The 1970s was a wild and revolutionary period for America. The cultural tsunami of the Summer of Love was sweeping across the nation. Concepts such as pre-marital sex, gay rights and feminism were being introduced into the average American home. It was a time when Sonny and Cher were discovered, when the afro was hailed king among hairstyles, and when the popular Atari game console was born. In the automotive world, one of the most revolutionary ideas was the AMC Gremlin, America’s first sub-compact.

Although it was first to market with a sub-compact, AMC had just managed to edge out both Ford and GM in earning that distinction. Released on April 1, 1970, it came out merely six months ahead of its fellow American rivals, the Ford Pinto and Chevrolet Vega.

Based upon the larger Hornet compact, the Gremlin was created by shortening the wheelbase from 108 to 96 inches. Many parts were shared, explaining the nearly identical appearance up to the doors, where the rear suddenly tapered and cut off, in a style commonly known as a Kammback (named after inventor Wunibald Kamm). Due to its low drag coefficient, the Kammback had already become a popular feature on sports cars of the time such as the Ferrari Dino and the Ford GT40. AMC designer Richard Teague had been very impressed by the Kammback’s controversial look and chose to implement it on the Gremlin instead of a usual hatchback. “Nobody would have paid it any attention if it had looked like one of the Big Three,” he is quoted as saying. Surprisingly, the awkward-looking Kammback made the car more endearing to buyers.

Initially offered with a choice of two engines, both six cylinders, the Gremlin was never short on power. The smaller 3.3L unit produced 128hp while the optional 3.8L version developed a maximum of 145hp. However, the Gremlin’s higher weight compared with other small cars on the market saw it suffer comparatively in terms of fuel economy. A V8 engine was introduced in 1972, but only lasted four years and was subsequently pulled due to bad sales. AMC then offered a 2.0L four cylinder powerplant sourced from VW-Audi in 1977 and, despite slow sales, the option lasted the remainder of the Gremlin’s lifetime.

Options packages were where AMC’s marketing genius - and foresight - really showed. AMC introduced the optional yet popular ‘X Package’ in 1971. This package was purely a cosmetic upgrade with side stripes, slot-style wheels on 70-series tires, a body-coloured grille, bucket seats, a sporty steering wheel and ‘X’ decals. It also gave buyers the choice of eight extra paint colors not offered on the standard model. If it had been a hatchback, it would have been the first American ‘hot hatch’.

In 1978, its final year of production, AMC released a ‘GT Package’. This included a front spoiler and full wheel flares. However, by this stage sales had dropped to their lowest levels ever and the Gremlin was finally pulled and replaced with the AMC Spirit in 1979. In total, 671,475 Gremlins were sold over its eight years of production.

Born into a market dominated by imports, the Gremlin’s smooth handling, solid build quality, and unique styling all managed to set it apart from the competition. Today, it’s remembered in automotive history as little piece of America that refused to back down.

Source: www.motorauthority.com

Celebrating VW’s Bus 60th birthday, Abt presented the Sport Plus package for the new VW T5 Multivan which is considered a descendant of the Type 2 (or Bus as most know the Beetle based van) which was conceived in 1947. The Abt T5 Sport Plus package offers suspension and power upgrades for the 1.9 and the 2.5 TDI models (1.9 TDi 85Hp is enhanced to 110 hp, the 1.9 TDi 105 hp to 130 hp, the 2.5 TDi 130 hp to 160 hp and the 2.5 TDi 174 hp to 195 hp). The Sport Plus package also comes with a 4-pipe rear muffler and a complete body kit that contains front spoiler, front grille, fog lamp inserts, side skirts, rear skirt and rear wing. -Continued after the jump

Finally, the sport pack comes with Abt’s new BR 19-inch alloy wheels available in diamond or high gloss polish combined with 255/40 ZR19 rubber. The Abt T5 Sport Plus package will be available by Abt until December 31st, 2007.

Source: carscoop.blogspot.com

Saab will enhance its range in 2010 with the 9-1, a new entry-level model that will compete in the premium hatch segment against the BMW 1-Series and the Audi A3. Swedish car magazine “Teknikens Varld” hosted an interesting rendering of Saab’s forthcoming hatch that’s heavily inspired from the Aero-X concept. While we can’t say for sure that the 9-1 will actually look like the car pictured here, we think that the Swede’s rendering gives a pretty good idea of what to expect.

Available in 5door and 3door versions, the 9-1 will be built on GM’s updated Delta platform sharing many components with the next generation Opel / Saturn Astra. Apart from the usual turbocharged petrol and diesel engines, German newspaper “Automobilwoche” is reporting that the 9-1 will also receive a hybrid version equipped with the GM-Mercedes-BMW co-developed, twin-mode full hybrid system. -Continued after the jump

The later features two electronically controlled electric motors which act on a series of gears to create an infinitely variable drive system. The system fits within the space of a conventional automatic transmission and it’s combined with a battery pack that supplies power to the electric motors and also allows for full-electric propulsion. The hybrid system’s operating parameters include full engine stop at idle and full electric propulsion at launch. The electric motors are also used for deceleration, recuperating kinetic energy during braking and coasting thus charging the battery pack.

Rendering via: Teknikens Varld

Source: carscoop.blogspot.com