Gremlin Announced

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32233, 27 February 1970, Page 11

Gremlin Announced

The second of the American “mini-cars” designed to compete with imported models, the Gremlin, has now been announced in the United States by American Motors. The car is described by the corporation as a “subcompact”: it has an unusual wedge shape and is 7in lower and 2in longer than the blggest-selling import: the Volkswagen “Beetle.” The corporation emphasises that a feature of the vehicle is that routine servicing can be done by the average owner without any special tools. The standard six-cylinder engine is a 3236 c.c. unit pro-

during 128 b.h.p. giving 0 to 60 m.p.h. acceleration in about 15.3 sec. The bigger six-cylinder engine is a 3802 c.c. unit producing 145 b.h.p. The smaller-engined car has a full-syncromesh, threespeed, column-change gearbox as standard, and the big-ger-engined car has automatic transmission. The Gremlin is available to American buyers in twoseat or four-seat styles. The four-seater has an opening rear window, and the rear seat folds down to give sta-tion-waggon luggage capacity. The front seats have high backs with built-in headrests.

The standard car has a fuel consumption of about 23 toiles a gallon—not particularly economical by the standard of the imported cars—but the 21 gallon fuel tank gives a range of about 500 miles. The car has conventional suspension, and drum brakes. Options include a roof-rack, nylon carpet, air conditioning, power steering, power brakes, and a limited-slip differential. The car’s turning circle is 32ft, there are face-level fresh-air vents, and a heater is standard. The cost in the United States will be | about $lB5O.

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