AMC Pacer
| AMC Pacer | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | American Motors Corporation (AMC) |
| Also called | VAM Pacer |
| Production | 1975–79 |
| Assembly |
Kenosha, Wisconsin, United States Mexico City, Mexico (by VAM) |
| Designer | Richard A. Teague |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Compact car |
| Body style | 2-door hatchback coupe 2-door station wagon |
| Layout | FR layout |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine |
232 cu in (3.8 L) I6 258 cu in (4.2 L) I6 282 cu in (4.6 L) I6 (Mexico only) 304 cu in (5.0 L) V8 |
| Transmission | 3-speed manual 3-speed with overdrive 4-speed manual 3-speed automatic |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 100.0 in (2,540 mm) |
| Length | 171.8 in (4,364 mm) (coupe) 176.8 in (4,491 mm) (wagon) |
| Width | 77.3 in (1,963 mm) |
| Height | 52.8 in (1,341 mm) (coupe) |
| Curb weight | 3,000 lb (1,361 kg) |
| Chronology | |
| Successor |
AMC Concord AMC Spirit |
The AMC Pacer is a two-door compact car produced in the United States by the American Motors Corporation from 1975 to 1979, sold out in 1980.
Design work began in 1971. The rounded shape and large glass area were unusual compared with the three-box designs of the era. The Pacer's width is equal to full-sized domestic vehicles at the time, and this unique design feature was promoted by AMC as "the first wide small car." The Pacer was the first modern, mass-produced, U.S. automobile design using the cab forward concept.
The Pacer's rounded and aerodynamic "jellybean" styling has made it an icon of the 1970s. The body surface was 37 percent glass, and its surface area of 5615 square inches was 16 percent more than the average passenger car at the time. The May 1976 issue of Car and Driver dubbed it "The Flying Fishbowl," and it was also described as "the seventies answer to George Jetson's mode of transportation" at a time when "Detroit was still rolling out boat-sized gas guzzlers."
American Motors' chief stylist Richard A. Teague began work on the Pacer in 1971, anticipating an increase in demand for smaller vehicles through the decade. The new car was designed to offer the interior room and feel of a big car that drivers of traditional domestic automobiles were accustomed to, but in a much smaller, aerodynamic, and purposefully distinctive exterior package. American Motors called it "Project Amigo" as a fresh design "featuring a body style not seen before, using the latest technology, and exceeding upcoming safety regulations."
Car and Driver magazine noted that "AMC said it was the first car designed from the inside out. Four passengers were positioned with reasonable clearances and then the rest of the car was built around them as compactly as possible."
The shape was highly rounded with a huge glass area, and was very unusual for its time. Road & Track magazine described it as "fresh, bold and functional-looking".
Development was under Product Group Vice President Gerald C. Meyers, whose goal was to develop a car that was truly unique: "everything that we do must distinguish itself as being importantly different than what can be expected from the competition." Even before its introduction, AMC's Board Chairman Roy D. Chapin, Jr. described "It will be a visibly different car, maybe even controversial ... It's an idea that represents a transition between what has been and what's coming. Today versus tomorrow."Popular Mechanics wrote: "This is the first time in the history of the American automobile industry that a car manufacturer has said in advance of bringing out a new product that some people may not like it."
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Wikipedia