22 Coupes From The ’70s That Redefined Automotive History
The 1970s were a golden era for automotive design that gave birth to some of the most memorable coupes ever created. From muscular American pony cars to sleek European exotics, these two-door wonders captured the decade’s bold spirit through their striking looks and groundbreaking engineering.
Whether sporting massive V8 engines or pioneering new technologies, these legendary machines forever changed how we think about performance, style, and driving excitement.
1. Lamborghini Countach
Jaws dropped worldwide when Lamborghini unveiled this sci-fi spaceship on wheels in 1974. Nothing before looked remotely like the razor-edged Countach with its impossible angles and upward-swinging doors.
Designed by Marcello Gandini, the LP400 established the template for supercar excess. Behind the driver sat a screaming V12 engine, while the cabin required gymnastic skills just to enter.
2. Ferrari 308 GTB
Pininfarina’s masterpiece roared onto the scene in 1975, creating an instant icon. The wedge-shaped beauty packed a mid-mounted V8 that sang like an Italian opera.
Immortalized by Tom Selleck in ‘Magnum P.I.,’ this Ferrari’s timeless design still turns heads today. Its fiberglass body (later switched to steel) and driver-focused cockpit exemplified ’70s supercar perfection.
3. BMW 3.0 CSL
Nicknamed ‘The Batmobile’ for good reason, BMW’s lightweight special dominated European touring car racing. Those wild aerodynamic fins and wings weren’t just for show – they created genuine downforce.
Stripped of luxury items and featuring aluminum body panels, this Bavarian beauty shed pounds everywhere possible. Racing success translated to street credibility, cementing BMW’s performance reputation for decades to come.
4. Porsche 930 Turbo
Wild child of the Porsche family, the 930 Turbo earned its ‘widowmaker’ nickname honestly. When that turbocharger kicked in, unprepared drivers often found themselves facing the wrong direction – or worse.
Massive fender flares housed wider rubber needed to harness the boosted flat-six engine. The iconic ‘whale tail’ rear spoiler wasn’t just for looks – it directed cooling air to the intercooler and helped keep the rear planted.
5. Datsun 240Z
Japan’s first true sports car superstar changed everything when it landed in America. Long-nosed and beautifully proportioned, the Z offered European performance at a fraction of the price.
Its smooth inline-six engine delivered reliable thrills while the balanced chassis made weekend warriors feel like racing heroes.
The Z’s success forced European manufacturers to up their game, proving Japanese cars could compete on performance, not just economy.
6. Ford Mustang Boss 302
Built specifically to beat Camaros on the racetrack, the Boss 302 was Ford’s Trans-Am racing homologation special. Its high-revving 302 cubic inch V8 was engineered for sustained abuse on road courses.
Visually distinguished by its hockey-stick stripes and blacked-out hood, this wasn’t your secretary’s Mustang. Upgraded suspension, brakes, and steering made this pony dance through corners like nothing else wearing a blue oval badge.
7. Chevrolet Camaro Z/28
Racing pedigree flowed through every component of the second-generation Z/28. Unlike muscle cars built for straight-line dominance, this track-oriented Camaro loved corners as much as quarter-miles.
Aggressive styling with its split-bumper face made it instantly recognizable. Under the hood lurked a high-compression small-block V8 that loved to rev, while underneath, special suspension tuning delivered handling that matched the car’s racy looks.
8. De Tomaso Pantera
Marriage of Italian styling and American muscle created one of the decade’s most intriguing supercars. Mid-mounted Ford 351 Cleveland V8 provided reliable horsepower, while Ghia’s Tom Tjaarda penned the sleek, angular bodywork.
Sold through Lincoln-Mercury dealers in America, the Pantera offered exotic car ownership with muscle car maintenance simplicity. Even Elvis Presley owned one – famously shooting his when it wouldn’t start!
9. AMC Javelin AMX
Underdogs sometimes bite hardest, as proven by American Motors’ muscular Javelin AMX. Often overlooked compared to its Big Three rivals, this distinctive coupe packed serious performance into a uniquely styled package.
Mark Donohue signature editions celebrated AMC’s Trans-Am racing success. Bold color schemes, functional cowl-induction hoods, and available 401 cubic inch V8s made these rare machines genuine muscle car contenders from America’s smallest domestic automaker.
10. Toyota Celica
Long before Supra became a household name, Toyota’s Celica brought Japanese sports coupe style to the masses. Early models clearly drew inspiration from American pony cars, earning the nickname ‘Japanese Mustang.’
Affordability, reliability, and fun handling made the Celica a huge hit. While not the most powerful car of its era, its balanced chassis and quality construction converted many buyers to Japanese brands for the first time.
11. Alfa Romeo Montreal
Marcello Gandini’s stunning design for Alfa’s flagship coupe still looks otherworldly today. Those distinctive headlight ‘eyelids’ and side vents became instant design classics when unveiled at the 1970 Geneva Motor Show.
Under that gorgeous skin lurked racing technology – a 2.6-liter V8 derived from Alfa’s Tipo 33 race car. Limited production numbers and mechanical complexity make surviving examples rare treasures that command serious collector interest.
12. Lancia Stratos
Purpose-built to dominate rally racing, the Stratos remains one of the most radical production cars ever created. Its wedge-shaped body barely contained the mid-mounted Ferrari Dino V6 engine.
Bertone’s extraordinary design prioritized function over practicality. The wraparound windshield offered exceptional visibility for rally stages, while the short wheelbase made it incredibly agile.
Three consecutive World Rally Championships proved the concept worked brilliantly.
13. Dodge Challenger R/T
Fashionably late to the pony car party, Dodge made up for lost time with the gorgeous Challenger. Wider and more luxurious than its competitors, it offered an astonishing range of engine options – from sensible slant-sixes to fire-breathing Hemis.
Hollywood immortalized the R/T in ‘Vanishing Point,’ where a white Challenger outran police across the desert. Bold colors like Plum Crazy purple and Go Mango orange made these muscle machines impossible to miss.
14. Maserati Khamsin
Bertone’s Marcello Gandini struck again with this underappreciated Maserati masterpiece. The Khamsin’s transparent rear panel created a floating tail effect unlike anything else on the road.
Front-engine but with perfect weight distribution, this GT combined comfort with serious performance from its 4.9-liter V8.
Hydraulic systems borrowed from Citroën controlled everything from brakes to headlight pods, making this Italian-French hybrid technologically advanced for its time.
15. Aston Martin V8 Vantage
Britain’s answer to Italian supercars packed a mighty punch when the V8 Vantage debuted in 1977. Often called ‘Britain’s first supercar,’ its muscular body housed a hand-built 5.3-liter V8 making it the UK’s fastest production car.
Luxury appointments inside contrasted with the aggressive exterior featuring blocked-off grille and hood bulge. James Bond would later drive one in ‘The Living Daylights,’ cementing its status as the gentleman’s express.
16. Mazda RX-7
Revolutionary rotary power in a sleek, affordable package made the first-generation RX-7 an instant hit. Debuting in 1978, its compact Wankel engine allowed engineers to position weight perfectly for balanced handling.
Pop-up headlights and clean lines gave it timeless appeal while the smooth, high-revving rotary delivered a distinctive driving experience.
Affordable price meant young enthusiasts could finally own a genuine sports car, creating a devoted following that continues today.
17. Pontiac Firebird Trans Am
Nothing screams ’70s automotive excess louder than a black and gold Trans Am with a screaming chicken on the hood. Burt Reynolds made it a cultural phenomenon in ‘Smokey and the Bandit,’ creating instant demand nationwide.
While other muscle cars faded during the emissions-choked mid-70s, the Trans Am thrived. Special editions like the Super Duty kept performance alive with 455 cubic inches of American V8 thunder wrapped in the most flamboyant styling Detroit ever produced.
18. Mercedes-Benz 450SLC
Elegant German engineering wrapped in timeless styling, the 450SLC added rear seats to the SL roadster platform. Rally success proved these weren’t just boulevard cruisers – they could handle serious competition.
Pillarless hardtop design created a clean profile rarely seen today. Built to last forever, these hand-crafted coupes featured the legendary M117 V8 engine and sophisticated suspension that delivered both comfort and surprising capability on twisty roads.
19. BMW M1
BMW’s first and only mid-engine supercar started as a collaboration with Lamborghini before becoming an in-house project. Designed by Giugiaro with development by motorsport legend Jochen Neerpasch, the M1 was truly special.
Only 453 were built, making it one of BMW’s rarest productions. The straight-six engine later evolved into the powerplant for the first M5.
Unique Procar racing series saw Formula 1 drivers battle in identical M1s before Grand Prix events.
20. Jaguar XJ-S
Replacing the legendary E-Type seemed impossible, yet Jaguar boldly went in a completely different direction. The controversial flying buttress C-pillars and long, low proportions made the XJ-S unmistakable.
Underneath that striking bodywork lurked Jaguar’s magnificent V12 engine – silky smooth and capable of effortless high-speed cruising.
While initially criticized for abandoning the E-Type’s pure sports car ethos, the XJ-S eventually earned respect as a grand touring masterpiece.
21. Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
America’s sports car soldiered through the challenging 1970s with style and surprising capability. The C3 generation’s swoopy bodywork continued the Stingray legacy with its distinctive long hood and short deck proportions.
Later models lost horsepower due to emissions requirements but gained creature comforts. T-top roof panels offered open-air motoring with rollover protection.
Even with reduced power, the Corvette remained an aspirational performance icon that kept the flame alive during difficult automotive times.
22. Fiat X1/9
Bertone’s wedge-shaped marvel democratized the mid-engine experience for everyday drivers. This affordable Italian brought exotic car layout to the masses with its transverse-mounted engine behind the passenger compartment.
Removable targa top panels stored in front and rear trunks, creating a clever open-air experience. Lightweight construction and perfectly balanced handling made up for modest power, proving you didn’t need massive horsepower to create driving excitement.