Above image 2007 Meadow Brook Concours
Above images 2008 Goodwood Festival of Speed by Ilya Holt and from 2007 Meadow Brook Concours
Above 4 images were taken in 2004, at the Bizzarini Expo in Brussels by Dirk de Jager and all the above photos are from http://www.supercars.net/cars/2982.html
Notice the above museum car has a side marker light behind the rear wheel that only one of of the following do.
Please notice that the car in this magazine article, is an AMX 2 not a 3
Please notice that the car in this magazine article, is an AMX 2 not a 3
Lower door racing stripe and AMX 2 callout looks really good, and the rear deck styled partition with air foil over the tailights
Really don't like the above rims.
From the Supercars website story on the AMX 3:
Giotto Bizzarrini, of ex-Ferrari fame, was specifically responsible for making a production worthy AMX/3 out of the show queen AMX/2. What would have been a challenging build for AMC, was easily handled by Bizzarrini who was very familiar with race car design
and construction, particularly on a tight budget.
Bizzarrini's final AMX/3 featured the hallmark of sports engineering, a mid-mounted engine and rear transaxle. The Italian firm Melara developed the new gearbox while BMW completed final testing on the roadworthy AMX/3. It seemed AMC was serious about production. From a design standpoint, the AMC/3 was remarkably similar to Ford's DeTomaso Pantera which debuted just one day after the AMX/3. Such timely releases made it unclear exactly who copied who, but in any case, the casual observer can easily mistake the AMX/3 with a Pantera.
Due to the successful launch, and low price of the Pantera, AMC scrapped the AMX/3 project. Bizzarrini was ordered to destroy all six cars, which he, of course, did not.
images from my many posts on the AMX 3... I hope you take a moment to see the differences in these different models, the bottom one having the coolest looking wheels, but I bet it's a mock up with no real car parts, and it looks like the model is in the design studio for a photo op.
Notice it doesn't have a gas cap like the yellow model directly above it, and the rocker panel is black with the AMX 3 call out looking really nice. Different tailights too.
From the Supercars website story on the AMX 3:
Giotto Bizzarrini, of ex-Ferrari fame, was specifically responsible for making a production worthy AMX/3 out of the show queen AMX/2. What would have been a challenging build for AMC, was easily handled by Bizzarrini who was very familiar with race car design
and construction, particularly on a tight budget.
Bizzarrini's final AMX/3 featured the hallmark of sports engineering, a mid-mounted engine and rear transaxle. The Italian firm Melara developed the new gearbox while BMW completed final testing on the roadworthy AMX/3. It seemed AMC was serious about production. From a design standpoint, the AMC/3 was remarkably similar to Ford's DeTomaso Pantera which debuted just one day after the AMX/3. Such timely releases made it unclear exactly who copied who, but in any case, the casual observer can easily mistake the AMX/3 with a Pantera.
Due to the successful launch, and low price of the Pantera, AMC scrapped the AMX/3 project. Bizzarrini was ordered to destroy all six cars, which he, of course, did not.
What a cool car...why oh why didnt AMC ever produce it. So many of the design cues have been used on later cars...plus it still looks modern. What a beautiful car.
ReplyDeleteJust FYI- the magazine page (American Motors comes up with an amidship-engined beauty) is the AMX/2 not the AMX/3. The leading edge of the AMX/2 was straight, whereas the AMX/3 was pointed at the center and jutted forward around the headlights. The AMX/3 added a crease running along the side. On the AMX/2, there's a partition on back so that the two black rectangles on the hood are echoed at the rear. Plus, the spoiler on the AMX/3 retracts to sit flush, unlike the fixed spoiler on the AMX/2. Also, the cars have "AMX/2" or "AMX/3" stenciled on them.
ReplyDeletegreat eye for the fine details! I hadn't noticed that, and I don't think I've ever read anything about the AMX 2! Thanks!
Delete