Editing AMC AMX (section)

===AMX/3===
[[File:AMC AMX3 Front.jpg|thumb|right|AMC AMX/3 concept car]]
[[File:AMC AMX3 rear2 - Flick - Concorso Italiano 2004.jpg|thumb|right|Mid-engined AMC AMX/3]]

{{main|AMC AMX III}}
A third-generation AMX concept car, the [[AMC AMX III|AMX/3]], debuted at the February 1970 [[Chicago Auto Show]]. Engine-less and fashioned in fiberglass, the original AMX/3 prototype was a "push-mobile" show car only. Introduced in Rome in March 1970, the functional steel prototype was constructed by Giotto Bizzarrini, Salvatore Diomante, and Giorgetto Giugiaro of Italdesign.

American Motors placed an order for 30 operational cars.<ref name="candp08">{{cite magazine |last=Stevens |first=Bob |magazine=Cars & Parts |volume=51 |issue=6 |date=June 2008 |page=76 |publisher=Amos Press |title=Motown Magic: Meadow Brook Concours}}</ref> The AMX/3 body mold was sent to Italian [[grand tourer]] maker [[Giotto Bizzarrini]], whose [[Turin]] facility hand made driveable mid-engined, steel-bodied cars. Built on a {{convert|105.3|in|0|abbr=on|adj=on}} wheelbase, the Bizzarrini prototypes used the AMC {{convert|390|CID|L|1|abbr=on}} V8 and an Italian OTO Melara four-speed transaxle. The AMX/3 is considered one of Bizzarrini's car-masterpieces.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://picchio.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Giotto-Bizzarrini-Laurea-reportage_.pdf |title=Professore Giotto Bizzarrini Laurea 'Honoris Causa' |date=23 October 2012 |work=picchio |first=Jack Koobs |last=de Hartog |access-date=18 June 2017}}</ref>

The steel Italian cars differed from the original AMC design in having fewer but functional rear [[decklid]] louvers, louvered hoods, and, in some cases, hood scoops to direct fresh air into the heating-A/C system. Further engineering improvements and road testing was done by [[BMW]], which declared the AMX/3's [[chassis]] one of the stiffest having a 50% higher stiffness compared to a benchmark Mercedes-Benz model.<ref name="untold">{{cite web|url= https://www.hemmings.com/blog/2017/01/08/the-untold-story-amx3-giugiaro-and-bmw/ |title=The untold story: AMX/3, Giugiaro and BMW |first1=Jack Koobs |last1=de Hartog |first2=Jürgen M. |last2=Wilms |work=Hemmings |date=8 January 2017 |access-date=18 June 2017}}</ref> The car's steel semi-monocoque chassis design with its welded on steel body provided a strong overall structure while the top speed was verified to {{convert|160|mph|km/h|0|abbr=on}}, with reports indicating the AMX/3 could go faster if it was not for the tendency for the front end to lift at those speeds, but BMW found the car to be most neutral handling they had ever tested.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.streetmusclemag.com/news/muscle-cars-you-should-know-70-amc-amx3-supercar-concept/ |title=Muscle Cars You Should Know: '70 AMC AMX/3 Supercar Concept |date=9 March 2011 |first=Gordon |last=McDonald |work=Street Muscle Magazine |access-date=18 June 2017}}</ref> The BMW engineers also refined numerous components of the AMX/3 into "a world-class contender among the mid-engined super car elite of its time."<ref name="untold"/> One of the cars became known as the "Monza" after it achieved a top speed of {{convert|170|mph|km/h|0|abbr=on}} in testing at the famed [[Autodromo Nazionale Monza|Italian race track]]."<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Golfen |first=Bob |title=Pebble Beach-winning AMC supercar heading to Gooding auction |magazine=Classic Cars Journal |date=12 December 2016 |url= https://journal.classiccars.com/2016/12/12/pebble-beach-winning-amc-supercar-heading-gooding-auction/ |access-date=22 January 2018}}</ref>

Five completed cars were produced before the [[United States dollar|US$]]2,000,000 development program was canceled. The original projection by AMC called for building 5,000 AMX/3s per year, but the estimated retail price kept increasing.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.hemmings.com/blog/2013/08/30/one-of-six-amx3-comes-up-for-sale/ |title=An AMX/3 comes up for sale for the first time in 15 years |first=Daniel |last=Strohl |date=30 August 2013 |work=Hemmings |access-date=18 June 2017}}</ref> The AMX/3 was "beautiful and sleek, the kind of car that would have made hearts race in the day" and was to be a "[[Flagship#Automobiles|flagship or halo car]]" to lure customers to AMC dealerships, "where they would often end up with other, more practical models."<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2016/12/24/just-cool-cars-amx3-could-have-saved-american-motors/95824152/ |title=Just Cool Cars: AMX/3 could have saved American Motors |first=Chris |last=Woodyard |work=USA Today |date=24 December 2016 |access-date=18 June 2017}}</ref> However, escalating costs and pending bumper regulations put a stop to the mid-engined AMX/3.<ref name="candp08"/>

Some remaining parts from the canceled, second group of five cars were used by erstwhile Bizzarrini collaborator [[Salvatore Diomante]] to assemble the sixth car, named and marketed as Sciabola.<ref name="candp08"/> Additionally, an open two-seat [[Roadster (automobile)|Spider]] featuring no weather protection was built in the 1990s using an unfinished AMX/3 modified chassis and the 7th AMX/3, on display at the [[Autoworld (museum)|Autoworld Museum]] in Belgium, were both finished by Giorgio Giordanengo.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://mycarquest.com/2012/07/the-amx-that-isnt-an-amx.html |title=The AMX That Isn't An AMX |date=18 July 2012 |first=Mike |last=Gulett |work=My Car Quest |access-date=18 June 2017}}</ref>

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