Rambler Marlin: the fastback halo car

The Marlin was American Motors’ attempt to build a distinctive, sporty fastback that would draw buyers into Rambler showrooms. It was previewed by the 1964 Tarpon show car, went on sale in March 1965 and lasted three model years.

AMC Marlin at a glance

Based on one source: the English Wikipedia article on the Rambler Marlin.

History of the AMC Marlin

A response to the Mustang

Under George Romney, American Motors had concentrated on compact, economical cars; his successor as chief executive, Roy Abernethy, wanted to expand into new market segments and compete with the Big Three. The idea was for a distinctive, low-volume model that would symbolise a new Rambler look and spearhead a full product line. A four-seat fastback design study, the Rambler Tarpon, had been built on the compact Rambler American platform and shown at various auto shows, but AMC’s current V8 would not fit in the small chassis, the next-generation V8 was still in development, and market research showed that a six-cylinder engine alone would not satisfy buyers. The decision was therefore made to build the fastback on the intermediate Rambler Classic platform instead.

Design by Dick Teague

The development team under designer Dick Teague had a much smaller budget than its rivals at the Big Three, and produced a large, roomy and luxurious fastback that took several features from the Tarpon show car. The signature roofline ran unbroken from the windscreen to the tail, with a “skylight” in the roof, but the roof was raised over the rear passengers because Abernethy, who was six foot four, insisted on being able to sit in the back of the design studies. The result carried echoes of the lost 1956 Chrysler Norseman concept, which Teague had worked on as a stylist at Chrysler in the mid-1950s. As a personal luxury car, the Marlin had a long list of standard equipment and many options for buyers to personalise it.

Launch and reception

The Marlin was part of AMC’s “Sensible Spectaculars” line. It was announced on 10 February 1965 and reached showrooms on 19 March, advertised in 2,400 newspapers on the launch day. AMC billed it as a sporty fastback that was also roomy and comfortable, contrasting it with the smaller Barracuda and Mustang fastbacks that had arrived a year earlier; within a year Chrysler brought out the Dodge Charger and a year later Ford added the Mercury Cougar. Advertisements said the car was “now in limited production”, and every dealership received one or two cars to draw traffic. Popular Mechanics timed 0 to 60 mph in 10.8 seconds and recorded 18.14 mpg at a steady 60 mph. For 1967 the Marlin was redesigned on the longer Ambassador chassis with a longer bonnet, more interior room and new V8 engines, and production ended after that year.

Design and features

• Fastback roofline: an unbroken line from the windscreen to the tail with a roof skylight.
• Personal luxury specification: a long standard equipment list and many options.
• Roomy rear seat: the roof was raised so that tall passengers could sit in the back.
• Tarpon-inspired details: styling cues carried over from the 1964 show car.

AMC Marlin versions

• Rambler Marlin 1965: the first year, based on the Rambler Classic.
• AMC Marlin 1966: the same body, now with Marlin identification only.
• AMC Marlin 1967: the redesigned car on the Ambassador chassis.
• Rambler Tarpon 1964: the show car that previewed the fastback shape.

The Marlin’s fastback shape came from the Tarpon show car, and its 1967 chassis was shared with the Ambassador. More cars are in the AMC collection.

Sources

• Rambler Marlin, English Wikipedia: origin, design, launch, press reaction