COMPANY

From 1954 to 1987 American Motors Corporation (AMC) built vehicles that received lots of attention. Back in 1954 two automotive companies, Hudson Motors and Nash-Kelvinator combined to create AMC. With the merger in place two new lines including both the Hudson Hornet and the Hudson Wasp were released.

However, the real attention came with the release of the Rambler in 1956. Upon first glance it was the body style that attracted people to it. There was chrome to be found everywhere and the body style and paint looked to make a statement. But the Rambler wasn't all looks without having something inside to back it up. It held a 220 horsepower 352 V8 engine.

In 1957 things really came together as the manufacturers truly united under one name, that of Rambler. The result was the Rebel. With silver paint and a two toned interior, the Rebel was ready for the US market. At this stage only 1,500 were produced. In addition to the Rebel, the Rambler 6 and Ambassador entered into the picture.

In 1963 Motor Trend deemed the entire Rambler line as Car of the Year. While their unitized construction was important, as was the engine, it was also the value. Early in the 1960s Rambler was the third most popular car in America. Because the market had been previously dominated by the likes of General Motors, Ford and Chrysler, this was a big step. Walt Disney may have helped this along as Rambler was a sponsor to one of Disney's television shows and held an exhibit in the theme park located in California.

The introduction of air conditioning as a standard feature made waves in the industry. Even some of the luxury brands were not up to speed. Despite some confusion with the brand names and the vehicles associated with this manufacturer, AMC purchased the Kaiser-Jeep Corporation. With it came government contracts for the M151 MUTT line.

With the 1970s came the introduction of the AMC Hornet range of vehicles, a range that included the Gremlin. The Hornet replaced the Rambler Classic and the Matador replaced the Rebel. Matador production picked up with the addition of a contract with the Los Angeles Police Department in 1972. In 1974, Car and Driver Magazine considered the Matador sedan to be the best styled car of the year.

Unfortunately, things changed with the introduction of the expensive-to-produce AMC Pacer and the failing Matador lines. Funds were drained and the company began to falter. Attempts were made to make changes including the introduction of the AMC Concord. Changes were also made to the Pacer and the Spirit replaced the Gremlin. Business continued to decline until a deal was made between Renault and AMC. While the improvements were made, Renault continued to increase their ownership of AMC.

In 1979 one of the first crossover SUVs was introduced in the form of the AMC Eagle with 4-wheel drive and was the last line of vehicles associated with the AMC line. In the animated film, Cars 2, the AMC Pacer was featured as one of the villains. Licensing was obtained through Chrysler.