Why fancy-pants Gucci reimagined AMC's normcore Hornet

[Hagerty]

Gucci's founder was a man named Guccio, and he apparently insisted on keeping his fashion house a family-operated business operating exclusively in Italy during his tenure, which ended with his death in 1953. Amid the buzz of post-war globalization turning small businesses into household names, the company bearing his surname clung to that original vision-until the allure of additional profit proved too tempting.
https://www.hagerty.com/media/car-profiles/why-fancy-pants-gucci-reimagined-amcs-normcore-hornet/

[RickL]

Wow, Sportabout wagon with a Gucci interior and a 304 !!!! Pull that and put a 401 in and have a real sleeper. I had a 73 Hornet Hatchback in that same green, but just a regular interior.

[Tim2]

I get that Rick,but even with a 401 it would still get beat by most modern 4 cyl cars and V6 minivans unfortunately.

[Smilodon]

But Tim2, it's not a street racer- and I'll challenge you on the 401 v Asia thing; had a CJ5 with a 401 that could turn/smoke all 4 35 inch Cepek mudders on dry concrete. Wasn't fast, quick af. 5.13 axles, donchakno.

[Cornbinder]

I'd wager that Gucci had a store in Chicago - a far **bleep** - or Traverse City, MI.

[Mac711]

I was today years old when I learned that "normcore" was really a word. I think Hagerty needs to create the word "Lemoncore" and use it to encourage people to drive their entries in their local Concours d'Lemons while dressed in the most outlandish fashion trends from the era of their Hooptie. Now that's a word I could really get behind!

[Gary_Bechtold]

Kind of sauce on a turd but that's just me. Can't say the hornet wagon moves the needle for me and Gucci does zero for me. Having said that the green is a nice color on the outside.

[Cornbinder]

My comment, upon submission, was automatically edited out the name of the city where AMC cars were built. Really, now.

[Sajeev]

Apparently something is going wrong with the system, I am escalating this glitch to our tech team as we speak. 

[BossGreg]

I liked the writing until it said respray to fix dings, dents and scratches. If it is original paint keep it as is with character and history showing. Preserve originality.

[Snailish]

It's hard to tell from the pictures how good the paint is.

Pretty easy to spend too much money on a good paint job on a car valued at the reasonable end of the market though. Unless the dream is the perfect Hornet --then have at it.

[Rider79]

Cool. The Sportabout was always a great-looking wagon, anyway.

[SJ]

Just a poseur, Corinthian Leather takes the win!

[Gary_Bechtold]

I can hear Ricardo Montalban now.  Also it's now time to watch Wrath of Khan.

[CJinSD]

To quote Rutabaga Rabbitowitz: Money! Money! Money! Nom, nom, nom. Why do such people do anything?

[MrKnowItAll]

Vince Geraci, who've I've corresponded with several times, was the AMC interior designer during this era. Also on the terrific AMC interior playlist at this time were the Oleg Cassini Matador option (the cloth upholstery always reminded me of Florence Knoll couches...and that's not a bad thing) and the Levi interiors.
The Sportabout was an extremely popular and handsome wagon when it was new. No one had anything like it. Of course, you have to be cognizant of style and an adult at the time.

[spark123]

Don't forget the Pierre Chardin Javelin.

[Smilodon]

Hate that this dates me, but without the government mandated 5mph bumpers, I think (I'm a GM/GTO guy) that the last generation of AMC Matador coupes and sedans were the best large cars AMC ever did. My fave AMC will always be the SC/rambler, but the aero Matadors always bring me back to highschool.