AMC AMX-GT

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The AMC AMX-GT is a 1968 racy concept car developed by American Motors Corporation (AMC). AMC's stylist Richard A. Teague was influential in the design of this small rear-wheel drive two-door monocoque pillar less coupe with a Kammback rear end treatment.

Design development

The AMX GT was built by shortening the 4-seat Javelin coupé to a 97-inch (2464 mm) wheelbase (the same as the production 2-seat AMXs) as well as by lowering (chopping) the roof. It came out in two versions. When it first appeared at the New York International Auto Show, the show car was finished in all red with a white stripe on the sides that ran across the roof. It also featured a set of rather plain-looking flush wheel covers and generic black wall tires.

Notable innovations included an exposed side mounted exhaust system, ram air hood scoop, integrated roof spoiler, and fixed rear side windows with no support (or "B") pillar.

The car was soon upgraded to more muscular-looking 5-spoke alloy wheels with Goodyear white letter tires. Although it was still red with the white stripe, the hood and roof were now finished in contrasting dark blue. This type of color scheme (that followed the major character lines of the car) was applied to some of the early factory-sponsored racecars before AMC went to the more radical red/white/blue painted in sequence format.

Legacy

The AMX GT provided several clues to future production models and options. The most immediate were the optional side pipes for 1969 Javelins and AMXs. A slightly modified version of the hood scoop became part of the 1970 "GO Package" equipment on 1970 Javelins and AMXs. The "shadow mask" (in flat black) paint treatment became an option on the 1970 AMXs. The most direct "chopped-off" rear end treatment of the AMX GT appeared in 1970 as the Gremlin subcompact. This design tratment was Teague's approach of maximizing scarce resources at AMC and it resulted in a new version from an existing automobile platform.

Trivia

The AMX GT was featured prominently in the corporation's 1969 annual report to shareholders. In it, various design drawings and proposals served as the background for the pictures of top AMC executives. For the official photograph of the Board of Directors, the members were posed around the AMX GT concept car. Standing in front of the car were the most important members: Roy D. Chapin Jr., William V. Luneburg, and Richard E. Cross (left to right). This picture shows yet another variation of the second version of the show car, this time its hood and roof is finished in black.