MECHANICAL CHAIRMAN MESSAGE
The Super Car That Almost Was – AMX 3
by KEITH KREHEL
When I was a teenager, there were four common car brands made in the United States. The Big Three were: GM, Ford and Chrysler, and the small straggler, American Motors (AMC). I always had a soft spot for AMC, possibly because I saw them as underdogs in comparison to the others. Some of their cars were good-looking and sporty, like the first AMX muscle car and the Javelin. Then there were, in my opinion, unique-looking and perhaps cute cars, like the Gremlin, while others were just plain ugly, like the Matador and the Pacer. I’m quite sure my wife would not have gone on a date with me in one of those dogs. In the late 1960s, AMC was in Photo credit: Fuelcurve.com As the image here shows, the AMX-3 (bottom) financial trouble, and they knew it. They (https://fuelcurve.com/amx3/ resembled the Pantera (top) had suffered huge losses, their product line was underwhelming, and more importantly, they were Possible reasons for its cancellation: underselling. AMC’s product line was deemed dated 1. AMC had just endured the longest labor strike in its technically and dull. In order to liven up their product line history, depleting the resources needed. and attract younger customers, they wanted to build a 2. The AMC 3 project itself was deemed unprofitable, and high performance mid-engine sports car much like Ford. the car could not be produced at the planned cost and Seeing how the GT 40 had helped the Ford brand, AMC would have sold for well over the price of the Pantera, sought similar success so they created the AMX 3 to its direct competition in the states; however, Halo compete with the upcoming Ford Pantera. This vehicle cars, in my understanding, are not always expected to was a team effort with the body design and drive train from be profitable but more importantly help promote the AMC, chassis and suspension from Giotto Bizzarini, along image of the company (thanks, Craig). with Italdesign and BMW contributing in various ways. 3. Possible intervention by competition, allegedly Ford, The car was to be built overseas by the German recognized the superiority of the AMC 3 over the company, Karmann. Its price was supposed to be around Pantera and “persuaded” AMC to stop the project. As $10,000 to $12,000, which was about three times the cost I have written earlier, the Ford Pantera was heavily of the Mustang at the time but roughly half the price of the flawed from the factory and required several Ferrari 365 GTB/4 – a potential competitor. Dick Teague modifications to prevent overheating, as well as to at AMC was credited with most of the design. Because correct other issues. The AMX 3 may have been the AMC only had front engine, rear wheel drive production better car; they sure looked similar. No telling what the cars in its lineup, and since the AMX 3 was to be midoutcome would have been had the car seen engine, AMC outsourced a lot of the chassis design. The production. Maybe American Motors would still be car was designed with a maximum speed of at least 160 in business today (doubtful,) and retro Gremlins could mph, which at first was unobtainable due to “body lift” be commonplace and perhaps even retro Pacers (more at high speeds, much like the prototype Ford GT40, but doubtful and outright scary). after modifications to a second proto type, 170 mph was reached with performance comparable to the Ferrari 365 Specifications are below: GTB/4 – no small feat. The car was presented at the New Production: 1969/1970 Width: 75.6” York Automobile Show on April 5, 1970, but by that Designer: Dick Teague Height: 43.2” summer, AMC abandoned the project without explanation Mid-engine, rear wheel Weight: 3,090 lbs after about only six cars were built. drive A American Engine 390/4 bbl V8 M Motor 295 HP X eXperimental Length: 175.6” 3 third version NJA
18 | New Jersey Automotive | February 2022
