Editing AMC Pacer (section)

{{short description|Compact car produced by American Motors Corporation}}
{{Distinguish|Edsel Pacer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}

{{Infobox automobile
| image = 1975 AMC Pacer base model frontleftside.jpg
| caption = 1975 AMC Pacer base model [[hatchback]] [[coupe]]
| name = AMC Pacer
| aka = VAM Pacer (Mexico)<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.motorstown.com/images/vam-pacer-01.jpg |title=VAM Pacer advertisement |website=motorstown.com |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200216073227/http://www.motorstown.com/images/vam-pacer-01.jpg |archive-date=16 February 2020 |access-date=31 December 2022}}</ref>
| manufacturer = [[American Motors Corporation]] (AMC)
| production = 1975 – 3 December 1979<ref>{{cite web |work=History |title=Last AMC Pacer rolls off assembly line |url= https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/last-amc-pacer-rolls-off-assembly-line |publisher=A&E Television Networks |date=1 December 2020 |access-date=17 August 2021}}</ref>
| model_years = 1975–1980
| assembly = [[Kenosha, Wisconsin]], United States<br />[[Mexico City]], Mexico ([[Vehículos Automotores Mexicanos|VAM]])
| class = [[Compact car]]
| body_style = 2-door [[hatchback]] [[coupe]]<br />2-door [[station wagon]]
| layout = [[FR layout]]
| engine = [[AMC Straight-6 engine|{{convert|232|CID|L|1|abbr=on}} I6]]<br/>{{convert|258|CID|L|1|abbr=on}} I6<br />{{convert|282|CID|L|1|abbr=on}} I6 (Mexico only)<br />[[AMC V8 engine|{{convert|304|CID|L|1|abbr=on}} V8]]
| transmission = 3-speed [[Manual transmission|manual]]<br />3-speed with [[Overdrive (mechanics)|overdrive]]<br />4-speed manual<br/>3-speed [[Automatic transmission|automatic]]
| wheelbase = {{convert|100.0|in|mm|0|abbr=on}}
| height = {{convert|52.8|in|mm|0|abbr=on}} ([[coupe]])
| width = {{convert|77.3|in|mm|0|abbr=on}}
| length = {{convert|171.8|in|mm|0|abbr=on}} ([[coupe]])<br />{{convert|176.8|in|mm|0|abbr=on}} ([[station wagon|wagon]])
| weight = {{convert|3000|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}}
| designer = [[Dick Teague]]
}}

The '''AMC Pacer''' is a two-door [[compact car]] produced in the United States by [[American Motors Corporation]] (AMC) from 1975 through the 1980 [[model year]]. The Pacer was also made in Mexico by [[Vehículos Automotores Mexicanos]] (VAM) from 1976 until 1979 and positioned as a premium-priced luxury car.

Design work began in 1971. The rounded shape and large glass area were unusual compared with the [[Three-box styling|three-box designs]] of the era.<ref>{{cite book |last=Gartman |first=David |title=Auto opium: a social history of American automobile design |publisher=Routledge |year=1994 |page=216 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=c0_oW-ot9WAC&pg=PA216 |isbn=9780415105712 |access-date=31 December 2022 |via=Google Books}}</ref> The Pacer's width is equal to [[full-size car|full-sized]] domestic vehicles at the time, and AMC promoted this unique design feature as "the first wide small car".<ref name="pacer-statistics">{{cite web|url= http://www.amcpacer.com/history/statsfacts.asp |title=AMC Pacer Statistics and Fun Facts |work=The Pacer Page |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210804093521/http://www.amcpacer.com/history/statsfacts.asp |archive-date=4 August 2021 |access-date=31 December 2022}}</ref> The Pacer was the first modern, [[Mass production|mass-produced]], U.S. automobile design using the [[cab forward]] concept.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.azsolo2.com/pylon_press/pp2003/pp200311.htm |last=Driscoll |first=Mike |title=The pylon points to: Mindi Cross |publisher=The Pylon Press |date=November 2003 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120216001144/http://www.azsolo2.com/pylon_press/pp2003/pp200311.htm |archive-date=16 February 2012 |access-date=31 December 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.amcpacer.com/features/did-the-pacer-kill-amc.asp |last=Stakes |first=Eddie |title=Response to the posting of Matt Crawford's "Why a Pacer?" essay, "Did the Pacer kill AMC?" |work=AMC Pacer Page |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20211016112343/http://www.amcpacer.com/features/did-the-pacer-kill-amc.asp |archive-date=16 October 2021 |access-date=31 December 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Peter |first=Eric |title=Automotive Atrocities: The Cars We Love to Hate |publisher=MotorBooks |year=2004 |isbn=9780760317877 |page=54}}</ref>

Upon its introduction, reviews used descriptions such as "futuristic, bold, and unique".<ref name="legendary">{{cite web |last1=Peek |first1=Jeff |date=3 December 2019 |title=Love it or hate it, the AMC Pacer is an automotive legend |url=https://www.hagerty.com/media/car-profiles/amc-pacer-is-an-automotive-legend/ |access-date=22 May 2022 |publisher=Hagerty}}</ref> The Pacer featured an aerodynamic "jellybean" styling, numerous innovations such as different door lengths.<ref name="car_culture">{{cite book |last1=Hinckley |first1=James |last2=Robinson |first2=Jon G. |title=The Big Book of Car Culture: The Armchair Guide to Automotive Americana |publisher=MBI Publishing |year=2005 |page=122 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=NorSiqCb9mMC&pg=PA122 |isbn=9780760319659 |access-date=31 December 2022}}</ref> This was noted "as a space-efficient car, seemingly from the future".<ref name="ligo2013">Joe Ligo: {{YouTube|id=kcl98aBRkD8|title=The Unfortunate History of the AMC Pacer}}, 2013</ref><ref name="near-record">{{cite web |last1=Shea |first1=Terry |title=This AMC Pacer just sold for a near-record price on Hemmings Auctions |url= https://www.hemmings.com/stories/2020/01/17/this-amc-pacer-just-sold-for-a-record-price-on-hemmings-auctions |work=Hemmings |date=17 January 2020 |access-date=31 December 2022}}</ref> The Pacer stood out at a time when "Detroit was still rolling out boat-sized gas guzzlers."<ref name="Gallant-Stokes 52">{{cite magazine |last=Gallant-Stokes |first=Trudy |title=Designs on the Future |magazine=Black Enterprise |volume=19 |issue=4 |page=52 |date=November 1988 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=3V4EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA50 |access-date=31 December 2022 |via=Google Books}}</ref>