10 Best Looking Cars of the Malaise Era

[Payman]

Ferrari F40

Eh, fantastic, but good looking? The 288 GTO is better looking, IMHO.

[MX793]

288GTO was the most attractive of the mid-engine hyper-Ferraris.

[280Z Turbo]

I kinda like the '78 Corvette. It was slow by Corvette standards and little more than a porkier '63 Corvette, but it was still a 2 door V8 RWD sports coupe in a sea of econoboxes and squared off sedans.

I like the bubble back rear window.

[MX793]

I kinda like the '78 Corvette. It was slow by Corvette standards and little more than a porkier '63 Corvette, but it was still a 2 door V8 RWD sports coupe in a sea of econoboxes and squared off sedans.

I like the bubble back rear window.

I like the styling of the C3 Corvette too.  Though that came out before the era in question, so I'm not sure if it's topic appropriate.

[Payman]

288GTO was the most attractive of the mid-engine hyper-Ferraris.

Toss-up with the 512bb.

[hotrodalex]

False.

[Payman]

I like the styling of the C3 Corvette too.  Though that came out before the era in question, so I'm not sure if it's topic appropriate.

Still within the period. I'm also a C3 fan, but I prefer the buttress cars of pre 1978. The nicest are pre-malaise... '68-'72, without the plastic front or rear bumpers.

[Payman]

False.

Ugh, the real (original) 512bb.

[Byteme]

[MX793]

Toss-up with the 512bb.

The 512/Testarossa wasn't a hyper-Ferrari.  It was their V12 GT car of that era; successor of the Daytona line and predecessor of the 550 Maranello.  The 288GTO was Ferrari's ultimate performance machine of its day and was successor to subsequent hyper-Ferraris like the F40, F50, and Enzo.  It was a racing homologation special.

[SVT666]

Eh, fantastic, but good looking? The 288 GTO is better looking, IMHO.

288 GTO is sweet as hell, but the F40 is jaw dropping.  It looks amazing.

[hotrodalex]

The 512/Testarossa wasn't a hyper-Ferrari.  It was their V12 GT car of that era; successor of the Daytona line and predecessor of the 550 Maranello.  The 288GTO was Ferrari's ultimate performance machine of its day and was successor to subsequent hyper-Ferraris like the F40, F50, and Enzo.  It was a racing homologation special.

I get the 288GTO confused with the 308 GTB. Didn't realize the 288GTO was that fast.

[Payman]

The 512/Testarossa wasn't a hyper-Ferrari.  It was their V12 GT car of that era; successor of the Daytona line and predecessor of the 550 Maranello.  The 288GTO was Ferrari's ultimate performance machine of its day and was successor to subsequent hyper-Ferraris like the F40, F50, and Enzo.  It was a racing homologation special.

You're correct.

[MX793]

I get the 288GTO confused with the 308 GTB. Didn't realize the 288GTO was that fast.

40 more HP and ~750 lbs lighter than the 512bb.

[cawimmer430]

Tough one. Too many beautiful designs to list.



1974 Citroen SM





1974 Chrysler New Yorker





1974 Dodge Monaco





1974 Lincoln Continental Mark IV





1974-1980 Mercedes-Benz W116





1975-1985 Mercedes-Benz W123





1975 Rolls Royce Camargue





1978 Cadillac Seville





1980 Cadillac DeVille





1981 Cadillac Seville





And here's number 11. Why 11? Because I like to go one step beyond! - Nostalgia Critic 



1981 Oldsmobile Delta 88

[Madman]

Very nice, but the Jaguar XJ6 was introduced in 1968, several years before the period commonly known as the Malaise Era.


This was possibly the most enduring and influential design to come from the so-called Malaise Era, the Volkswagen Golf Mk I, as designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro.  The simplicity and purity of this design still looks striking, even more than forty years after its introduction.

[Raza]

You're correct.

You are also correct.

[Raza]

Wow, so much horrible from the American companies in this era.

[SVT666]

I remember when the Taurus came out. Everyone turned to look at it when it drove by. 

[Madman]

I remember when the Taurus came out. Everyone turned to look at it when it drove by. 

I would consider the Taurus post-malaise.

[Payman]

I would consider the Taurus post-malaise.

I'd buy that. Even the T-Bird from 1983 was pretty ahead of its competition and was revolutionary design.

[SVT666]

I would consider the Taurus post-malaise.

Ford Taurus debuted in 1986.  That's still during the malaise era.

[Madman]

Ford Taurus debuted in 1986.  That's still during the malaise era.

Detroit was emerging out of the Malaise Era by the mid-1980s.  The Taurus was a definite sign the Malaise was over.

[Payman]

Ford Taurus debuted in 1986.  That's still during the malaise era.

Yeah, but it was a few years ahead of its time. It and the T-Bird and Sable/Cougar heralded the end of the malaise era. Unfortunately, GM and Chrysler kept the malaise going until the end of the decade (longer, actually).

[2o6]

If that's the case, take the Reatta off, too.

[Payman]

If that's the case, take the Reatta off, too.

I always thought the Reatta looked like a Pacer with a trunk.

[2o6]

???


I think the Reatta has really gorgeous proportions, and the design bucks for the car were very cutting edge.


Keep in mind this styling buck was created in 1982

[Payman]

???


I think the Reatta has really gorgeous proportions, and the design bucks for the car were very cutting edge.


Keep in mind this styling buck was created in 1982

The styling buck is nice, but that's not what we got, is it.

[2o6]

The final car is still fucking gorgeous. It's got great proportions for a FWD coupe.

[Payman]

The final car is still fucking gorgeous. It's got great proportions for a FWD coupe.

TETO...