10 Best Looking Cars of the Malaise Era

[giant_mtb]

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

Agreed.

[Madman]

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

Definitely.  The Reatta was undoubtedly post-malaise.

[280Z Turbo]

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.

I'm not a fan of the buttress. I'm sure it was terribly unaerodynamic.

Give me a 165 hp 1975 convertible:

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

I'm not a fan of the buttress. I'm sure it was terribly unaerodynamic.

Give me a 165 hp 1975 convertible:

I read those C3s were more aerodynamic in reverse.

[Payman]

Definitely.  The Reatta was undoubtedly post-malaise.

I'm not convinced. It screams 80's GM malaise, especially the interior.

[MX793]

"Malaise" goes beyond styling.  Poor build quality and underwhelming performance (165 hp Corvettes, anyone?) are a big part of it too.  It just so happened that one of the worst eras for car styling corresponded to one of the worst eras for cars in general.  Quite fitting, looking back at it.

[Payman]

"Malaise" goes beyond styling.  Poor build quality and underwhelming performance (165 hp Corvettes, anyone?) are a big part of it too.  It just so happened that one of the worst eras for car styling corresponded to one of the worst eras for cars in general.  Quite fitting, looking back at it.

So true.

[Byteme]

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

Which is why that picture is of a Series III.   

[Byteme]

I'm not a fan of the buttress. I'm sure it was terribly unaerodynamic.

Give me a 165 hp 1975 convertible:

For that Series I'd prefer a 68-72 with the chrome bumpers.

[12,000 RPM]

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.

The details are exquisite. One of the best designs of all time

[CALL_911]

The details are exquisite. One of the best designs of all time

hell yea it is

[Madman]

Which is why that picture is of a Series III.   

Yes, it's a Series III but the car is still a (mostly) pre-malaise design.

[GoCougs]

More true malaise era gems - GM's "performance" variants of the G body!

Buick Grand National/GNX:



Olds Hurst 442:



Chevy Monte Carlo SS:



Pontiac Grand Pix 2+2:

[280Z Turbo]

For that Series I'd prefer a 68-72 with the chrome bumpers.

So would everybody. But 68-72 weren't malaise era cars. They still had the LT-1 and big block engines.

[shp4man]

It would be oh so easy to make one of these scream, even here in CA, 76 and below are now smog exempt.

[68_427]

Chrome bumpers