5 Coolest American Vehicles From the Dreaded Malaise Era

Generally used to depict American-built vehicles marketed from 1973 to 1983, the Malaise era was, in many ways, a low point for the US automotive industry.

The period's nickname was inspired by US President Jimmy Carter's "Malaise" speech and was popularized by renowned journalist Murilee Martin.

For car enthusiasts, the Malaise era is synonymous with the untimely demise of all things muscle, the rise of imports, and the birth of ugly, underpowered econocars.

But even if it was a forgettable period in more ways than one, the era saw some manufacturers go against the tide and produce vehicles that became iconic.

1. 1976 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible

Since its debut in 1953, the Cadillac Eldorado has been one of America's most iconic luxury convertibles.

However, in 1976, the GM division announced that the upcoming tenth-generation would only be available as a smaller, arguably uglier hardtop.

On the market since 1971, the humongous ninth iteration of the famous model had just received a facelift in 1975, so for its last dance as a convertible, it only received minor improvements like a new grille, redesigned taillamps, a small Cadillac script on the hood (above the grille), and blacked-out wheel covers.

Under the hood, it hid a 500-ci (8.2-liter) V8 that, despite its size, could only muster 190 hp. Therefore, the nearly 19-foot (5.7 m) long land yacht took 15 seconds to reach 60 mph (97 kph) from a standstill - about as much as it took an average muscle car to run the quarter mile a decade before.

Though it handled and guzzled gas like a tank (despite huge compression ratio reductions), the imposing 1976 Elordado was a smooth luxury cruiser with sharp, elegant edges that still turn heads today.

Ultimately, it wasn't the last convertible Eldorado, as Cadillac briefly reintroduced the body style in 1984 and 1985. Nevertheless, the 1976 model went down as one of the coolest American vehicles of the Malaise era.

The last 200 convertibles produced in 1976 commemorated America's 200th birthday and were dubbed "Bicentennial Edition." Compared to other Eldorados, these special-edition units received a unique white finish with subtle red and blue accents, as well as a commemorative plaque installed on the dashboard

2. 1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am SE

For the 1970 model year, Pontiac introduced an all-new Firebird that, particularly in Trans Am guise, was more aggressive-looking and more potent than ever.

Three years later, rising insurance rates, new emission restrictions, and a ravaging oil crisis choked most of the power out of the entire Firebird lineup.

Nevertheless, the Firebird continued to carry the muscle car torch inside the bottomless pits of the Malaise era.

In 1977, the lineup received a major facelift, making it more modern. In addition, some changes in the powertrain department brought some much-needed horses.

Though a shade of its former self in terms of raw power, the Trans Am was still the top Firebird. It was available with a standard L78 400, an optional W72 400, or an Oldsmobile-sourced L80 403.

The most sought-after engine was the new W72, a 400-ci (6.6-liter) officially dubbed "T/A 6.6". As opposed to the standard 180-hp 400, this version received higher compression heads, chrome valve covers, and a tuned four-barrel Rochester carb, which helped it produce 200 hp.

A 1977 Trans Am equipped with a T/A 6.6 and the Y82 Special Edition appearance package was featured in the action comedy "Smokey and the Bandit" starring Burt Reynolds.

From that point on, it became one of the country's most popular cars, which helped boost Trans Am sales for years to come.

Despite its lack of power, the 1977 Trans Am remains one of the most popular muscle cars of all time, and it's widely regarded as the coolest vehicle of the Malaise era.

3. 1978 Mustang II King Cobra

While the Camaro and Firebird stepped into the Malaise era with the same 1970 model, the Mustang morphed into a Pinto-based econocar starting with the 1974 model year.

Though the move angered performance enthusiasts, the transformation proved extremely successful for the Blue Oval as the Mustang II flourished.

Ford tried to appease its performance-loving fans with several Cobra appearance packages, particularly special ones.

That changed during the Mustang II's final model year when the limited-edition Trans Am-rivaling King Cobra was introduced.

Compared to previous Cobra packages, the King Cobra came with a more aggressive chin spoiler, new wheels, and a Trans Am-style cobra snake decal on the hood.

Unfortunately, the limited edition was only available with the Mustang II's run-of-the-mill 302 V8 rated at 139 hp.

While its racier look wasn't backed up by Trans Am-rivaling power, Ford managed to sell 4,313 units of the King Cobra in 1978.

Despite being underpowered, the King Cobra remains the coolest, most sought-after Mustang II and one of the coolest vehicles produced during the Malaise era.

4. 1978 Dodge Li’l Red Express

Back in 1970, Dodge was one of the muscle car's era apex predators thanks to its Elephant-powered models, but less than a decade later, its lineup lacked anything performance-oriented.

In 1977, the manufacturer tried something different by introducing the Warlock, a limited-edition version of the D150 aimed at the younger demographic.

The Warlock was a success, so for the next model year, Dodge took it up a notch with another special D150 called Li’l Red Express.

Painted red and with gold logos on each door, the single-cab half-ton truck received chrome bumpers, sidesteps, wheels, and two big-rig-style exhaust stacks to differentiate itself from other D150s.

While those upgrades alone made it an exciting vehicle, the Li’l Red Express also came with a surprisingly powerful engine.

Based on the Police Interceptor 360 ci (5.9-liter) Chrysler V8, the small block was upgraded with a mode aggressive cam and an 850-CFM four-barrel carb, which helped it make 225 hp.

The Li’l Red Express had a hefty price tag, but despite that, it was a success, with 2,188 units sold in 1978.

Though it was supposed to be a one-year-only model, the Li’l Red Express returned in 1979 and Dodge managed to sell 5,118 more units.

Today, the Li’l Red Express is considered one of the coolest vehicles of the Malaise era and the grandfather of all factory-built performance trucks.

5. 1979 Chevrolet Corvette

Inspired by the Mako Shark II and borrowing cues from Pontiac's XP-833, the third generation of America's sports car debuted in 1968.

With constant improvements and strong marketing campaign, it was still extremely popular a decade later.

For the 1979 model year, the 'Vette received three new features borrowed from the 1978 pace car replicas.

The first was the addition of lighter, more comfortable high-back bucket seats as standard equipment.

The second feature saw the availability of drag-reducing front and rear spoilers on the options list, while the third, most popular feature was the glass mirror-tinted roof panels that were ordered on around 30% of 1979 Corvettes.

While there were still only two V8s to choose from, power finally rose to an adequate level thanks to the addition of open-flow mufflers and an upgraded intake. The base engine now made 195 hp (while the optional L-82 went up to 225 hp.

Thanks to all the upgrades, the 1979 model became the all-time best-selling Corvette, with 53,807 units leaving the factory.