The Hatchback Strikes Back

I promised a mere three-part series on hatchbacks, but since my post on the Omni GLH, I've fielded so many questions that I feel it necessary to tell the story behind the Omni GLH.

Do you know what the GLH stands for? I can't tell you the story without swearing, so don't keep reading if you're easily offended. For any co-workers reading this, I won't repeat this at work. I'm trying to avoid those HR moments.

Originally, the Omni came about as a partnership between Carroll Shelby and Lee Iacocca, who were given the task by Chrysler of designing a car that was both fuel-efficient and appealing to American consumers, who were used to huge, four-door, gas-guzzling boats.
After the incredible success of the Omni GLH, Carroll Shelby designed a turbo-charged racing Omni as his own pet project. He came up with GLH as an acronym for "goes like hell."

I cannot vouch for the veracity of this legend, but I've heard it repeated in Omni-enthusiast circles for the past 10 years. Below are a couple of links to pages that expound upon this legend.

Check out this incredibly detailed description of the history of the Omni GLH.

From the Allpar.com Omni and Horizon History Page:

The Omni GLH and GLHS

Also in 1984, a new model called the Omni GLH arrived. Appropriately named "Goes-Like-Hell", this Dodge Omni was created with the right-hand man known as Carroll Shelby. The '84 GLH was not turbocharged and was available only with a 110-bhp naturally aspirated engine. It did, however, have a special camshaft, milled block (.020) to bring up the compression for major power gains, and a chrome engine dress-up valve cover. No ground effects came from the factory on the 1984 GLHs. Chrysler's "direct-connection" designed an after-market ground effects kit for the Omni's that eventually became the production versions found on the 1985s and '86s."