As the question asks, what's the connection exactly between the XF and the AMX? I saw a few more pictures in the gallery and it seems to be something that quite a few people see.

I'm too young to remember the AMX so can someone enlighten me?

 

They're both cars...they both have 4 wheels to drive down the road on.

 

Wrong, Karmann assembled both the AMX for Europe as well as XF's.

 

Wasn't that the Javelin?

 

Jowet Javalin circ 1935 ??

 

True but they are also really cool, head turning cars, of limited production and dubious acceptance by automotive experts(?)...


And adored by their loving, if not a bit excentric, owners.


roadster with a stick

 

Sonoronos, You're asking a perfectly legitimate question, and I'll try to answer it as best I can.
First, I take full responsibility for this whole Crossfire/AMX misrepresentation. As we all know, Chrysler never built any vehicles wearing an AMX logo. But after Chrysler's purchase of AMC in 1987, they acquired the copyright to all that once belonged to American Motors. Over the years Chrysler chose to use some old AMC logos, such as, Spirit, Concord, Eagle and SST. But none of Chrysler's creations ever remotely resembled their American Motors counterpart.
Fast forward to the "Merger of equals "aka" the Daimler/Chrysler tragedy" and finally a car with a Chrysler nameplate arrives that so completely embodies everything the AMX once was 35 years earlier, and Chrysler (in its infinite wisdom) doesn't use the AMX nameplate. Instead it chose to use a logo that once adorned a poor performing General Motors Injection system.
Now I can't speak for Jim (AMX1397) but for me it's an act of righteous indignation and civil disobedience that I chose to create a "What If" version of the Crossfire, or a Crossfire/AMX if you will. Something I think Chrysler should have done in the 1st. place.
If you read this thread:
https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...ead.php?t=9100
You may get a better idea of where I'm coming from.

 

The car really reminds me of the old Marlins...

James

 

But I can't remember a roadster Marlin, Janilan, or AMX. OOP! Sorry for being a ragtop

 

In all the years the crossfire has been made i never drove one or even looked at one( in the sence of owning it), if Chrysler had badged it AMX i would have bought as many as i could afford, a freind ask me ( in May 2008) if i was going to ever buy a crossfire as they were the new verison of the AMX, I looked on line saw what it looked like and without a test drive or even sitting in one bought it. when i say +fireamx's hood and compared the spec's of each car that did it ,,i rebadged it amx as a owner of 397 three hundard ninity seven two seaters AMX's this car is a dream come true for me. if you read the post that +fireamx is refering to you too may understand, every car person at one time or another calls a car by a name other than what it is I just went a step futher and rebadge it to become AMX. some people debadge their car, I rebadge mine.we live in America, this is why we have a old man and a black man running for pres. some things i found,,
fixed rear window
rust under the doors
door sills with car's name on them
both fast as hell
not many people know what they are
( what kind of car is that? is always ask)
amx door 51" long,
xfire door is 52" long
and now for my pic. amx1397 amx for the car,, 1 because i owned the first car ever into production and 397 for the amount of AMX's that i have owned,
crossfireAMX-1001.jpg

 

http://www.automotivetraveler.com/in...503&Itemid=166

http://www.pil.net/~ted/images/AMXConvert1.jpg

Like my Crossfire, (with a "steel" AMX hood) it's the only one.

Jim (AMX1397) made a very good point. I too wasn't that crazy about the Crossfire during the first year it was produced because the roof looked like the Marlin (my least favorite AMC). But after driving by one daily for several months while it sat on a raised platform on a car dealers lot, I realized it wasn't the roof line of the Marlin I didn't like, It was the fact that AMC put it on too "long" of a car. On a "Sports" car it looked great.
That's when I decided to go back and do some research in several old car magazines (that had articles on the Crossfire) and I discovered how "statistically" close the Crossfire was to an AMX. That piqued my interest enough to actually go out and drive one, and like most everyone on this forum, I was hooked.
But for me, (and probably Jim too) driving a Crossfire is so reminiscent of driving an AMX, that it was like rediscovering an old friend, only better.
Interestingly enough, since I bought my AMX brand new, I kept it mechanically "stock" for all the years I've had it, because I was perfectly satisified with its performance. So it's no wonder I purchased a "NA" Crossfire, because they perform exactly the same as the AMX.
But Jim (who raced AMX's) was more accustomed to "faster" versions of the AMX, so naturally he owns a SRT6.
Also like Jim, if Chrysler had called the Crossfire an AMX from the start, I know I would have purchased one at "sticker" price when they first came out. So actually by them not doing so, it saved me over $14000.00.

 

 

"Cliffs Notes" answer.

 

I knew that there was a reason that I fell in love with the Crossfire when I first saw it. I am a Rambler guy. From the Rebel station wagon that I drove in high school to my '79 AMC Spirit (my first brand new car) with the 304 V-8, street dominator intake manifold, and Hooker headers, I've been a fan. I always get a kick out of seeing Mike's AMX. It brings back good memories of the underdog auto manufacturer from Kenoshoa.

 

John, thanks so much for the compliment. As you know, the only reason I didn't purchase a "Red" Crossfire was because I couldn't get the Cedar/Slate interior.
On Sunday after the Woodward Cruise I attended a really nice AMC car show in Livonia Mich. It's a moderate sized event (over 100 cars) and it's the first time a large groupe of AMC "fanatics" had ever seen my Crossfire/AMX.
I wasn't sure how well it would be received by the AMC "Purist" because unlike Mopar shows that allow AMC's to participate, AMC shows don't let Mopars in.
I was pleasantly surprised to get a very positive response from a majority of the AMC enthusiasts who took the time to check my car out.
Some people "Get it" and some people don't. But that's to be expected. If we all liked the same things, just think how boring life would be.

 

I thought they only built the Javalin not the AMX

 

I'm certainly no expert, but I've never seen anything about AMX's being assembled by Karmman in Germany, just Javelins.
But 24 AMX's were assembled by a company called AMI in Australia back in 1969. Maybe that's what "Spotsbimmer" was thinking of.

http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/g+l/javelins/index.htm

 

You are correct Karmann assembled the Javelin for the Euro market, but the AMX was just a shortened wheelbase Javelin that lost it's back seat, which is why I made the stretch to include its Karmann connection the Xfire.

 

Spotsbimmer, essentially you're corrrect, of course. But the 1968/69 AMX (besides being 12" shorter than the Javelin) also had a different hood, grill, and rear 1/4 panel (including "C" pillar). Along with standard torque links aka "traction bars".
That being said, the difference between the ride and handling (and general performance) between the two cars would very nearly be like comparing a Limited Crossfire to a Sebring.
Your analogy is one that would probably be made by many, and one that would rub the "average" AMX owner the wrong way. (good thing all the Crossfire/AMX owners on this forum are anything but average).

 

From this prospective, it has Marlin written all over it !