Can You Ace This '70s Car Quiz?

AUTO

By: Bambi Turner

6 Min Quiz

Image: Wiki Commons via Sicnag

About This Quiz

Can you tell the difference between a Chevy Nova and a Ford Pinto, or a Mustang and a Chevette from just a single image? Think you can recognize classic cars like the BMW M1, Dodge Swinger or VW Thing? Take our quiz and show how much you really know about the most popular cars of the '70s!

The '60s was such a major heyday for automobiles that the '70s might seem like kind of a letdown -- until you remember all the things that car makers were dealing with by the 1970s. Those powerful pony cars that ruled the '60s were being watered down in the '70s to meet ever-tightening emissions standards. Combine that with stricter safety standards, a severe gas shortage and a major recession, and it's no surprise that the auto industry was scrambling to keep up. 

All of these factors combined to help subcompacts like the Vega, Pinto and Gremlin outsell many larger models as consumers tried to avoid added pain at the pump. Innovation in design slowed as automakers worked to address more pressing concerns, though some models managed to shine through all the compact bodies and straight lines of the period.

Think you can name the cars that ruled the roads in the '70s. Take our quiz to find out!

What's the name of this classic car?

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.

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Choose the correct make and model of this car.

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.

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What kind of car is this?

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."

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Can you identify this car that came out in the '70s?

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.

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Know the make and model of this car?

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.

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Can you identify the car shown here?

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.

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Think you can I.D. this car from just a single image?

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.

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Name this vintage ride.

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.

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Pick the right name for this classic car.

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.

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Identify this car based on this image.

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.

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Do you know the name of this car?

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.

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What's the name of this vintage ride?

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.

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Name this iconic '70s vehicle.

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.

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Think you can correctly name this car?

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.

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What's the name of this '70s auto icon?

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.

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Which '70s car is shown here?

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.

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Name this iconic '70s vehicle.

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.

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What's the name of this '70s auto icon?

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.

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Choose the make and model for this car.

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.

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What's the name of this vintage ride?

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.

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Can you name this '70s ride?

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.

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Know what this car is called?

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.

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What's the name of this classic car?

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.

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Can you identify this car that came out in the '70s?

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.

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Identify this car based on this image.

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.

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Know the make and model of this car?

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.

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Can you identify the car shown here?

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.

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Can you name the car shown in this image?

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.

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Pick the right name for this classic car.

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.

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Think you can correctly name this car?

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.

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Name this vintage ride.

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.

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What kind of car is this?

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.

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Choose the make and model for this car.

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.

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Choose the correct make and model of this car.

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.

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Can you identify the car shown here?

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.

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Do you know the name of this car?

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.

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Can you name the car shown in this image?

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.

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Know what this car is called?

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.

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Think you can I.D. this car from just a single image?

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.

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Can you name this '70s ride?

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.

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