The AMC Spirit is a subcompact car sold by American Motors Corporation (AMC) from 1979 through 1983. Replacing the AMC Gremlin, the Spirit was available in two different body styles, both were two-door hatchbacks – but neither was marketed as such. Instead, AMC offered a restyled Gremlin either as a "Spirit Kammback" or "sedan", while an additional model with a more gently sloping rear was introduced as the "Spirit Liftback" or "coupe". Due to budget constraints, the Spirit shared the Gremlin's platform – its floorpan, powertrains, and many other parts were carried over. AMC also offered a four-wheel drive cross-over version using the Spirit's bodywork, marketed from 1981 through 1983 model years as the AMC Eagle SX/4 and Eagle Kammback (1981–1982 only). Spirits were manufactured by AMC in Wisconsin and Ontario, as well as under license by Vehículos Automotores Mexicanos (VAM) in Mexico, where they retained the Gremlin name on the restyled models.
Performance versions of the AMC Spirit competed in road racing. In 1979, B.F. Goodrich sponsored a two-car team of Spirit AMXs in the Nürburgring 24 Hours. The AMXs were the first American team entries with a pair of hastily homologated cars. They finished first and second in their class out of a 120-car total field and were the only racers running street tires. Spirits were also privately campaigned in the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) Champion Spark Plug Challenge and Racing Stock Class events, as well as in drag racing.
Background
The AMC Spirit was largely a restyled Gremlin, which had been manufactured from 1970 through 1978. Engineering and equipment upgrades introduced on the 1978 Concord carried over to the subcompact Spirit. The suspension system was revised with "soft-ride" mountings for the coil springs over A-arms in the front and the rear live-axle with leaf springs to improve ride and handling. Features included enhanced sound-deadening and corrosion protection as well as lightweight aluminum bumpers, lock-up automatic transmission converter, and higher-compression six-cylinder camshaft and pistons for economy, performance, and emissions.
The body received new styling and a liftback model was added to the previous two-door sedan. Dick Teague's "more-conventional" design of the new liftback coupe "had a particularly graceful superstructure for such a short car". A road test by Popular Science described the transition as AMC having the "cleverest engineers in Detroit" cementing their reputation of "getting $200 worth of looks for $100".
Annual changes
1979
As a restyled variant of the previous Gremlin, the Spirit featured distinctly larger rear quarter windows while retaining the instrument panel introduced on the 1978 Gremlin, with a wood grain overlay on DL and Limited models.
Riding on the same wheelbase as the sedan, the liftback was identical to the sedan from the doors forward and featured a sloping roof (compromising rear headroom) and a hatchback with a more shallow Kammback tail. The rear license plate hid the fuel filler cap. The Spirit offered a generous cruising range with its "fuel tank capacity of 21 gallons and probable fuel mileage of 25 mpg or more ... enabling the car's driver to travel over 500 miles between fill ups".
Standard equipment levels and convenience features were increased on the new Spirit compared to the Gremlin. For example, the DL models featured upgraded trim inside and out, including color-keyed wheel covers, custom bucket seats in corduroy fabric or "sport" vinyl upholstery, wood accents on the dashboard, steering wheel, and floor gearshift knob, and fluorescent-display digital clock. The top trim Limited model included leather seats and trim, air conditioning, AM/FM radio, an adjustable steering wheel, dual remote outside mirrors, a full-length center console with armrest, and many more features.
The GT package was available on the Spirit liftback and included among other features, blacked-out exterior trim, radial tires with styled wheels, black leather-wrapped sport steering wheel and console, tachometer, and "Rallye" gauges, as well as a special "deep-tone" exhaust system. The package also had a rear spoiler, and other sporty features that offered AMC to have a competitor in design, style, price, size, and performance to the new-for-1979 Fox-based Ford Mustang. A separate GT "rally-tuned" suspension option included tuned front and rear sway bars, "Hi-Control" rear leaf springs with "iso-clamp" pads, special strut rod bushings, adjustable Gabriel "Strider" shock absorbers, as well as heavy-duty brakes and quick ratio steering box.
The standard engine on all models except the AMX was a EA831 inline-four supplied by Audi. Optional were AMC's and inline-sixes (the latter standard on the AMX). The AMC V8 engine was offered as an option only on the liftback. The 1979 model year would mark a one-year reprieve for V8 availability in the short wheelbase AMC chassis. The last time this configuration was available was in the 1976 Gremlin. All engines could be mated to either a standard four-speed manual transmission or an optional three-speed TorqueFlite automatic transmission with floor shift, depending on trim and options. A three-speed manual transmission was available as a delete option with the 232 engine.
The four-cylinder engine is the same overhead camshaft unit carried over from the Gremlin, and was also available on the Concord. It used the same cast parts as the Porsche 924 (both made by VW/Audi), but was assembled in an AMC plant in Indiana to different specifications than that of the Porsche engine. The AMC version was only offered with a 2-barrel carburetor while the Porsche unit had electronic fuel injection and a higher compression ratio. It was available with either a 3-speed TorqueFlite automatic transmission with special gear ratios or a Borg-Warner HR1 4-speed manual.
The AMX model was transferred from the Concord hatchback to the Spirit liftback body for 1979 and came with either the 258 I6 or the 304 V8 engine. The AMX featured a flush blackout grille with an AMX emblem, fiberglass wheel flares, rear spoiler, ER60x14 white-letter tires on 14x7-inch "Turbocast II" aluminum wheels, blackout trim, "GT rally-tuned" suspension, floor shift transmission, an optional hood decal, and other sporty features.
Popular Science magazine compared the four-cylinder Spirit with the Chevrolet Chevette, Dodge Omni 024, and the imported Plymouth Champ describing the Spirit's "generous updating of the chassis and body have kept it fresh-looking." Despite its imported engine, with its heavy chassis it was "no economy standout ... what is special about the Spirit is the luxury finish ... with the look of a high-priced car." A Popular Mechanics survey of one-thousand owners after they had driven their cars a total of gave their Spirits "a strong vote of confidence as a basically fine automobile - good-looking, great handling, economical, smooth-riding, and quite comfortable for two people."
1980
The 3.8 L I6 was dropped from the lineup, as was the 5.0 L V8 to meet the average corporate fleet fuel economy standard for the 1980 model year. The VW-based I4 was replaced with a Pontiac-built 2.5-liter I4 that was "better suited to the cars' size and weight specs." The 4.2 L I6 remained most popular, and the only engine available in the AMX model. To comply with the 1980s' much tougher emissions, computer-controlled carburetors were designed for better economy and operation. No major exterior changes were seen, except on the AMX, as its grille emblem moved to the center.
All AMCs, including the Spirit, received a new rust-proofing process called Ziebart Factory Rust Protection. This included aluminized trim screws, plastic inner fender liners, galvanized steel in every exterior body panel, and a deep-dip (up to the window line) bath in epoxy-based primer. AMC backed up the rust protection program with a five-year "No Rust Thru" component to its comprehensive "Buyer Protection Plan".
1981
The 1981 model year AMC Spirits received a new crosshatch grille with a single crosshair element. New optional "Noryl" wheel covers were added. The leather-clad Limited models were canceled, leaving the DL as the top-rung model. The AMX model was discontinued, but the liftback was available with the GT appearance package, available on both base and DL trims, with both engines. An optional G.T. rally-tuned suspension for the liftback included special front and rear sway bars, tuned strut rod bushings and rear spring iso-clamp pads, heavy-duty adjustable Gabriel Strider shock absorbers, "hi-control" rear leaf springs, and a faster steering box ratio. New options included power windows, rear window wiper and washer, power antenna, as well as tricolored "rally" stripes.
A four-speed manual transmission was standard while the optional three-speed automatic now included a lockup torque converter, and radial tires were standard fitment across the lineup.
The I6 was redesigned and made lighter, as well as smoother, higher low-end torque, more economical, and requiring less maintenance. The numerous engineering improvements and the substitution of aluminum for iron and steel made the venerable AMC engine "the lightest in-line Six in the domestic industry", at .Witzenburg (September 1980). p. 180.
The 1981 AMC EPA fuel economy figures for the 49 states were: city and highway for the 4-cylinder 4-speed city and highway for the 4-cylinder automatic city and highway for the 6-cylinder 4-speed city and highway for the 6-cylinder automatic
There were four kinds of wheel treatments this year that included the "Custom Wheel Cover" or standard full wheel discs, "Full Styled" wheel cover made of Noryl which was standard on the Spirit DL, the "Spoke Styled Wheels" which were standard on the Spirit G.T., and the "Turbocast II" aluminum wheels which were optional on all models. Fifteen exterior paint colors were available in 1981. They were Olympic White, Classic Black, Quick Silver Metallic, Steel Gray Metallic, Medium Blue Metallic, Moonlight Blue, Autumn Gold, Sherwood Green Metallic, Cameo Tan, Copper Brown Metallic, Medium Brown Metallic, Dark Brown Metallic, Oriental Red, Vintage Red Metallic, and Deep Maroon Metallic. Interiors were available in "Deluxe Grain" vinyl in black, blue, beige, and nutmeg. "Coventry Check" fabric was available in black, blue, beige, and nutmeg.
American Motors led the way in galvanized steel news for 1981, by applying one-sided and two-sided galvanized materials to all of the exterior body panels on all its models. AMC tied these applications into its warranty program and the Spirit was advertised as "One Tough American Economy car" highlighting its galvanized steel in every exterior body panel. According to Dale E. Dawkins, AMC's vice-president, "Every square inch of inner surface on exterior body panels is galvanized on our Spirit, Concord, and Eagle models." to support AMC's new "Tough Americans" marketing campaign highlighting the long warranty and rustproofing measures included in their cars.
For the 1981 model year, AMC introduced Eagle models (SX/4 liftback and Kammback sedan) based on both Spirit body styles.
1982
Changes to the Spirit for 1982 were mostly mechanical. A new 5-speed manual transmission was offered as an option, thus the "Spirit GT became America's first pony car available with a 5-speed gearbox." Cranswick, p. 267. New low-drag front disc brakes were standard. Together, they allowed the 2.5 L Spirit to achieve on the highway, according to the 1982 EPA estimates. For automatic transmission-equipped cars, the Chrysler sourced three-speed TorqueFlite ratios were more widely spaced to afford better mileage.