1970 Plymouth Barracuda
In a recent blog post titled The Luxury Standards of 1970, we discussed the now-arcane language once used to parse the new-vehicle market. You can see all the segments into which Consumer Guide slotted the 1970 class of vehicles here.
One of segments identified by Consumer Guide back in ’70 was “Sporty Compacts,” a classification that included every vehicle most folks would describe as pony cars.
Today, Consumer Guide would classify the Sporty Compacts as Sporty/Performance cars, a segment that still includes the Chevrolet Camaro and Ford Mustang, but also a number of front-wheel-drive “hot-hatch” vehicles such as the Volkswagen GTI… and less overtly muscle-bound vehicles such as the Toyota 86.
The lack of any foreign vehicles on this list is worth noting. At the time, most Americans expected their sporty rides to feature available V8 power and rear-wheel drive.
Thus, the likes of the MG Midget or Volkswagen Karmann Ghia were not included in this category, or anywhere else in Consumer Guide: Auto ’70 buying guide. Of course, when measured by sales volume, foreign sporty rides were just a blip on the 1970 radar compared to the number of Camaros and Mustangs sold that year.
Presented here are all eight Sporty Compacts reviewed by Consumer Guide for 1970. If you’ve spent time with any of these vehicles, please tell us about your experience.
1970 Sporty Compacts
AMC AMX
1970 AMC AMX
Base Price: $3395
Base Engine: 290-horsepower 360-cubic-inch V8
Available Engine: 325-horsepower 390-cubic-inch V8
Air Conditioning: $380 option
AMC Javelin
1970 AMC Javelin
Base Price: $2720
Base Engine: 145-horsepower 232-cubic-inch six
Available Engine: 245-horsepower 360-cubic-inch V8
Available Engine: 290-horsepower 360-cubic-inch V8
Available Engine: 325-horsepower 390-cubic-inch V8
Air Conditioning: $380 option
Chevrolet Camaro
1970 Chevrolet Camaro
Base Price: $2749
Base Engine: 140-horsepower 230-cubic-inch six
Available Engine: 155-horsepower 250-cubic-inch six
Available Engine: 200-horsepower 307-cubic-inch V8
Available Engine: 300-horsepower 350-cubic-inch V8
Available Engine: 360-horsepower 350-cubic-inch V8
Available Engine: 350-horsepower 402-cubic-inch V8
Available Engine: 375-horsepower 402-cubic-inch V8
Air Conditioning: $408 option
Dodge Challenger
1970 Dodge Challenger
Base Price: $2851
Base Engine: 145-horsepower 225-cubic-inch six
Available Engine: 230-horsepower 318-cubic-inch V8
Available Engine: 275-horsepower 340-cubic-inch V8
Available Engine: 275-horsepower 383-cubic-inch V8
Available Engine: 425-horsepower 426-cubic-inch V8
Available Engine: 385-horsepower 440-cubic-inch V8
Air Conditioning: $358 option
Ford Mustang
1970 Ford Mustang
Base Price: $2721
Base Engine: 120-horsepower 200-cubic-inch six
Available Engine: 155-horsepower 250-cubic-inch six
Available Engine: 200-horsepower 302-cubic-inch V8
Available Engine: 290-horsepower 302-cubic-inch V8
Available Engine: 250-horsepower 351-cubic-inch V8
Available Engine: 300-horsepower 351-cubic-inch V8
Available Engine: 335-horsepower 428-cubic-inch V8
Available Engine: 375-horsepower 429-cubic-inch V8
Air Conditioning: $380 option
The 5 Most-Expensive American Wagons of 1969
Mercury Cougar
Base Price: $3114
Base Engine: 250-horsepower 351-cubic-inch V8
Available Engine: 290-horsepower 302-cubic-inch V8
Available Engine: 290-horsepower 351-cubic-inch V8
Available Engine: 320-horsepower 390-cubic-inch V8
Available Engine: 335-horsepower 428-cubic-inch V8
Air Conditioning: $376 option
Plymouth Barracuda
Base Price: $2851
Base Engine: 145-horsepower 225-cubic-inch six
Available Engine: 230-horsepower 318-cubic-inch V8
Available Engine: 275-horsepower 340-cubic-inch V8
Available Engine: 275-horsepower 383-cubic-inch V8
Available Engine: 425-horsepower 426-cubic-inch V8
Available Engine: 385-horsepower 440-cubic-inch V8
Air Conditioning: $358 option
Pontiac Firebird
Base Price: $2875
Base Engine: 155-horsepower 250-cubic-inch six
Available Engine: 255-horsepower 350-cubic-inch V8
Available Engine: 265-horsepower 400-cubic-inch V8
Available Engine: 330-horsepower 400-cubic-inch V8
Available Engine: 345-horsepower 400-cubic-inch V8
Air Conditioning: $408 option
1970 Sporty Compacts
