The AMC Pacer is not an ugly car!

[ShiftingGears]

http://www.stangbangers.com/AMC-Pacer_Ad.jpg


Am I the only one who thinks this? :p :

[veeten]

I said it back when it first came out...

it looks like a 'potato with wheels'. :p :

[Daniel]

It's not Ssangyong Rodius ugly but it's not pretty

[RaceFanStan]

The Pacer was misunderstood, it wasn't about beautiful lines ...
American Motors set the goal more for function than for style ...
the inline 6 cylinder engine was smooth & peppy, the transmission smooth ...
the ride was comfortable, however the handling wasn't designed for spirited driving ...
the most prominet feel of the Pacer was that it felt too big & bulky ...
the Pacer was an acceptable grocery-getter but just not good enough to muster good sales.

The Pacer was destined to fail, it just wasn't pretty enough to attract many buyers. http://www.motorsportforum.com/forums/images/icons/eek.gif

[Azumanga Davo]

Kudos for daring to be different. Imagine if Commodore or Falcon actually had a difference between them*.

*-It seems that all I do these days is bash Holden and Ford for their immense lack of imagination when it comes to bland oversized sedans. But I don't give a monkeys because it's true. ;)

[Daniel]

At least holden wouldn't stick bog over the shut lines for the rear doors and call a Commodore and call it a coupe! Oh wait! Yes they would :p

[Firstgear]

I remember liking the look of them when I was a kid - because all the glass made it look like a helicopter.

[TOgoFASTER]

The Pacer was misunderstood, it wasn't about beautiful lines ...
American Motors set the goal more for function than for style ...
the inline 6 cylinder engine was smooth & peppy, the transmission smooth ...
the ride was comfortable, however the handling wasn't designed for spirited driving ...
the most prominet feel of the Pacer was that it felt too big & bulky ...
the Pacer was an acceptable grocery-getter but just not good enough to muster good sales.

The Pacer was destined to fail, it just wasn't pretty enough to attract many buyers. http://www.motorsportforum.com/forums/images/icons/eek.gif


:laugh:

[TOgoFASTER]

AMC didn't design things with a purpose, they just generally happened mostly for the worse out odds and ends leftover in the parts department.
Mobile Aquariums were but one of the winners.

The Javelin took outside help.

[Rip5]

I always thought it looked like a fishbowl on wheels.

[Jag_Warrior]

I remember liking the look of them when I was a kid - because all the glass made it look like a helicopter.

Same here. I was fairly young when they came out and I liked the look (for whatever reason).

As the years have passed, I can't say that I like the look now. But I think that the concept drawing below shows that the basic design did have potential.
http://imgs1.images.hotrod.com/featuredvehicles/hrdp_0804_06_z+amc_concept_cars+amc_pacer.jpg

[Rollo]

American Motors set the goal more for function than for style ...
the inline 6 cylinder engine was smooth & peppy, the transmission smooth ...


Um...

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/motoring/classic-cars/amc-pacer-480350.html

The Pacer might have had more credibility as the all-American answer to the invading hordes had it not been powered by a 3.8-litre straight six engine that could barely push its quivering bulk to 90mph on an emissions-strangled 95bhp while averaging 18mpg or less.

AMC Pacer (from my Jun 1979 Road and Track - which looks at Bond's Esprit):
0-60mph - 11.1s
Top Speed - 99mph
Power - 96bhp

Suzuki Ignis - 2007 (from Top Gear Magazine)
0-60mph - 10.3s
Top Speed 103mph
Power - 107bhp

Ford Cortina GT - 1963 (from Jul '63 Autocar)
0-60mph - 11.0s
Top Speed - 109mph
Power - 78bhp

In 1975 I would have bought a 10 year old Cortina and whipped the Pacer's arse up and down the street with a belt.

As a economical car it's abysmal even by the then standards. As a "peppy" car it was woeful even by standards set 10 years earlier. As far as function goes, yes it was a hatchback but the Mk1 Golf (sold in the US as a VW Rabbit) still made it look utterly pathtic.

I think that AMC generally was Americans showing Britain that they too could run the "British Leyland Business Model" by pouring in boatloads of coin in the top and having turds of cars come out the bottom such as the AMC Pacer as an answer to the Austin Allegro.

It is a sad state of affairs when an auto makers best product happens to be a fridge.

[Azumanga Davo]

At least holden wouldn't stick bog over the shut lines for the rear doors and call a Commodore and call it a coupe! Oh wait! Yes they would :p

Good thing they were a bit more classy back in the day. :)

Oh, wanted to see if anyone knew what the point of having a Suzuki Mighty Boy is? I for one am bloody stumped on what purpose it serves... :s (maybe for laughing at, I don't know)

[BDunnell]

Am I the only one who thinks this? :p :

If Luca di Montezemelo or Felipe Massa were to say it's attractive, I can think of at least one forum member who is bound to suddenly agree. Until then, seems you're on your own. ;)

Mind you, I'm a fine one to talk. I seem to recall commenting a couple of years ago that I'd just seen a mid-'90s Ford Scorpio — http://www.autogaleria.hu/autok/ford/scorpio/ford_scorpio_r3.jpg — a car derided at the time for its ugly appearance, and how it had struck me that it really wasn't so bad after all.

[fizzicist]

Wasn't the AMC Pacer assymetric? I'm sure I read something about one door being longer than the other.

[Rollo]

Aye, twas.
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/motoring/classic-cars/amc-pacer-480350.html

The one fact that fascinates people about the Pacer is that the passenger door was 10cm longer than driver's door to make it easier to get shopping in the back. That was fine until AMC tried to sell the cars in the UK with right hand drive; the driver's door was so big that getting out in the typically confined English parking spot was virtually impossible.

[leopard]

I don't have problem with the hatch design, That makes the car looks more sporty. Charade CX I think have the better look than this pacer, and Ford Laser LXi is better than them ...
http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf/story2/C46EE777F70203C4CA256D1F00129948/$file/Daihatsu_Charade_CXLuxury_90-93_rear.gif
http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf/0/841DC5CF4B062A1ECA256D1F0021C935/$file/Ford_Laser_Liata_LXi_94-96_front.gif

[fizzicist]

Aye, twas.
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/motoring/classic-cars/amc-pacer-480350.html


Yet BMW manage it with the Mini Clubman

[MacRed]

One day soon ->some *Moron* is going to pay over $100,000 for this car at the --Barret-Jackson Auto Auction in Scottsdale Arizona--

[rah]

Good thing they were a bit more classy back in the day. :)

Oh, wanted to see if anyone knew what the point of having a Suzuki Mighty Boy is? I for one am bloody stumped on what purpose it serves... :s (maybe for laughing at, I don't know)

I drove one for 6 months for a job once. It lets you drive a very small car into the city and park in loading zones.

[gloomyDAY]

I'd rather nail the lady next to the car.

When the photo was taken, not now!

[leopard]

I'd rather nail the lady next to the car.

When the photo was taken, not now!

Didn't you have any regret saying this, she is now the next vice president :)

[Azumanga Davo]

Didn't you have any regret saying this, she is now the next vice president :)

Joe Biden's a bloke ;)

[TOgoFASTER]

And yes it was destined to fail. Usually about a mile and a half after the warranty was up.

For most that was wishful thinking.