1970's Vehicles

1970's Vehicles.mp4

Vehicles in the 1970's

The 1970's was an era that brought cars back to practical and worked to keep America working.  The sports cars and muscle cars of the past decades start to fad away to the rise of smaller more fuel efficient cars.  New regulations by the federal government put limits on car designs and engine performance on the roads.  This was not only to make the roads safer, but it was to make the world healthier, emissions standards were introduced as a result of the Hippie movement and a focus on the environment in the late 1960's.

The 1970's did bring a number of new innovations, but for the most part the 1970's and cars was about function over form to the America buyers and new more practical designs become popular.

Tasks

Task 1: Watch the Introductory Video to this Unit (5 minutes)

Task 2: Review the provided images and attached links for Vehicles during the 1970's (10 minutes)

Task 3: Advertising Change (35 minutes) 

Research the changes occurring in the automotive industry in the 1970’s.  New features were being introduced as Americans looked for reliability and fuel economy in the 1970’s.  These changes required new marketing materials to promote the new vehicles of the decade.  You will research one popular vehicle of the 1970’s and design a magazine advertisement that promotes the new features and designs.

Task 4: Submit your completed assignment on GOOGLE CLASSROOM 

1970's Vehicle Advertising

Compact Cars

1970s cars were forced to adapt to the reality of the gas crisis, hence the need to design cars that are capable to conserve gas, compliance to the Clean Air Act, and vowing to consumer advocacy groups’ demand for safer automobiles. In the 1970s, Americans shifted their attention to smaller, more reliable, high-mileage foreign imports.   (https://www.supercars.net/blog/cars-by-decade/1970s-cars/ )

1970 Volkswagen Beetle

1973 Honda Civic

1971 Ford Pinto

Family Cars (Mid-Size)

When first introduced, mid-size cars were much smaller than standard full-size cars, so it was called a compact.  The first mid-size car in the United States was AMC's Rambler Six.  

In the 1970s, the mid-size, or intermediate class of vehicles in the U.S. was defined as vehicles that had a wheelbase that was between 112 inches and 118 inches.  As manufacturers developed new models for this marketplace, the definition of a medium-size or mid-size car changed.  The 1970s were a turning point for car manufacturers. Rising fuel costs along with regulation for fuel economy from the government dictated the size of vehicles, and they began to shrink, but the line also became blurred. Automakers started moving full-size cars to smaller platforms to make them fit within the regulations. (https://www.caranddriver.com/research/a32780384/what-is-a-midsize-car/ )

1978 Oldsmobile Cutlass

1972 Plymouth Road Runner

1970 AMC Rebel 

"The Machine"

Electric Vehicles

Battery power gets a promotional boost in 1971 and 1972 as the world watches NASA’s electric Lunar Roving Vehicle bounce around on the moon.  Soaring gasoline prices later in the decade cause automakers and the US Department of Energy to explore alternative fuels, with GM developing a prototype urban electric car in 1973 and Sebring-Vanguard bringing out its CitiCar.  But limited range and performance issues hinder widespread acceptance. (https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/auto/cars-uvs/a-look-at-the-evolution-of-electric-vehicles/1970s-1980s/ )

1977 AMC Electron

1973 GM Urban Electric

1976 City Lights RT1

Funded by the City of Seattle

"The RT1 was conceptualized as part of a downtown restricted transportation zone from which most internal combustion vehicles would be barred. City Light envisioned this zone, full of electric cars like the RT1, as nearly eliminating transportation pollution in the urban core."