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AMC's Gremlin: Still funny after all these years?
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AMC's Gremlin: Is it still funny after all these years?
AMC's Gremlin has been the butt of many jokes. . . and, coincidentally enough, it's the car's butt (or lack thereof) that inspires most of them. When U.S. automakers realized their compacts had grown so big they couldn't compete with the imports, plans were made to introduce a new generation of subcompacts for the 1971 model year. In 1970, GM was still preparing its disastrous Vega while Ford readied its exciting new Pinto "firebomb" but AMC was ready already with a new car to face off against VW et al, the mighty Gremlin.
Some say that naming a car after a mythical beast that causes mechanical problems wasn't the smartest move, but AMC had bigger problems. "If you were competing with Ford and Chevy, what would you do?" asked AMC ads. WIth no funds to create an all-new car like the big boys, the tiny independent did the next best thing and hacked the trunk off its Hornet sedan. This created an instant hatchback as it sawed off over a foot-and-a-half of length. AMC advertised the Gremlin as "America's first subcompact" and it beat the Vega and Pinto to market by a year.
The Gremlin's "X" trim package appeared in 1971. Bucket seats, decals, styled wheels all gave the little amputee some pizaaz to compete with Ford and GM's new offerings. A 1973 "Levis Edition" sported fake denim accented with real copper rivets and Levis logos on its front fenders.
Unlike its competition, the Gremlin was offered with a V-8 from 1972-76. A little over 40,000 were thus equipped.
A 1973 Consumer Reports test of six subcompacts rated the Gremlin number one and noted that it held up well in the long term.
Compared to Chevy's Vega and Ford's Pinto, the Gremlin looks very good indeed. With no under-engineered aluminum engine block horrors like the Vega and no fear of exploding in a fireball like the Pinto, the Gremlin soldiered on with a proven powertrain, solid body structure and no scandals. And it sold. Over 670,000 were delivered during the plucky little hatchback's run from 1970-78.
Time Magazine called the Gremlin one of "The 50 Worst Cars of All Time" but that was based on subjective judgement of the car's styling. Today Gremlins are slowly appreciating cult classics, with the V-8, "X", and Levis models being most highly valued. Restorations can be expensive as with most cars, but Gremlins shared many parts with other AMC models which should help.
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