The infamous AMC Pacer has been criticized ever since its 1975 inception, and to this day the funky bubble car frequents countless “love-to-hate-it” lists. Its unconventional design was intended to provide a spacious interior while maintaining compact exterior dimensions and satisfying strict efficiency regulations. Pacers were available with numerous options, including the popular “X” sport package with bucket seats, a floor shifter and a sway bar along with modest trim accents. The original design specified a lightweight Wankel rotary engine for propulsion, but development complications ultimately led to an overweight, low-output 3.8 or 4.2L six-cylinder for final production models. The eccentric styling was never exactly a hit, and attempts to stimulate declining sales included a higher output 120hp engine in 1976 and an optional 5.0L V-8 in 1978. The power-to-weight ratio still left much to be desired in terms of economy and performance, and in 1980 the Pacer was discontinued. But this nerd car, in all its peculiar 1970s glory, has found new appreciation after 30 years of ostracism, approximately doubling in value over the past few years.