Weirdo cars…
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First weirdo of the day is supposedly a prototype for the AMC Gremlin.
I guess it could be. Although the rear part looks like something home made.
This would have made the Gremlin even weirder than it was…
Here is how the real thing turned out…
This one is most certainly home made. By some guy who really wanted some attention (Even put a “prototype” sticker on the windshield.)
This obviously started life as a Chrysler Cirrus. And ended up as this weird monster…
Although, I must say, this looks pretty well put together.
The real Chrysler Cirrus.
Now neither have an equivalent that exists today. So sad.
I know I am in a minority but I loved the Gremlin when it came out. I laugh at myself when I remember that I wanted one with the Levi's interior. I was considering it for my first car but my sensible and optimistic mother advised me that I was a new driver and I was probably going to total it anyway and I should buy a used car (a Dodge Dart which I did not total). No regrets, although I still think there is something oddly cool about it.
I've seen other pictures of the AMC in the top photo. My understanding was that it was a concept car from 1974.
BTW, to the poster above… My first car was almost a Gremlin. I bought a used AMC Spirit sedan – the one that looked like a Gremlin with a bigger rear quarter window. It was a decent car for the time, but a bit of a gas monster.
Man, I loved those Stratus/Cirrus sedans when they first came out. The peak of American design leadership in the modern era. No?
I agree! Chrysler was on a roll for a few years with great designs.
So sad to see what is going on now with zero news…..
Looking at the rear, I see some of what became the AMC Pacer. A bit roundish with a somewhat similar split-window effect in back. Somehow they must have decided only an angled slice of a 2-door AMC Hornet made sense and then they saved the roundness split rear window idea for the Pacer.
I believe the Gremlin competed with the Chevy Vega, Ford Pinto, perhaps even the Mercury Capri, while trying to stem the growing competition from Japan.
Oh well, that didn't work.
Wow…I saw that Cirrus years ago driving by the Welland Canal from a distance. I thought it was my imagination