American Motors facts for kids
Logo from 1970 to 1987
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| Industry | Automotive |
|---|---|
| Fate | Discontinued (renamed Jeep Eagle Corporation 1988, merged into Chrysler 1990) |
| Successor | Chrysler AM General FCA (since 2014) |
| Founded | May 1, 1954 |
| Defunct | June 20, 1988 |
| Headquarters | Southfield, Michigan, U.S. |
| Products |
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American Motors Corporation (AMC) was an American automobile company formed by the merger of Nash-Kelvinator Corporation and Hudson Motor Car Company on 1 May 1954. At the time, it was the largest corporate merger in U.S. history.
AMC went on to compete with the U.S. Big Three—Ford, General Motors and Chrysler—with its small cars including the Rambler American, Hornet, Gremlin and Pacer; its intermediate and full-size cars including the AMC Ambassador, AMC Rebel, and AMC Matador; muscle cars including the Marlin, AMX and Javelin; and early four-wheel-drive variants of the Eagle, the U.S. market's first true crossover.
In an effort to stay competitive, American Motors produced a wide range of products during the 1960s and added innovations long before the "Big Three" introduced them. While the "Big Three" introduced ever-larger cars, George W. Romney's leadership focused the company on the compact car, a fuel-efficient vehicle 20 years before there was a real need for them.
A letter to shareholders in 1959 claimed that the introduction of new compact cars by AMC's large domestic competitors (for the 1960 model year) "signals the end of big-car domination in the U.S." and that AMC predicts small-car sales in the U.S. may reach 3 million units by 1963.
American Motors was also beginning to experiment in non-gasoline powered automobiles. On April 1, 1959, AMC and Sonotone Corporation announced a joint research effort to consider producing an electric car that was to be powered by a "self-charging" battery.
AMC World Headquarters (1954–1975) was located at 14250 Plymouth Road in Detroit and was widely known as the Plymouth Road Office Center (PROC). In 1975, AMC moved its headquarters from the facility on Plymouth Road to a newly constructed building on Northwestern Highway in Southfield, Michigan, known as the American Center.
After periods of intermittent but no success, Renault acquired a major interest in AMC in 1979—and the company was ultimately acquired by Chrysler in 1987.
Images for kids
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American Motors dealership sign
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Nash Metropolitan
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1959 Rambler American Club Sedan
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1964 Rambler American 440-H
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1964 Rambler Classic 770
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1965 Rambler Marlin
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1967 Ambassador 990
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1969 American Motors AMX
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1978 AMC Concord
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AMC Spirit liftback
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1981 AMC Concord
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Jeep Grand Wagoneer
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1981 AMC Eagle Wagon.
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The Renault Alliance, based on the Renault 9, was built by American Motors Corporation from 1983 to 1987
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Jeep Cherokee Laredo
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Jeep Comanche Pioneer
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The Jeep Grand Cherokee was the driving force behind Chrysler's buyout of American Motors; Lee Iacocca wanted the design. Chrysler completed development and released it to the public in late 1992, and continues to use the nameplate today.
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Eagle Premier
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Jeep Comanche
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1969 SC/Rambler
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1982 Eagle SX/4
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1957 Rambler Rebel
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1970 The Machine
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1976 Matador coupe
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1971 Ambassador
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1974 Ambassador
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199 six-cylinder
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343 4-bbl V8
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390 Go Pac V8
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Javelin with "Go" package
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Ambassador hardtop wagon
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Rambler American convertible
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Jeep Cherokee (SJ) Chief S
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1972 Gremlin X
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1975 second-generation Matador sedan
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1971 Ambassador hardtop with "Brougham" trim
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1974 Matador X Coupe
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AM General transit bus
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1975 AMC Pacer
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1976 Hornet Sportabout
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1979 Concord two-door sedan
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1979 Spirit GT
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See also
In Spanish: American Motors Corporation para niños
