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In 1992, the AMC Pacer made one of its most famous movie appearances. While the car had appeared in a few episodes of Remington Steele and the Rockford Files, it had not earned a spot as a memorable movie car until Garth drove the car. While it may not be a “star” like Bandit or the Back to the Future car, the AMC Pacer developed a little bit of cool that it did not have before that movie was released. If you really think about cars that have made major appearances in movies, you might be able to select a few other models that could fill the same role. Could you imagine Bandit being a Camaro? Couldn’t the Back to the Future car be a Corvette? They could. But the AMC Pacer in Wayne’s World could not be replaced, it really is a perfect car for Garth Algar. Here are a few reasons why:
AMC Alliance: The Car with an Appropriate Name
In the 1980s, cars were going through an identity crisis. It may not have been evident during the time; but looking back, it is obvious that car makers were unsure of what consumers really wanted. Many of the cars were ugly to look at and were disappointing to drive. Chevy seemed to have many of the clunkers of the day, from the Chevy Cavalier, Chevette, and Citation, but other car makers had their own fair share.
Subcompact Car with Impressive Features
The Homer: I See You in There
Photo Courtesy of www.only-carz.com
Fans of The Simpsons will know The Homer, the car that Homer Simpson designed along with his brother, who happened to be the owner of Powell Motors. This episode (from Season 2) was written as a spoof on the Edsel, which we all know ended sadly. In this episode, Homer designs “The Homer” which brings his brother’s car company to ruin.
The Unusual Cars from the AMC Brand
AMC (American Motor Cars) was known for its unusual styling. The brand had a limited budget, which meant that their design staff had to cut serious corners. This meant that many of the cars were hodge-podge mixtures of previously designed cars. While they were not Frankensteinian by any means, there were some unusual looking cars. These are a few of the most unusual:
Metro Cruise Draws Big Crowds
Car guys and gals know all about the Woodward Dream Cruise that occurs each summer during the third weekend of August in Detroit, Michigan. However, the east side of the state is not the only place to show off your hotrod, muscle car, sportscar, or tin lizzie. Every summer for the past nine years, Grand Rapids holds the 28th Street Metro Cruise the weekend following the Dream Cruise on the fourth weekend of August. This classic car show draws huge crowds up and down the 10 miles of this business-lined five-lane road as everyone wants to see classic cars like the Ford Fairlane, Chevy Bel Air, as well as exotics like the Ferrari Testarossa and the Lotus Esprit.
Cars in James Bond Movies: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
James Bond movies are known for sexy cars, women, and Mr. Bond himself. While there are many extremely sexy cars, like the multiple Alfa Romeo models and the Aston Martins, there are plenty of rather ugly cars that defy the norm. These are a few of the best and worst cars that made appearances in the hot spy flicks over the years.
The Good:
Sometimes the Ugly Car is the Best Car
In early years of the 1970s, several automakers released subcompact cars. Chevy had the Vega, Ford had the Pinto, and AMC had the Gremlin. The Pinto and the Vega were touted as attractive cars that were a joy to drive when they were first released. But the Gremlin did not get any kind of praise and most critics complained about the unfortunate exterior styling.
The Best Cars Used as Police Cars
For many years, the cars that have been used as police cars have been large sedans. In most communities it was common to see Dodge Diplomats in the 1980s and today it is common to see Ford Crown Victorias. While most communities have similar cars, there are some places that have stepped out of the large sedan model and moved into sports cars and other unconventional police car models. These are a few of the coolest: