1993 · Moto Guzzi

$12,000-$25,000
1975 Norton Commando 850

1975 Norton Commando 850

1973-1977 · Norton

$10,000-$20,000
1975 Volvo 245 Wagon

1975 Volvo 245 Wagon

1974-1993 · Volvo

$8,000-25,000
1976 BMW R90S

1976 BMW R90S

1973-1976 · BMW

$15,000-$35,000
1976 Chevy Chevette

1976 Chevy Chevette

1976-1987 · Chevy

$2,000-8,000
1976 International Scout II

1976 International Scout II

1971-1980 · International Harvester

$15,000-45,000
1976 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme

1976 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme

1973-1977 · Oldsmobile

$15,000-35,000
1977 Ferrari 308 GTS

1977 Ferrari 308 GTS

1977-1985 · Ferrari

$60,000-150,000
1977 Harley-Davidson XLCR

1977 Harley-Davidson XLCR

1977-1978 · Harley-Davidson

$15,000-30,000
1978 Dodge Li'l Red Express

1978 Dodge Li'l Red Express

1978-1979 · Dodge

$25,000-50,000
1978 Ducati 900SS

1978 Ducati 900SS

1975-1982 · Ducati

$20,000-$45,000
1978 Fiat 124 Spider

1978 Fiat 124 Spider

1966-1985 · Fiat

$10,000-30,000
1978 Subaru Brat

1978 Subaru Brat

1978-1994 · Subaru

$10,000-30,000
Bigfoot

Bigfoot

1975-present · Bigfoot

Not applicable (museum piece)
1979 Jeep Wagoneer

1979 Jeep Wagoneer

1963-1991 · Jeep

$25,000-65,000
1979 Mercedes-Benz 450SL

1979 Mercedes-Benz 450SL

1971-1989 · Mercedes-Benz

$15,000-45,000
1979 Yamaha SR500

1979 Yamaha SR500

1978-1981 · Yamaha

$4,000-12,000
1980 AMC Eagle

1980 AMC Eagle

1980-1988 · AMC

$5,000-20,000
1981 DeLorean DMC-12

1981 DeLorean DMC-12

1981-1983 · DeLorean

$40,000-100,000+
1983 Mercedes-Benz 300D

1983 Mercedes-Benz 300D

1976-1985 · Mercedes-Benz

$5,000-20,000