12 Worst Gas Guzzlers of 1973*

Tom Appel

8 years ago

Returning 8.5 mpg, the Pontiac Grand Prix tied for 5th place on our list of the thirstiest cars of 1973.

1973 Pontiac Grand Prix — Returning 8.5 mpg, the Pontiac Grand Prix tied for 5th place on our list of the thirstiest cars of 1973.

When you hear the number 8 1/2, there’s a decent chance your mind turns to a film by that name, directed by Italian surrealist Federico Fellini. Released in 1963, 8 1/2 is the story of a movie director who is slowly losing his grip on reality. Fellini’s fantasy-like treatment of the lead character’s confusion led to popular use of the term Felliniesque, used to describe a situation that seems unreal.

Especially Felliniesque, at least to this author, is the 8.5 observed mpg delivered by four of the vehicles on the list below. The real madness kicks in when you realize that four vehicles tested by Consumer Guide in 1973 actually returned less than 8.5 mpg, and none of the thirstiest 12 vehicles tested managed to hit 10 mpg.

Granted, 1973 was a terrible year for the auto industry when it came to engine performance. Automakers were struggling to keep power numbers in an acceptable range while dealing with new emissions standards and low-lead gasoline.

All of the fuel-economy numbers reported below are taken from Consumer Guide’s ’73 Auto Test magazine. Near as we can tell, reported fuel-economy numbers included a balance of city and highway driving, as well as performance testing.

That asterisk in the title denotes that Consumer Guide did not test every drivetrain variation of every vehicle available–so, a few even-thirstier vehicles may have escaped notice.

If your experience with any of these vehicles involved consuming more–or less–fuel than we’re showing here, tell us about it.

The 10 Fastest Cars of 1973*