Concept 80 Show AM Van 1977 Hoodie

As the '80s approached, American Motors’ public relations people needed a marketing gimmick to engage with the public. They came up with a nationwide tour of concept vehicles designed to remind Americans of AMC’s strong suit - small cars that were domestically built, economical to operate, and designed to cater to their lifestyle. Calling it the “Concept 80” tour, AMC created seven different design concepts and at each stop on the tour, the public was asked to vote for their favorite of which, the AM Van the clear winner. The AM Van concept was built on their existing Pacer platform and aside from its wild styling, was to be turbocharged and 4WD, though the concept was never actually fitted with a powertrain or a finished interior.