We just love hatchbacks.
The 1975 Reliant Scimitar GTE hatchback was called a high performance estate… “bred like a racehorse” with 0-60 in 8.6 seconds. It has up to 36 cubic feet of storage with the seats folded down and got 28 mpg. (image source: Trigger’s Retro Road Tests!)
1975 Reliant Scimitar GTE
The 1977 Chrysler Alpine was quite boastful that year, claiming to be the world’s first seven-day-a-week car that starts like a Rolls Royce with it’s electronic ignition. It got 38mpg and claimed it could outrun a BMW 1502 just to name a few, and there were plenty. (image source: Trigger’s Retro Road Tests!)
1977 Chrysler Alpine
The 1977 Datsun Cherry FII Hatchback was part of a lineup that included a coupe, an estate, a two door or four door saloon and two hatchbacks. Both hatchbacks had a fold down seat. There were front wheel drive with a transverse 1171cc engine (988cc for the other models). They came with power-assisted dual circuit brakes. This car helped make Datsun one of Britain’s leading car importer for three years.
1977 Datsun Cherry FII Hatchback
The Fiat 127 was produced by the Italian automaker Fiat between 1971 and 1983. It was introduced in 1971 as the replacement for the Fiat 850. Production of the 3-door hatchback 127 was launched in 1972 in Italy and ended in 1983 following the introduction of its replacement, the Fiat Uno. (Image source: John Lloyd)
1976 Fiat 127
I, like many today, am a huge fan of the Audi brand and even owned one when it was not so “fashionable” and certainly reliable. Add to that, my love of hatchbacks and you get this very rare find from eBay of a 1977 Audi 50 GLS hatchback from Prescott, Arizona.
1977 Audi 50 GLS
What a lovely little thing this is. It is a one owner car, and frankly, I can’t imagine how he will be able to part with it. This one only has 69,690 miles and can be seen on eBay.
According to the seller, there are only 5 registered in Germany. The GLS is very rare and not to be mistaken for the regular Audi 50 or Volkswagen Polo which can be found much easier and less expensive.
1977 Audi 50 GLS
1977 Audi 50 GLS
The Renault 16 is a hatchback produced by French automaker Renault between 1965 and 1980 in Le Havre, France. The reviewer in the May 1965 edition of the English “Motoring Illustrated” said: “The Renault Sixteen can thus be described as a large family car but one that is neither a four door saloon and nor is it quite an estate. But, importantly, it is a little different.”
The Renault 16 was voted European Car of the Year by a board of European motoring journalists in 1966. It was the third year of the accolade’s existence, and the Renault 16 was the first French winner of the award.
Over 1,845,959 R16s were produced during a production which lasted for some 15 years.
1970 Renault R16
1970 Renault R16
1970 Renault R16
(This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It includes content from this Wikipedia article.)
In 1974 Ford began the “Mustang II” generation and in 1975 the hatchback, which sold for $3,818 generated 30,038 units for the brand. In my view, this was a very sad period for the Mustang badge, creating one of the ugliest vehicles to see the pavement.
1975 Ford Mustang-II hatchback.
Somehow, the way this 1976 Ford Fiesta hatchback has aged makes it desirable with it’s boxy, seventies look.
The first generation of the Ford Fiesta Mark I was produced from 1976–1983 and was the first Ford with front-wheel drive, had an inline-4 and had up to 84hp. Read the rest of this story on Cartype.
1976 Ford Fiesta.
1976 Ford Fiesta cut-away.
The Rex was introduced on July 15 1972. The Subaru Rex was a Kei car automobile produced from 1972 to 1992 for sale in Japan by Subaru and was also sold in Europe, South America, Bermuda and the Caribbean. The name “Rex” comes from Latin for “king”. The Subaru Rex represented a fresh start, having little do with the Subaru 360.
1973 Subaru Rex.
The Chevrolet Vega Kammback introduced in September 1970, was the first US-made four-passenger wagon, and the first two-door wagon from GM in six years. It shares its wheelbase and length with Vega coupe versions and was produced in the 1971–1977 model years.
1971 Chevrolet Vega Kammback.
The Stallion was a major sports options package for the Ford Pinto available in 1976. It included:
Exterior.
• Black grille
• Black cowl top
• Black hood treatment
• Black windshield moldings
• Black wiper arms
• Black window frames
• Black drip rails
• Black lower body side tape stripes
• Stallion decal on front fenders (Pinto nameplate on front fender and Runabout nameplate on “C” pillar deleted)
• Dual black right and left hand remote-control mirrors
• Styled steel wheels
• Black third door treatment
• Black lower back panel
Functional.
• A70x13 RWL bias ply tires
• Handling suspension
The Stallion Option was not available with the Luxury Decor Group, Squire Option or Protection Group.
1976 Ford Pinto Stallion.
1976 Ford Pinto Stallion.
This 1978 Ford Pinto 3-door Runabout has a great look to it, particularly in the rear, where the glass lift gate gives it such a wide stance.
1978 Ford Pinto 3-door Runabout.
Who wouldn’t love to have this 3-door hatchback (called the “Crusing Wagon”) today. It’s especially groovy with these optional graphics.
1977 Ford Pinto Crusing Wagon.
From 1976 to 1987, the Pontiac Acadian was a version of the Chevrolet Chevette sold by Canadian Pontiac-Buick dealers, initially identical to the Chevette except for badging but picking up the distinctly “Pontiac” design cues of the U.S. market Pontiac T1000 after that model’s 1981 introduction. (image source: John Lloyd)
1978 Pontiac Acadian.
1978 Pontiac Acadian
The Plymouth Arrow was an extension of the Mitsubishi Lancer/Dodge Colt known as the Mitsubishi Celeste in Japan. It was also known as the Dodge Arrow in Canada and as the Dodge Celeste in Puerto Rico. The Arrow was released in September 1975 as a 1976 model.
A 1.6 L I4 engine was standard with an optional 2.0 L I4. It was produced in various trim levels including the 160, GS and GT. The first year Arrow is easily identified from later years because its quarter-window louvers have two slats in the center, which were changed to three on all later years. The 1976 Arrow also came with a single windshield-wiper fluid nozzle on the hood, which was changed to dual nozzles for 1977 and remained that way for all later year Arrows.
1976 Plymouth Arrow.