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- The AMC Spirit is a subcompact automobile produced by the American Motors Corporation (AMC) in 1979 to replace the Gremlin on which it was based. The AMC Spirit was produced until 1983. AMC Spirits were also assembled under license by Vehículos Automotores Mexicanos (VAM) with modifications for the Mexican market. The 1979 Spirit continued where the aging 1970-1978 Gremlin left off, but added fresh styling and a sporty liftback model to the existing sedan body style. The change was described as AMC having the "cleverest engineers in Detroit" cementing their reputation of "getting $200 worth of looks for $100" by an automotive writer who took a test drive in a new AMC Spirit. Riding the Gremlin's 96-inch (2,438 mm) wheelbase, the changeover from Gremlin to Spirit sedan included larger rear quarter windows whose trailing edges now paralleled the slope of the Kammback tail. This effect drastically improved outward visibility, especially from the backseat, and gave the car a more modern, if less distinctive look. At the front, a new combination of grille, headlights, and parking lights was surrounded by a slim chrome loop effect. Quad rectangular headlamps were side-by-side and sat atop slim, horizontal amber rectangular parking lights. A new rectangular grille with widely-spaced horizontal bars revealed the AMC logo set in a circle in the grille center. New aluminum bumpers with black end caps debuted to effect lighter weight and a more crisp appearance in vogue with the times. At the side, the Spirit sedan added red circular rear marker lights that featured the AMC logo outline in foil "chrome" in its center. The B-pillar was now covered by a blackout beauty panel that featured vertical ribbing. Many of the suspension upgrades seen on the 1978 Concord were transferred to the Spirit to give it a more civilized driving experience. New door trim panels were introduced: along with base, DL, and leather-lined Limited trim lines that heaped more equipment and features into AMC's subcompact than ever before. The 1978 Gremlin instrument panel was carried over, but with a wood grain overlay seen on DL and Limited models. In a comparison to its competition, "[w]hat is special about the Spirit is the luxury finish that upgrades the interior ... with the look of a high-priced car. " The new liftback model, however, was the center of attention for 1979. The slick new hatchback coupe had a particularly graceful superstructure for such a short car. Riding the same wheelbase as the sedan model, the liftback was identical to the sedan from the doors forward, but instead of a chopped Kammback tail, it featured a sloping fastback look. Quarter windows stretched back to meet slim C-pillars, and kicked up slightly from the belt line at the rear. The liftback featured a proper rear hatch "door", with a large glass window inset. The rear fascia had a recessed look, with wide rectangular taillights that featured loop-type foil chrome overlays. The rear license plate stood upright and hid the fuel filler cap behind it. The sloping roof, while attractive and effective in transforming the familiar Gremlin shape into something new, fresh, and sporty, sacrificed some headroom in the car's already vestigial rear compartment. In a historical review of the new model, Car Craft magazine wrote "[a]esthetically, the Spirit was probably the most contemporary-looking car to roll out of Kenosha since those early AMXs. " A "GT" option package with aluminum wheels, blackout trim, an optional rear spoiler, and other sporty features that offered AMC to have a competitor in design, style, price, size, and performance to Ford's new-for-1979 Fox-based Mustang. The standard engine on both models was AMC's trusty 3.8 L inline-6, with the thrifty and advanced 2.0 L I4, and 4.2 L I6 optional, while the 5.0 L V8 was offered as an option only on the liftback. 1979 would mark a (one-year) reprisal for 5.0 L V8 availability in the short 96-inch (2,438 mm) wheelbase AMC chassis. The last time the two were available together was in the 1976 Gremlin. The four, sixes, and V8 could be mated to either a standard 4-speed manual transmission or an optional 3-speed automatic with either floor or column shift, depending on trim and options. A 3-speed manual transmission was only available as a delete option on the sixes. The AMX model was transferred from the Concord hatchback to the Spirit liftback body for 1979 and came with either the 4.2 L I6 or 5.0 L V8. The AMX featured a flush blackout grille with an AMX emblem its lower driver's side corner, fiberglass wheel flares, rear spoiler, 14x7 "Turbocast II" aluminum wheels, blackout trim, "GT rally-tuned" suspension, floor shift transmission, an optional hood decal, and other sporty touches. Minor changes greeted the Spirit line for 1980. The 2.0 L VW/Audi-sourced I4 was replaced by a GM-sourced 2.5 L Iron Duke I4. American Motors had incurred high costs and slow sales from its deal with VW/Audi and their 2.0 L I4. On the other hand, the Iron Duke afforded slightly more power at a lower price to AMC, allowing them to make it the Spirit's standard engine, rather than optional, as the 2.0 L was from 1977-79. The 3.8 L I6 was dropped from the lineup, as was the 5.0 L V8, leaving the 4.2 L I6 as the only engine option, and the only engine available in the AMX. 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 comprehensive process 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 its new rust protection program by adding a 5-year "No Rust Thru" component to its successful Buyer Protection Plan. Even fewer changes were made to the 1981 Spirit line. A new crosshatch grille with a single crosshair element completed the changes at the front of the Spirit. New optional "Noryl" wheelcovers were added. The leather-clad Limited models were canceled, leaving the DL as the top-rung model. The liftback still featured a GT package, available on both base and DL trims, with both engines. The AMX did not return for 1981. All AMCs were marketed under a new "Tough Americans" ad campaign, which sought to highlight the warranty and rustproofing measures that AMC took with their cars. 1981 AMC EPA fuel economy figures for the 49 states were 23 mpg city and 33 mpg highway for the 4-cylinder 4-speed, 20 mpg city and 26 mpg highway for the 4-cylinder automatic, 19 mpg city and 28 mpg highway for the 6-cylinder 4-speed, and 19 mpg city and 26 mpg highway for the 6-cylinder automatic. There were 4 kinds of wheel treatments this year, they were the "Custom Wheel Cover", "Full Styled wheel cover (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 Siver Metallic, Steel Gray Met, Med. Blue Met, Moonlight Blue, Autumn Gold, Sherwood Green Met, Cameo Tan, Copper Brown Met, Med. Brown Met, Dark Brown Met, Oriental Red, Vintage Red Met, and Deep Maroon Met. Interiors were available in Deluxe Grain vinyl in black, blue, beige, and nutmeg. Coventry Check fabric was available in black, blue, beige, and nutmeg. For 1981, AMC introduced Eagle models (SX/4 liftback and Kammback sedan) based on both Spirit body styles. Changes to the Spirit for 1982 were mostly mechanical. A new 5-speed manual transmission was offered as an option, and new low-drag front disc brakes were standard. Together, they allowed the 2.5 L Spirit to achieve 37 mpg (6.4 L/100 km; 44 mpg) on the highway, according to 1982 EPA estimates. For those who ordered automatics, the Chrysler sourced three-speed TorqueFlite ratios were more widely spaced to afford even automatic-equipped cars better mileage. The Spirit's final year was more notable by what was missing from the line. The Spirit sedan, having sold poorly due to familiar styling and little marketing, was pruned from the line. So were the 2.5 L I4 and the base model liftback, making all 1983 Spirits 4.2 L-equipped liftbacks in either DL or new GT trim. The GT package became a full-fledged model separate from the DL for the Spirit's swan song. Advertisements stressed the higher level of standard equipment in both Spirit DL and Spirit GT, which sold for US$5,995 and US$6,495, respectively. The Spirit GT version was compared to the liftback version of Ford's Mustang. More notably, for 1983, AMC introduced the new Renault Alliance, which was a much more modern, space-efficient, fuel-efficient, front-wheel-drive subcompact car than the rear-drive Spirit was, with its now 14 season-old platform. Next to the new 1983 Alliance, the Spirit seemed unnecessary, and after sales slowed to a trickle by the end of 1983, it was quietly canceled as AMC released the Alliance-based Encore hatchbacks for 1984.
- Der AMC Spirit war ein von dem US-amerikanischen Automobilhersteller AMC von 1978 bis 1983 gebautes Automobil der US-amerikanischen Kleinwagenklasse mit Hinterradantrieb. Der Spirit war Nachfolger des AMC Gremlin, auf dessen Technik er basierte.
- O Spirit é um modelo familiar compacto da American Motors Corporation oferecido em carrocerias sedan de hatchback.
- AMC Spirit, var en personbil från American Motors Corporation (AMC) som tillverkades 1979-1983.
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