Editing M1 Abrams (section)

=== Back to the drawing board ===
[[File:XM1 Chrysler scale model oblique right.png|thumb|Finalized M1 scale model]]

On 20 July 1976, [[United States Secretary of the Army]] [[Martin Richard Hoffmann|Martin Hoffmann]] and a group of generals visited [[United States Deputy Secretary of Defense|Deputy Defense Secretary]] [[Bill Clements]] and [[Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering|Director of Defense Research and Engineering]] Malcolm Currie on their decision. They were surprised when Clements and Currie criticized their decision and demanded that the new tank have a turbine. Defense Secretary Rumsfeld heard arguments from both parties in the afternoon. The Army team spent the night writing briefs and presented them to Rumsfeld the next morning, who then announced a four-month delay.<ref name=bail/>

Within days, GM was asked to present a new design with a turbine engine. According to Assistant Secretary for Research and Development Ed Miller, "It became increasingly clear that the only solution which would be acceptable to Clements and Currie was the turbine... It was a political decision that was reached, and for all intents and purposes that decision gave the award to Chrysler since they were the only contractor with a gas turbine."<ref name=bail/>

In the meantime, in September 1976 three West German [[Leopard 2]]AV prototypes were belatedly sent to Aberdeen for comparison testing.{{sfn|Staats|1977|p=6}} Germany had signed a somewhat vague [[memorandum of understanding]] in 1974 committing both parties toward commonality in tank parts. Germany had assumed that its tank would be evaluated against the GM and Chrysler's prototypes and that the best tank would be chosen for production. This misunderstanding arose from the fact that in public statements both countries had overrepresented the MOU as an agreement that Germany and the U.S. would select a common MBT. In reality, the U.S. Army was unwilling to choose a foreign tank unless it was obviously superior in design and cost.{{sfn|Staats|1977|p=4-5}} In any case, in evaluations the Leopard 2AV was found to meet U.S. requirements but was thought to cost more.{{sfn|Hunnicutt|2015|p=189}} The U.S. Army announced in January 1977 that Germany had withdrawn the tank from consideration.{{sfn|Staats|1977|p=2}}