1. BMW M1
   Stutz Blackhawk
2. Ford Granada
   Chevy Camaro

The steel body on each Stutz Blackhawk was handmade in Italy. Produced between 1970 and 1987, the very first unit of this stylish two-door coupe -- complete with walnut, leather and 24k gold trim -- went to Elvis Presley himself.

1. Ford Mustang II
   Cadillac Eldorado
2. Lamborghini Countach
   Chevy El Camino

The Mustang has always been a sure thing for Ford, but this pony car was threatened by oil embargoes in the '70s. To make the car more attractive to buyers, the company shrunk it down, placing it on a small Ford Pinto chassis starting in 1974. The ploy worked, as the Mustang II was named Motor Trend's Car of the Year when it debuted in '74.

1. VW Thing
   Oldsmobile Cutlass
2. Pontiac Firebird
   Ford Bronco

Pontiac introduced the sporty Firebird in 1967 to compete with the Ford Mustang. The second generation redesign in 1970 eliminated convertible options. This car shot to fame when it appeared in the 1977 film "Smokey and the Bandit," which would have been the highest grossing film in the U.S. that year -- if not for a little film called "Star Wars."

1. Cadillac Eldorado
   Ford Pinto
2. Chevy Monte Carlo
   Maserati Merak

The first American car with rack and pinion steering, the subcompact Ford Pinto was produced from 1971 to 1980. Though Ford sold 10 million Pintos throughout the decade, the legacy of the car has been tainted by recalls and a fiery fuel tank design flaw.

1. Chevy El Camino
   Ford Bronco
2. Chevy Camaro
   Lamborghini Miura

Lamborghini produced just around 760 Miuras between 1966 and 1973, yet this two-door Italian coupe still remains one of the most memorable cars of the '70s. Its V12 engine allowed the car to go from 0 to 60 in 6.7 seconds, and could generate a top speed of 171 mph.

1. AMC Gremlin
   Datsun 240Z
2. Ford Pinto
   Oldsmobile Cutlass

AMC sold more than 670,000 Gremlins between 1970 and 1978. This subcompact sedan or hatchback was known for its goofy gnome-like logo, which appeared on the gas cap of numerous models.

1. Chevy El Camino
   Pontiac Trans Am
2. BMW M1
   Ford Pinto

The Pontiac Trans Am was a specialty Pontiac Firebird model produced throughout the '70s. It is perhaps best remembered for the 1976 50th anniversary edition, which came with an iconic black and gold paint job and a removable T-top.

1. Ford Granada
   Lincoln Continental Mark IV
2. Maserati Merak
   Ford Pinto

Produced from 1972 to 1983, the Maserati Merak was a two-door sports coupe with a classic wedge shape and pop-up headlights. It's recognizable thanks to its fastback-style frame design, which actually includes only the frame, as the rear window sits vertically rather than at a slant.

1. VW Thing
   Chevy El Camino
2. Oldsmobile Cutlass
   Ford Bronco

Ford introduced the Brono SUV in 1966. Long before O.J. Simpson chose the vehicle for his famous getaway ride, the Bronco was going head-to-head with Jeep in the '70s. The 1978 model saw a substantial redesign, with the Bronco built onto the chassis of the F-100 pickup.

1. Lincoln Continental Mark IV
   Chevy Monte Carlo
2. Bricklin SV-1
   Fiat X1/9

Gull wing doors didn't start with the DeLorean. They could also be found on the Bricklin SV-1 == a two-door hatchback produced between 1974 and 1975. The company produced just 3,000 units of this "Safety Vehicle 1," which came complete with a full roll cage and 5-mph bumpers.

1. Oldsmobile Cutlass
   Lamborghini Countach
2. Cadillac Eldorado
   Citroen SM

The Lamborghini Countach was a legendary luxury sports coupe produced between 1974 and 1990. Famous for its exotic wedge shape, the Countach came with scissor doors, which lift up and tilt so that the driver can enter the vehicle.

1. Chevy Nova
   Ford Granada
2. Ford Pinto
   Chevy El Camino

Chevy produced the subcompact Nova between 1962 and 1979. The fourth generation redesign brought big changes to 1975 models, including a sophisticated new design and a more luxurious interior.

1. Chevy Nova
   Maserati Merak
2. BMW M1
   Ford Thunderbird

Chevy produced the sixth generation Thunderbird Coupe from 1972 through 1976. This model was big and heavy, with a bold shape. The seventh generation release in 1977 resulted in a cheaper and smaller Thunderbird with simpler, squared-off styling.

1. VW Thing
   Lincoln Continental Mark IV
2. Oldsmobile Cutlass
   Toyota 2000GT

Lincoln produced the Continental Mark IV luxury coupe between 1972 and 1976. Built on the same chassis as the Ford Thunderbird, the Continental was famous for limited Design Editions, which were inspired by designers like Pucci, Cartier and Givenchy.

1. Maserati Merak
   Cadillac Eldorado
2. AMC Pacer
   Stutz Blackhawk

AMC produced the Pacer subcompact between 1975 and 1979. Famous for its jellybean shape, the car was as wide as a standard full-sized vehicle with a super futuristic styling that had a certain "Jetsons" flair.

1. Chevy El Camino
   Ferrari 308
2. Ford Mustang II
   Lincoln Continental Mark IV

The Ferrari 308 GT4 was the only Ferrari legally imported to the U.S. in 1975. It was called the Dino, in honor of Ferrari's son, who passed away in 1956. The car sported a Dino badge until 1976, when it was replaced by a standard Ferrari badge.

1. Chrysler Cordoba
   Chevy Monte Carlo
2. AMC Gremlin
   BMW M1

Chrysler produced the two-door Cordoba luxury coupe between 1975 and 1983. More than 150,000 were sold in the U.S. in 1975 alone, as buyers responded enthusiastically to the upscale interior and wide variety of options.

1. Chevy El Camino
   Ford Pinto
2. Pontiac Firebird
   BMW 2002 Turbo

Introduced in 1973, the BMW 2002 Turbo was the first turbocharged BMW production car. The company only made around 1,670 units of this car because buyers were hit hard by the oil embargoes and gas shortages of the mid-'70s.

1. Lincoln Continental Mark IV
   Cadillac Eldorado
2. Chevy Chevette
   Ford Mustang II

Chevy produced the subcompact Chevette hatchback between 1975 and 1987. By the end of the '70s, it was the bestselling small car in the U.S., and Chevy went on to sell nearly 3 million Chevettes by 1987.

1. Fiat X1/9
   Ford Granada
2. Maserati Merak
   VW Thing

The Fiat X1/9 was a two-seater Targa top introduced in 1972. A 1975 redesign gave this car a very distinctive feature -- an open-grid, ladder-style bumper unlike anything found on the average vehicle.

1. Oldsmobile Cutlass
   Plymouth Duster
2. Citroen SM
   Toyota 2000GT

The Plymouth Duster was a two-door fastback compact produced between 1970 and 1976. Essentially a sporty upgrade of the Plymouth Valiant, it was famous for its twister-style logo and its specialty editions -- which had names like Feather Duster, Space Duster and Gold Duster.

1. Chevy Camaro
   Chevy El Camino
2. AMC Gremlin
   BMW M1

Chevy has been making its classic Camaro since 1966. The company introduced the second generation model in 1970, which was longer and wider than the original. Starting in '75, the Camaro got a wraparound rear window and some badging changes.

1. Chevy Monte Carlo
   Cadillac Seville
2. Datsun 240Z
   Ford Pinto

The Seville was the smallest Cadillac ever when it was introduced in 1975. The first generation of this classic sedan was styled after European luxury cars, and designed to appeal to a younger buyer than the typical Cadillac demographic.

1. Cadillac Eldorado
   Ford Mustang II
2. Oldsmobile Cutlass
   Dodge Swinger

The Dodge Swinger was the two-door hardtop version of the Dodge Dart. Produced from 1969 through the mid-'70s, the name Swinger Special was later added to distinguish between custom and standard hardtop Dart compacts.

1. Pontiac Firebird
   Lamborghini Countach
2. Oldsmobile Cutlass
   Chevy Nova

Oldsmobile produced the Cutlass from 1961 to 1999. The third generation remodel in 1968 brought a major redesign, and made the car both longer and lighter than previous models. By 1976, the Cutlass ranked among the bestselling cars in the U.S.

1. Maserati Merak
   Ford Capri
2. Chevy El Camino
   Toyota 2000GT

Ford marketed the Capri as "The Car You Always Promised Yourself." Produced between 1968 and 1986, this classic sports car was changed from a fastback to a hatchback in 1974, making it the first Ford hatchback ever produced.

1. Chevy El Camino
   Ford Bronco
2. Cadillac Eldorado
   Ford Pinto

Chevy first introduced the El Camino coupe utility in 1959 to take on the Ford Ranchero. This unusual vehicle was essentially a pickup truck built onto the frame of a station wagon. The company brought the El Camino back in 1964, and redesigned and enlarged it in 1973.

1. Stutz Blackhawk
   Chevy Monte Carlo
2. Citroen SM
   VW Thing

Think of the VW Thing as a very early precursor to the Hummer H1. Built for the West German Army, this two-wheel drive convertible was put up for sale to civilians starting in 1968. Officially known as the Type 181, it was also called the Trekker in the UK.

1. Chevy Camaro
   Fiat X1/9
2. Porsche 911 Carrera
   Ford Pinto

Porsche introduced its iconic 911 two-door in 1963. From 1973 to 1974, the company offered a highly-coveted Carrera RS model which was pretty much only built so that the company could participate in race events that were restricted to production cars.

1. Aston Martin V8 Vantage
   Lamborghini Countach
2. Datsun 240Z
   Maserati Merak

Aston Martin built just over 500 units of the V8 Vantage between 1977 and 1989. This British two-door roadster could reach a top speed of 170 mph, and go from 0 to 60 in 5.3 seconds.

1. Pontiac Firebird
   Toyota 2000GT
2. AMC Gremlin
   Ford Pinto

The Toyota 2000GT was designed to combine Japanese efficiency and technology with European styling. Introduced in 1967, this sleek two-door fastback came with a rosewood dash, an ultra-low profile and pop-up headlights.

1. Ford Bronco
   Ford Mustang II
2. Dodge Challenger
   Lincoln Continental Mark IV

Dodge introduced G1 of the Challenger in 1970. While this iconic model started off as a pony car, it underwent major changes in 1978 with the second generation redesign, resulting in a car that was smaller and less powerful.

1. Ford Pinto
   Chevy Corvette
2. Dodge Challenger
   Stutz Blackhawk

Chevy sold the third generation C3 Corvette between 1968 and 1982, It had a new body style and new interior compared to earlier models, and got an egg-crate grille and rectangular dual headlights starting in 1970.

1. BMW M1
   Ford Pinto
2. Fiat X1/9
   Buick GSX

Introduced on 1970 and based on the Buick Skylark, the GSX Gran Sport was marketed as "A Brand New Kind of Buick." Early models of this sporty car were available only in white or yellow, and came with a solid black interior.

1. Cadillac Eldorado
   AMC Gremlin
2. Chevy Camaro
   Chevy El Camino

The Cadillac Eldorado was redesigned for a seventh-generation model debut in 1971. This version was much heavier and larger than its predecessors, yet still able to go from 0 to 60 in under 10 seconds. In 1973, the Eldorado served as the pace car at the Indy 500.

1. Lamborghini Countach
   Chevy Monte Carlo
2. Pontiac Firebird
   Dodge Challenger

Named for a city in Monaco, the Chevy Monte Carlo came out in 1970. This two-door luxury coupe got a prominent egg-crate grille in 1973, as well as a 5 mph safety bumper. By the third generation 1978 remodel, the car had been downsized to account for rising gas prices of the period.

1. Chevy Nova
   Chevy El Camino
2. Ford Mustang II
   BMW M1

Introduced in 1978, the BMW M1 had a classic wedge shape inspired by Italian sports cars. Less than 500 units of this two-door coupe were made, and the M1 is now remembered as the first mid-engine BMW model.

1. Ford Pinto
   VW Thing
2. Ford Granada
   Dodge Challenger

The Ford Granada was a luxury compact introduced in 1975 to replace the Ford Maverick. A very long options list made it a popular pick for buyers, and Ford sold more than 2 million Granadas between 1975 and 1982.

1. Toyota 2000GT
   Chevy Nova
2. Fiat X1/9
   Datsun 240Z

Known as the Fairlady in Japan, the Datsun 240Z was produced between 1969 and 1978. Available as a two-door coupe or three-door hatchback, the car was popular because of its sleek style and low price point.

1. Citroen SM
   Stutz Blackhawk
2. Chevy Camaro
   Ford Pinto

Introduced in 1970, the Citroen SM was named the 1972 Motor Trend Car of the Year -- a rare feat for a non-American car. This three-door hatch had an unusual design -- six headlights aligned in a single row. When it was imported to the U.S., these headlights were reduced to four to meet U.S. law.