Rare Rides: The 1977 AMC AM Van - a Concept That Never Was

Early this year, the Rare Rides series began with this Ghia concept from 1979. A lovely red coupe, it was based on humble Mustang underpinnings. Today we return to the concept car bin with this AMC. Much like the Ghia, AMC’s AM Van is a very 1970s concept based on an existing car platform that never moved past the concept stage.

Let’s check out this pearlescent red box.

As the 1980s approached and the internet continued to not exist, American Motors’ public relations people needed a PR gimmick. Their best idea was a nationwide tour of concept vehicles designed to remind the buying public of AMC’s strong suit: small cars that were domestically built, economical, and designed specifically for American’s driving style.

Specifically for this “Concept 80” tour, AMC created seven different design concepts. At each stop on the tour, the public was asked to vote for their favorite design. Of them, the AM Van was the most appealing concept to American consumers by a wide margin, receiving 31 percent of the votes. The next most popular model was the Grand Touring concept (receiving 24 percent), which was a sporty two-door hatchback with profile similar to the later Concord.

The AM Van was designed by AMC’s most famous (and favorite) designer, Richard Teague. That’s perhaps obvious when considering the concept’s styling, which looks like the result of a Pacer taking a large dose of steroids. I like it.

Like many AMC models, the AM Van was to have four-wheel drive, and the badges indicate a turbo as well. Perhaps AMC’s common 4.2-liter straight-six was to fit under the sloping front end. Since it’s just a concept, there’s no real interior to speak of, and no mechanical bits inside. Still, it’s not hard to imagine bolting on any number of things — leave your powertrain ideas for us in the comments.

Despite consumer popularity, the AM Van was not to be. Budgeting constraints led the company to shelve the idea, with AMC instead revamping (and renaming) the Hornet and Gremlin as the Concord and Spirit, respectively.

Residing for the past 25 years in the Kenosha History Center, it’s now listed on eBay with a Buy It Now price of $72,000. This is one of those times where valuation may be difficult, as it’s the only example of the thing for sale. What say you?

[Images via seller, Marty Densch at Carsindepth]