Base Gremlin VS. Gremlin X?

I receive a lot of questions concerning the differences between the Base Gremlin and the Gremlin with the  X package.  There has been a lot of discussion and confusion through the years about the differences between these two cars. This information is an attempt to answer some of these questions. The information that is provided here is based on facts in various AMC publications, not personal opinion.

I will dispel one misconception at the outset, the X package did not signify a High Performance Model or a necessarily a V8 model. The X package was available in a V-8 as well as a I-6.
 

Generally speaking the X package was an all cosmetic upgrade over the base model Gremlin. Below you will find detailed the differences for the 1972 year model. These differences varied year by year but were generally in line with what you will read below. The X package was not offered in 1970, only 1971-1978. American Motors called the X package "The sharpest, sportiest group of features in one package."

In the following information I will refer to the X Package Gremlin as the "X" and the Base model Gremlin as "base".

The exterior of the Gremlin had the most changes for the X. The rear panel was painted on the X and not the base. The X also offered 8 colors that were not available on the base. The X offered a painted grille to match the body color and the base did not.
 

The "Gremlin X" name is in the side stripe of the X and not on the base. The X came standard with the Slot-style wheels and D70X14 Polyglass tires and they were not available on the base. The X had the "5 Litre" or appropriate decal on the rear and it was not offered on the base.

In the interior the X came standard with the 15" 3 spoke sport wheel and it was optional on the base. The X came standard with a cigarette lighter, glove box lock and glove box light where on the base these items were optional. The X had a "engine-turned" instrument panel overlay where the base was color keyed.
 

The X also came with carpet standard where as it was a option on the base car as it came standard with a rubber mat. The X came standard with buckets seats and they were optional on the base. The X came standard with the package tray below the dash that was optional for the base. The space saver spare tire was standard on the X and was optional on the base.

The base Gremlin offered as a option a cargo-floor insulation and rear trim-panel seal to reduce noise, this was standard on the X.
 

In 1972 the X also included opening rear quarter vent windows but his was not the case in some of the other years In 1974 the X included tinted windows throughout the car.

It is not known how many of the 674,492 Gremlins manufactured had the X Package as these records do not exist today and may have not even been kept. But it is fair to say today that the X models command a higher interest than do the Base Gremlins.