Back in the late 1960s and early 1970s, the American car market was dominated by powerful muscle cars , large family sedans, and sprawling station wagons. However, there was one quirky little car that changed the way we thought about compact performance. And here's the thing: It didn't have a legendary nameplate or the backing of a large manufacturer. In fact, it wasn't even considered a "hot hatch"- Americans were still unfamiliar with the concept.
As such, it's possible that this oft-overlooked performance variant might not even be on your radar. Most enthusiasts consider the Volkswagen GTI to be the genesis of the hot hatchback - especially here in the United States. We're here to say that the true origin of the concept started with something much closer to home. And it can trace its roots to '60s muscle cars , of all things.
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Posts 2 The AMC Gremlin X Was A V8-Powered Hot Hatch Close
In keeping with the competition - Chevy's Vega, Ford's Maverick, Volkswagen's Beetle, and Toyota's Corolla - AMC offered the Gremlin in a variety of trim levels suited to different price points. The budget-oriented base models were meant to show buyers how affordable the car could be; however, the top-of-the-line performance options were intended to cater to enthusiasts .
AMC first offered the 'X' as an appearance/equipment package in 1971, with body stripes, rally wheels, and a blacked-out grille distinguishing it from the standard models. The following year, the Gremlin gained some grunt to match its sporty looks - AMC squeezed a massive 304 V8 into X-optioned cars. It was revolutionary.
The Gremlin's Styling Broke The Compact Car Mold
With the advent of the 1970s, automotive design shifted from the large, luxurious sedans of the decade prior in favor of more compact, refined coupes. Even still, the Gremlin stood out. Compared to other early hatchbacks of the day, such as the Ford Pinto and the Chevy Vega, the plucky little AMC was squat, even stumpy. The distinctive chopped rear end was divisive - some appreciated the rounded curves; others thought that it looked unfinished.
The Gremlin's small stature was another point of contention. When the car debuted in 1970, it measured some 161 inches long, and the wheelbase came in at just 98 inches. AMC had really taken the compact concept to heart and was proud of the result. It marketed the Gremlin as the "smallest production car made in America," drawing comparisons to the Beetle in both size and turning radius. Today, we're much more accustomed to the proportions of a hatchback, but the tiny AMC was unusual at the time - especially from an American manufacturer.
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AMC Gave The X Muscle Car Performance Under The Hood
AMC introduced the Gremlin in 1970 with a pedestrian 3.3-liter inline-six. At launch, the car made a little over 100 horsepower, and AMC touted it as having "the best gas mileage of any production car made in America." With time, that grew to become a 3.8-liter inline-six and AMC even offered an optional 4.2-liter inline-six, though those were still economical in their performance.
The real fun came in 1972 when AMC gave the Gremlin X a 5.0-liter V8. The same 304 as featured in the infamous AMX, it was good for 150 horsepower and 235 lb-ft of torque, and it made the Gremlin one of the smallest cars to be offered with a V8 from the factory. In typical AMC fashion, the Gremlin line offered options aplenty. Whether it was heavy-duty suspension, power discs, a three-speed Synchromesh, or a Chrysler TorqueFlite, buyers could spec their X to their heart's desire.
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The AMC Gremlin X had great success with sales, despite its odd appearance. It gave customers options and it cost $12,000 in 2020's economy.
Posts AMC Basically Made It Boxy Budget AMX AMC Gremlin X Engine Specifications
Configuration
V8
Displacement
5.0-Liter
Power
150 Horsepower
Torque
245 LB-FT
AMC
The AMC Gremlin shared more than its engine with the AMX . In designing the plucky little compact, AMC had looked to its AMX GT concept car for design inspiration. The production Gremlin carried strikingly similar proportions to its parent, though it was shortened and scaled for affordability.
In a period review, Hot Rod Magazine put the two AMCs head to head, weighing everything from initial MSRP to cost of insurance in their comparison. For instance, writer Steve Kelly highlighted that the Gremlin "has a one-inch-shorter wheelbase, yet its overall length is nearly 16 inches less, while the tread width is within one inch of being the same as on the old AMX. With the Gremlin, you can get a larger V8 than was standard in the first AMX and, if you need to, a passenger load of four."
The comparison was made even more interesting when you considered the price. As Hot Rod found, "When we ordered our Gremlin X, we loaded it with just about everything you could check off on the order blank, except air conditioning and automatic transmission. The total price came out under $3400, which is within shooting distance of the original 2-place AMX base price ($3,245) when it was introduced in 1968. The Gremlin X is an economy AMX."
In making the Gremlin a parts bin special, AMC had imbued the little hatch with the AMX's muscle car spirit .
AMC Also Made A Super Hot 401-XR
During the first two years of Gremlin X production from 1972-1974, Randall Brothers AMC of Mesa, Arizona built a run of 20 Gremlins with an exclusive 401-XR package. In place of the 304 V8, each car boasted a 225-horsepower AMC 401. The extra hot Gremlins could do the quarter-mile in the high 13s, and some were said to have run in the low 12s. While these were never technically AMC "factory" cars, the 401s shared similar block proportions, and AMC allowed the swap as a tribute to the AMX Javelin and Matador.
401-XR Gremlin Highlights The 401-XR made 345 lb-ft of torque despite weighing only 2,600 lbs X stood for the AMC factory appearance package and R for Randall Brothers AMC sent 20 401 engines to the Randall Brothers, so 401-XRs are extremely rare Related Here's What Makes The AMC Gremlin One Of The Most Underrated American Cars
Though incredibly underrated, the AMC Gremlin is a pretty decent vehicle. It has a unique style, a compact interior, and it's worth a pretty penny.
Posts The Gremlin Was Quirky And That Made It Good Close
While larger, more financially well-off manufacturers like General Motors and Ford had the resources to design their compacts in the Vega and the Pinto, AMC was far from cash-flush. The smaller automaker had spent $70 million on the failing Kaiser Jeep division, and the Gremlin was therefore developed for as little as possible.
AMC essentially truncated a Hornet in order to create the Gremlin, designing a sharp hatch to finish off the rear. It wasn't intended to be exotic or luxurious; rather, it was marketed as something that was almost "cute" or "quirky" in its personality. However, the strategy was polarizing - some viewed the Gremlin as a joke, and its April 1st debut date did nothing to inspire confidence in the design.
Even still, the onset of the OPEC crisis and the resulting surge in fuel prices made the little AMC incredibly popular. In contrast to the rust-ridden Vega and the fire-prone Pinto , the Gremlin was a true example of a tough American-built economy car. AMC sold some 671,475 Gremlins between 1970 and 1978. Small potatoes compared to the likes of Chevy, but it was enough to make the Gremlin the automaker's second-best-selling model.
AMC Gremlin Production
Model
AMC Gremlin
Chevrolet Vega
Ford Pinto
Production Count
671,475
2,006,661
>3,000,000
Emissions Strangling Killed The Gremlin X AMC continued to release special models, like the Levi's Edition Sales of the standard Gremlin remained steady through the end of its production AMC revamped the Gremlin as the Spirit
Like many other cars of the malaise era , the Gremlin X met an untimely demise at the hands of ever-tightening emissions standards. Come 1976, US EPA regulations had reduced the power in the 304 V8 to a mere 120 horses. Consequently, appeal for the engine option slowed, and AMC dropped the model from the lineup by the middle of the year.
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Posts AMC Paved The Way For American Hot Hatches
The Gremlin ranks among the first hot hatchbacks made here in the States, but that's not to say it's the only example. If you're a fan of offbeat American cars, the Dodge Omni GLH is sure to strike a chord. Chrysler launched the front-wheel-drive subcompact in an attempt to compete with the Volkswagen Rabbit in 1978. Come 1984, Caroll Shelby helped develop the GLH or "Goes Like Hell" Omni. With time, the car received a turbocharged 2.2-liter inline-four, stiffer sports suspension, improved stopping power, and larger tires.
Dodge Omni GLH-T Engine Specifications
Configuration
Turbocharged Inline-four
Displacement
2.2-Liter
Power
146 Horsepower
Torque
175 LB-Ft
Shelby Made An Even Faster Omni The Shelby GLHS made 175 horsepower 12 lbs of boost enabled a 6.5-second 0-60 mph time Shelby removed the limiting peg from the 85-mph speedometer The GLHS used stickers to denote the new 130-mph top speed
Chrysler eventually killed the Omni GLH, but Caroll Shelby remained convinced of the car's potential. Accordingly, he purchased the 500 remaining GLH-T (turbo) cars for the 1986 model year and decided to modify them in his own shop . He fitted a larger Garrett turbo, a bigger throttle body, and injectors, and some improved plumbing, resulting in the Shelby GLHS (Goes Like Hell S'more).
Sources: Hagerty, Silodrome, Hemmings