Can You Name These Hot Cars From ’77?


By: Ian Fortey

7 Min Quiz

Image: Wikicommons by dave_7 from Canada

About This Quiz

There was a lot of stuff going on in 1977. The supersonic Concorde took its first flight, Jimmy Carter was inaugurated as America's 39th president, and Elvis Presley passed away at the age of 42. It was also the same year that the Aston Martin V8 Vantage hit the streets for the first time and the Chevy Corvette was looking as hot as ever. It was one heck of a year for awesome cars.

No matter what your automotive tastes, if they stray toward massive and powerful beasts like the Lincoln Continental or if they're a little sportier and more in line with the sleek and sexy Lancia Stratos, 1977 has your back. The style of 1977 is such an eclectic one with remnants of early '70s style and then the evolution that led into the 1980s. Lamborghini and Ferrari were really taking hold of that supercar segment alongside smaller companies like De Tomaso, but Oldsmobile and Ford could still put out a powerful muscle car.

If you have a taste for the history of the automotive world or just a love for the 1970s, then it's time to cruise on into this quiz and see how many of the hottest cars of 1977 you can ID.

1977 was the last year this model had the flat rear glass design that started in 1968. What is it?

Chevy had been making the Corvette since 1953, so by 1977 the company pretty much had the method for making one of these down. It was in its third generation in 1977 and aside from the rear window change, the new Corvette had flag emblems on the front and back as well.


Which rear mid-engine sports car was first introduced in 1974?

The Lamborghini Countach was in production from 1974 until 1990 and was one of the company's most successful cars. By 1977, the company had sold 158 of them, which may seem low, but remember these were exceptionally pricey cars even brand new. Today a 1977 can cost you over $300,000.


The company that makes this car celebrated its 75th anniversary in 1977. What is it?

In 1977, Cadillac introduced its fifth-generation de Ville, downsized from previous years so it was less of a boat on the highway. This was the first year you could get a de Ville without fender skirts over the rear tires as well.


Which car had a 179-horsepower 400-cubic-inch V8 in 1977?

The Mark V model of the Lincoln Continental enjoyed its first year in 1977. The car was a total of 230 inches in length, which works out to over 19 feet, which made it the longest two-door coupe that Ford ever made.


Do you know which of these was being hand built in Italy at a rate of about 6 per month?

The Stutz Blackhawk was an undeniably cool car that was made from 1971 until 1987. Between 500 and 600 were made, and they were clearly made to impress. Celebrities absolutely loved these things and they have famously been owned by Elvis, Paul McCartney, Lucille Ball, Al Pacino, Muhammad Ali, Johnny Cash and many more.


The Z28 version of which of these classic cars returned in 1977?

The Chevy Camaro was celebrating its 10th year in 1977 so Chevy brought back the Z28 as a performance version of the Camaro. The '77 Z28 was decked out with a 350 cu in (5.7 L) V8 engine and for the first time ever the Camaro outsold the Mustang.


Do you know which of these cars had its final year in 1977?

The Alfa Romeo Montreal was made from 1970 until 1977. It got its name thanks to the fact it was introduced as a concept car in Montreal at the '67 Expo. Despite the name, the car wasn't actually available in Montreal or anywhere in North America because it didn't meet emissions standards.


Which of these cars was $5,000 more in the US than the UK?

The Rolls-Royce Camargue was sold from 1975 until 1986 but didn't hit the US until 1976. In 1977 it got an update to the rack and pinion steering and the debate continued to rage between people who thought this was an attractive car and others like Autoblog that called the car "horrid."


In 1977, which car actually downgraded to a 403-cubic-inch V8 engine?

In an effort to get more in line with government fuel economy standards, the 1977 Oldsmobile Cutlass downgraded the engine to a 403 cu in (6.60 L) V8. The 1976 model year had been rocking a 455 cu in (7.46 L) V8.


Landau was the next for the luxury trim version of which of these cars?

The Ford LTD luxury version had been the Brougham until 1977. That year, it dropped the Brougham and only offered the Landau. That said, the car still offered the Brougham interior but it was just called the Landau now.


Which car had a top speed of 143 miles per hour in 1977?

The Jaguar XJS debuted in 1975 and was outfitted with a powerful 5.3 L Jaguar V12 engine. A V12 in 1977 was about as rare as one is today and was generally only seen in performance cars like those made by Ferrari.


The 1977 version of which of these cars weighed 900lbs less than the 1976?

The Thunderbird was one of Ford's longest-lived and most well-renowned vehicles. In 1977 the car was entering its seventh generation, having been around since 1955. This was the car's best-selling generation as Ford began producing them smaller, lighter, and cheaper.


Do you know which car was advertised as "the shape of things to come?"

The Triumph TR7 went on sale in 1975 but 1977 was the year the company gave it a bit of a makeover including tartan plaid interior upholstery and overall body modifications to allow for a convertible version of the car as well.


Which of these cars was one of six performance variants of the base model?

Ford was all about juicing up the Mustang in any way it could. Since its introduction in 1964, Ford produced no less than six performance versions including the Mach 1, GT, Boss 302, Boss 429, Shelby GT350 and the Shelby GT500.


This 2+2 coupe was made from 1972 until 1983. What was it?

The Maserati Merak was very similar to Maserati's Bora with a few adjustments. Maserati downgraded the V8 engine to a V6 and the tweaks created enough space for a back seat. In 1977 it rolled out the Merak 2000 GT with a 1,999 cc engine.


Which model introduced a new 5-liter V8 in 1977?

The Mercedes Benz 450 SLC 5.0 was new for 1977, a homologation version of the 450 SL which had been around for several years already. The SLC was offered so that Mercedes could enter a racing version for the 1978 World Rally Championship.


A NASCAR sloped nose was a feature of which of these vehicles in 1977?

Oldsmobile started producing 442s in 1964. The third generation of the car ended in 1977, capping off the use of what it called the Colonnade body style. It was notable for its larger-than-life scale including doors that were 5-feet long.


Do you know which car could manage 0-60 in under 6 seconds?

The Panther Lima roadster was made from 1976 until 1982. Most of the parts used in constructing the Lima were from British automaker Vauxhall except for the Turbo version, which sourced its 178 hp engine from California.


Which of these cars was also known as the E24?

There were several models of the BMW E24 available in Europe at any given time, but in the US in 1977 the only model available was called the BMW 630CSi. The "i" on the end was a reference to the fuel-injected engine.


Only 30 of which of these cars were made from 1976 until 1980?

The Stimson Scorcher was a three-wheeled vehicle you could buy as a kit or fully assembled. The price, translated to modern funds, was only about $2,000. Outfitted with an Austin Mini engine, it could hit 100 miles per hour.


The 1977 movie "Smokey and the Bandit" made which of these cars incredibly desirable?

Burt Reynolds outrunning police in a Pontiac Trans Am made it one of the most popular cars of the era. The movie featured a 1977 Trans Am Special Edition while they opted for a Turbo model in the sequel.


"Britain's first supercar" was how which of these vehicles was advertised?

Aston Martin introduced the V8 Vantage in 1977 as a British muscle car. The titular V8 engine could get the car up to a blazing 170 miles per hour and it could do 0 to 60 in 5.3 seconds, which was even faster than the Ferrari Daytona.


From 1976 to 1979, only 54 of which of these cars were produced?

One of the rarest Lamborghini models ever, the Silhouette was similar to the slightly more popular Lamborghini Urraco. It had a top speed of 162 miles per hour and could go from 0 to 60 in about 6.5 seconds.


In 1976, which of these was introduced as an entry-level model?

The Porsche 924 was meant to replace the 914 in Porsche's lineup. Originally introduced with a 95 horsepower Audi engine, it was replaced in 1977 with a 110 horsepower engine. The 1977 model was also the first one offered in the US.


Which of these cars weighed just under 2,000 pounds?

Lotus was famous for designing very lightweight cars that could maximize the power of their engines by ensuring they didn't have to haul a massive frame around, and the Esprit was no different. The first generation, built in 1976 and released in 1977, and had a curb weight of 1,984 lbs.


Which car had Nuccio Bertone's signature on it in 1977?

The Fiat X1/9 was designed by Nuccio Bertone, an Italian automaker who had a hand in numerous cars including the Alfa Romeo Montreal, various Ferraris and Lamborghinis and even a Ford Mustang. His company, Bertone, took over X1/9 production from Fiat in 1982.


Do you know which of these vehicles was produced for 46 years?

Buick began production of the Skylark in 1953, and by 1977 it was in its third generation. The '77 model was available with a 301-cubic-inch (4.9 L) V8 engine as well as a 305-cubic-inch (5.0 L) V8 engine.


This car was also called the Nissan S30. What was it?

The Nissan S30 was sold in North America as the Datsun 280Z from 1975 until 1978. The 1977 model did away with a full-sized spare tire and opted instead for what Nissan called a "space saver" spare, what most of us know as a donut, and a larger fuel tank.


Which of these is named after a kind of wind?

The Maserati Khamsin was produced from 1974 until 1982. Like most cars made by Maserati, they chose to name this one after a kind of wind. In this case, khamsin is a hot and dry wind of the Egyptian deserts.


Between 1974 and 1985, only 60 of which of these cars were produced?

Panther hand-built 60 De Ville models during their run, intended as cars for the very rich. In fact, true to that idea and to the car's name, Disney used a Panther De Ville as the car Cruella De Ville drove in the 1996 movie "101 Dalmatians."


Do you know which model won the World Rally Championship in 1974, 1975 and 1976?

From 1973 until 1978, Lancia made the Stratos with a Dino Ferrari 2.4L V6 engine capable of 190 horsepower. The car could manage 0 to 60 in about 6.8 seconds and had an impressive top speed of 144 miles per hour.


A 1,962-cc four-cylinder engine powered which car in 1977?

The Alfa Romeo Spider was officially called the Alfa Romeo 2000 Spider Veloce in 1977, having replaced the 1750 a few years earlier. There was also a 1300 model, but Alfa Romeo canceled that one in 1977.


1977 was the final year of this car's name, but the renamed version lived on. What was it?

Porsche discontinued the Carrera name after the 1977 model year, only bringing it back again some years later. For 1978, the carmaker swapped it to the 930 even though it was still the same model overall. In North America, it was sold as the 930 Turbo Carrera for that final year.


According to the manufacturer, which of these cars could hit 177 miles per hour at top speed?

The Maserati Bora came with a couple of engine options including a 4.7L V8 and a 4.9L V8. The 4.9, offered from 1973 until 1978, was supposed to get the car up to 177 mph while the slightly smaller engine could pull 168 miles per hour.


Ford used to import which of these cars?

De Tomaso manufactured just over 7,000 Panteras between 1971 and 1992. Ford imported them for sale in the US, but its relationship with De Tomaso ended in 1975. The 1977 model was only available to Americans who bought it overseas or on the gray market.


1977 was the final year for which of these vehicles?

Chevy started producing the Chevelle in 1963 and the Malibu was its most popular trim option. In fact, the Malibu was so popular that the Chevelle was canceled in 1977 so that the Malibu could replace it as its own model in 1978.


Which of these was known as the AP in Japan?

The Mazda Cosmo's second generation was called the AP, for Anti-Pollution, but only in Japan. Internationally this was actually the Mazda RX-5 but from 1976 to 1978 in the United States, the maker stuck with the Mazda Cosmo name.


Mostly a novelty, this incredibly rare car from 1977 has 6 wheels. What is it?

Powered by an 8.2 L (500 cu in) Cadillac V8 engine with twin turbochargers, the Panther 6 was remarkably weird. Only two were ever made and the top speed was rumored to be around 200 miles per hour, but no one ever proved it.


A targa-topped version of which of these cars was introduced in 1977?

The Ferrari 308 GTB was produced from 1975 until 1985. In 1977, it dropped a targa-topped convertible model. This was also the year that it stopped using fiberglass bodies and switched to steel, adding over 300 lbs to the weight.


In 1977, which of these had vinyl graphics and rear bubble windows?

Not many people like the Ford Pinto, but the 1977 Ford Pinto Cruising Wagon is a dog of a different breed. With optional vinyl decals like colored racing strips, the porthole window and even a hood scoop, this half sedan/half van was either the ugliest car or the hottest one of the year.


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