By 1978, American Motors (AMC) had all but run out of steam. With the midsize Matador on the way out, the Kenosha, Wisconsin-based carmaker would soon be selling only small cars, and dated small cars at that.
1978 AMC Gremlin GT
And though one of those models, the subcompact Gremlin, was to be significantly updated for 1979—and renamed—AMC chose to give the old model a proper sendoff.
Gremlin GT Package
Introduced in the spring of 1978, about midway through the traditional model year, the Gremlin was surprisingly gifted a sport appearance package that went a long way toward sprucing up the maker’s least-expensive model.
Package Contents
The GT Package, which added between $300 and $400 dollars to the Gremlin Custom’s $3600 base price, included a number of fun trim and appearance features, including:
- Flared fender openings
- Stripe package
- Blackout exterior trim
- 14-inch rally wheels
- Radial tires with raised white letters
- Unique interior trim with updated dashboard
- Black leather-wrapped sport steering wheel
- “Rallye” gauge package with tachometer
- 258-cubic-inch inline six
Nothing Really Sporty
What was sadly not included in the GT kit was any real performance-improving features. That said, if we are reading the brochure correctly, any Gremlin could be had with the optional “Heavy Duty Suspension,” which would go some distance toward improving the GT’s—or any Gremlin’s—handling.
Heavy Duty Suspension
Included as part of the Heavy Duty Suspension package were stiffer coil springs, special shock absorbers, a thicker front stabilizer bar, and upgraded rear leaf springs. Several sources suggest that most GT Package-equipped cars were also fitted with the upgraded suspension.
Power and Performance
Power was another matter. American Motors had stopped offering the 304-cubic-inch engine in the Gremlin, leaving the maker’s trusty-but-slow-revving 258-cubic-inch six to power the would-be sporty GT.
While torquey and relatively smooth, the 258 was not a performance powerplant, and at just 120 horsepower, the GT was not setup to win many stoplight drag races. Equipped with the standard 3-speed manual transmission, the Gremlin GT would reach 60 mph from a stop in a reported 11.0 seconds. While not show stopping, that number was not entirely disappointing by late-Seventies standards.
Modern Competition
Working against AMC in terms of selling sporty Gremlin models was the launch of an all-new, and decidedly modern-looking Ford Mustang for 1978. The new ‘Stang featured clean lines, all-new architecture, was lightweight, and could be had with a small V8 engine. While the Gremlin and Mustang were not really in direct competition for sales, in GT trim the Gremlin likely caught the attention of young, sporty-car intenders.
Sales
And, starting at around $4000, the Mustang was not significantly more expensive than the Gremlin. For this reason—and several others—the Gremlin GT was a slow seller. Exact numbers are elusive, but several sources report sales of around 3000 examples, making a Gremlin GT a rare find today.
Spirit and Concord
For the 1979 the Gremlin, along with its architecture partner the compact Hornet, were freshened and renamed. The Gremlin became the Spirit, while the Hornet became the Concord. And for a while, the updates helped to keep AMC sales from falling. As for the GT Package, it was offered for 1979 on the Spirit, though only on the new fastback-style Liftback.
Print Ad
As for this ad, we applaud the effort to sell a very under-achieving sporty Gremlin variant, but also its time-sensitive nature. The Gremlin GT was offered for only about six months, which makes this car, and this ad, pretty scarce.
Listen to the Car Stuff Podcast
1978 AMC Gremlin GT Pictures
Click below for enlarged images