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Also Pontiac with the Trans Am, GTO, Le Mans, then somehow that Aztek...
...and the J2000.
MONEY!
Sports cars/muscle cars/enthusiast cars simply do not pay the bills. And the shift to smaller and more fuel efficient cars was already in full swing (even before the oil crisis) and AMC needed a new car but didn't have new car budget. I actually like their ingenuity, quite frankly. Ugly as sin, but the car still had character.
Lol, I can tell you how. By 1970, after some bad product decisions, amc needed new small car and had no money. The gremlin is literally the 01 series chassis from the B pillar back, and underneath, the only new sheet metal was the hatch.
It's a 100 inch wheelbase and somewhat lighter. Rear visibility is AWFUL.
But the AMC 01 chassis is pretty amazing. Every engine amc ever made in the car: 199, 232, 258 sixes, 304, 360, 390 and 401 v8s.
The interiors are shit too. Creaky plastic with no air flow.
Early 60s AMCs are wonderful little cars. I drive one as my daily.
Here's my AMC Rambler website.....