Here’s How Dodge And Pontiac’s 1970s Muscle Rides Compare

In the history of automobiles, the 1970s went down as a very challenging decade for car manufacturers. A lot of issues arose to cut short the industry’s progress, and government regulations became more demanding, and as a matter of fact, most innovative models were unfortunate enough to take a hit.

Using the United States as a case study, the American automobile industry suffered greatly in the 1970s. Hence, in an attempt to meet the standard of other foreign manufacturers, carmakers in the United States started building compact cars, but this apparently had no effect on foreign sales; it rather skyrocketed in sales.

Nonetheless, compact cars soon outsmarted sports cars in the 1970s mainly because it became too difficult and overwhelming for automakers to keep up with the power process and also because of smog.

Eventually, compact cars succeeded in overtaking sports cars as brands such as Toyota, Datsun, Volkswagen, Ford Pinto, AMC Gremlin and GM Vega had an upper hand in the sales race.

1970 Dodge Muscle Cars

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Dodge muscle cars are often recognized as the fastest and wildest of all muscle cars as they are famous for having an over-the-top performance engine and outlooks. However, the government’s enforcement of emission laws was sporadically killing the creativity of automakers, especially in the United States.

A lot of fast Dodge cars were also produced but were soon put to rest pretty quickly. Here are some examples of the Dodge muscle cars of the 1970s and their features, respectively:

Dodge Challenger

The 1970 Dodge Challenger is keenly recognized as one of the most eye-catching muscle cars ever built. Its first generation was manufactured between 1970 – 1974, and it featured a luxurious interior and exterior, coupled with a long wheelbase, large dimensions, and a high-performance engine.

Dodge Charger Daytona

The Dodge Charger Daytona is well-known for being the first car ever to break the 200 MPH record at Talladega.

It featured a 7.0-liter Hemi V8 and 7.2-liter V8 Magnum engine that delivered 390 HP and 425 HP, respectively, and it came with 4-speed manual and 3-speed automatic transmissions.

Dodge Coronet Super Bee

This unique muscle car model was created by Dodge with the purpose of alluding to Chrysler’s B-body platform. It weighed 64 lbs, and the 71’ model was built in two different body styles, accompanied by a 4-door station wagon and sedan.

1970 Pontiac Muscle Cars

Pontiac happens to be a collection of muscle car models marked with excellence. Even though quite a number of other remarkable brands have attempted to clear their hands off the top list in the automobile industry, there is no denying the fact that Pontiac remains one of the most iconic muscle car brands ever. Listed below are some of the Pontiac muscle cars from the 1970s and their unique features:

The Pontiac Trans Am

This vehicle was one of the most popular cars to emerge from the trying decade of the 1970s. At the time when the Pontiac muscle car had to bow to the pressure caused by new government regulations, the reigning model at that time ran on a V8 engine with an output of about 310 BHP at 4,000 RPM.

Pontiac Firebird Trans Am

The Pontiac Firebird Trans Am was fiercely built in the US and retained an admirable spot in the hearts of its buyers. It ran on a standard engine with a 345 HP Ram Air 400-CID V-8 coupled with a host of remarkable features that were attractive to most buyers.

1970 Pontiac GTO – The Judge

The Pontiac GTO is recognized as a pioneering muscle car. It, in fact, models the example of how a typical muscle car should look like and perform. The vehicle was accompanied by three 6.6-liter V-8s as well as a 7.5 -liter 455 HO V-8 engine.

Which Is Better?

In performance, style, and sales, it is hard to say which of the two brands supersedes the other. As a matter of fact, both the Dodge and Pontiac brands have a far-reaching history of agility and performance and had a favorable market perception at their points of introduction into the market.

However, in terms of their resale value at the moment, Dodge seems to have a slight edge, although some factors such as quality, appearance, and usage value also add to this.

Final Thoughts

The 1970s took a huge toll on the automobiles industry, as manufacturers were saddled with adhering to various pressing regulations, and creativity was widely downgraded.

However, despite the fact that history records the 1970s as a turbulent decade for the auto industry, especially in the US, it is worth noting that '70s also produced some incredibly powerful muscle cars. And neither Dodge nor Pontiac was left out of this groundbreaking revolution.

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