1977 AMC Matador Barcelona II.mov

You might remember AMC's Matador Coupe, but how many of you remember the Barcelona II?

Gaze with jaw-plunging awe at AMC's last attempt to make the Matador Coupe a desirable product. (This is yet another clip from the 1977 AMC Dealer Introduction Show.)

Then check out the whole story at AteUpWithMotor.com.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• AMC
• Matador
• Barcelona

[promotodd]

Love it or hate it. This is exactly how I'd like people to feel about products that I would create. Because at least both sides are passionate.

[JWROWE3]

Sadly, the wrong car at the wrong time for AMC. The money that went into it should have been in revamping the Hornet/Gremlin family. I love the look of the car, especially a black 1974 "X"...but it was doomed. The styling went against what the buyers were starting to want, "formal rooflines" and all. And to slap all of the contrived styling of the late 70]s was a "too little too late" gasp for the folks from Kenosha.

[promotodd]

@JWROWE3 This car hit the market right as the OPEC oil embargo destroyed the market for intermediate and larger cars. AMC got whacked upside the head with a shovel with the timing of its debut. Nevertheless, you're right. Wrong car at the wrong time. A misuse of meager development money.

[cadrolls]

@promotodd You were right to begin with. It was crippled because of the fuel shortage. The styling was radical but, it was quiet, NICE riding, and did what the buyer wanted it to do at the time.

[dalotel]

@promotodd Ugly, tank, must hated car in it's day. Very little collector value today. AMC missed it by a mile.

[OldcarsNmusic]

@robroy982 Automotive styling has been dumbed down like everything else in this country-" Ahhp! Your team has scored too many times. No more goals count until they catch up!"... "If Billy wants to believe two plus two equals five, then let him!"

[san379]

great looking car..never seen one..looks low n long

[robroy982]

@EaglEye219 I bought one of these in 1978, It was a year old. It was the most comfortable car I've ever owned. Mine had a 304 cu.in. AMC didn't skimp on building this car. That is why they lost a ton of money on it. People here call it ugly. Today, other than Chrysler Corp, the cars are totally ugly, especially the ones from Asia & Korea. Most look like a bar of soap with grooves in them. Today, they call them stylish...........PUKE!

[robroy982]

I don't understand how some posters can call this car ugly when all we produce today is ugliness. I guess a Cube is pretty?? or a Element?? or Accord?? Please................

[Vincek88]

@EaglEye219 I do like the look of the original Matador, but this thing...padded vinyl roofs with 'opera windows' and stand-up hood ornaments are the opposite of its whole design! They were aiming for Chrysler Cordoba but they should've called it 'Frankenstein'!

[xXGreyWolf]

it's got a v8 and i bet it goes about 100mph max

[Seattlecarnut]

I don't know whether I'd call it the wrong car at the wrong time. More like the right car, but at the wrong time. Had the car been sold before the oil embargo or afterwords, I'll bet it would've sold better.

[quirpco]

hmm...Matador Barcelona...I wonder if this car would've been either successful or offensive to the people of Spain if AMC tried to sell it there.