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101 Cars: AMC Pacer

Written by: SPEED Staff
SPEEDtv.com

08/04/2008 - 08:53 AM

Charlotte, North Carolina

Small was never this wide. (Photo: Autoweek) » More Photos

If there ever was a poster child for one of the worst eras in the history of the American automobile, the Pacer is it. Although car snobs make fun of the chop-tailed Gremlin, it was a huge sales hit. AMC felt there was room above it for an avant-garde compact. WIde ofr its length with lots of glass, the idea was a smallish car that didn't feel that way. One of its sales slogans was, "Small was never this wide."

AMC also spec'd a lot of technology for the Pacer, including a rotary engine, front-wheel drive, electronic ignition, and rack-and-pinion steering; only the last two made production. The most unremarkable thing about the Pacer is driving it. The standard six-cylinder engine was optimized for fuel mileage, so performance is a relative term; but the rare, optional V-8 isn't so bad. The rest is standard late-1970s American fare: a smooth ride, uninspiring handling, and cheap plastic everywhere. But like disco and other cultural symbols of the era that taste forgot, the Pacer has made a comeback as a cult classic - which proves that what goes around, comes around, no matter how weird.

Specifications
Engine: 3.8-liter I-6, 4.2-liter I-6, 5.0-liter V-8
Horsepower: 120 (4.2 with 2V carb)
0–60 mph: 10.0 seconds (V-8)
Top Speed: 105 miles per hour on a good day
Price New: $3,299
Value Now: $1,000-7,500, depending on model and condition.
AMC Pacer Photos

CLAIM TO FAME: The Pacer is the only car on the cover of Eric Peters' book Automotive Atrocities!

SOUNDTRACK: The soundtrack from the dork comedy Wayne's World, in which the Pacer played an important role.

PERFECT PASSENGER: Mike Myers

BEHIND THE WHEEL: These things are all over eBay. Cheap.

DID YOU KNOW? The Pacer's doors are asymmetrical, the passenger side being longer to aid ingress and egress.

THE PERFECT DRIVE: Any place that makes you think of the late 1970s.

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