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 a famous American car company. It was created on May 1, 1954. This happened when two companies, Nash-Kelvinator Corporation and Hudson Motor Car Company, joined together. At that time, it was the biggest company merger in U.S. history!
AMC became a competitor to the "Big Three" car makers in the U.S. These were Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler. AMC made many different kinds of cars.
Cool Cars and New Ideas
AMC was known for its smaller cars. Some popular models were the Rambler American, Hornet, Gremlin, and Pacer. They also made bigger cars like the AMC Ambassador and AMC Matador.
For those who loved speed, AMC had "muscle cars." These included the Marlin, AMX, and Javelin. AMC also made early versions of the AMC Eagle. This was one of the first true crossover vehicles in the U.S. market. A crossover is a car that mixes features of an SUV and a regular car.
AMC tried to stay ahead of its rivals. In the 1960s, they brought out new ideas. They did this long before the "Big Three" did. While other companies made bigger cars, AMC's leader, George W. Romney, focused on compact cars. These cars used less fuel. This was a smart move, even though fuel efficiency wasn't a big concern for most people until much later.
In 1959, AMC told its shareholders that smaller cars would become very popular. They thought that by 1963, about 3 million small cars would be sold in the U.S.
AMC also looked into cars that didn't use gasoline. On April 1, 1959, AMC worked with Sonotone Corporation. They explored making an electric car. This car was planned to have a special "self-charging" battery.
Where AMC Was Based
From 1954 to 1975, AMC's main office was in Detroit. It was located at 14250 Plymouth Road. People often called it the Plymouth Road Office Center (PROC).
In 1975, AMC moved its headquarters. They built a new building in Southfield, Michigan. This new home was called the American Center.
The End of AMC
After some ups and downs, a French car company called Renault bought a large part of AMC in 1979. Later, in 1987, Chrysler bought AMC completely.
Images for kids
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1958 Rambler sedan
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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
