American Motors

The American Motors Corporation ( AMC) was an American automobile manufacturer that emerged from the merger of Nash Motors and Hudson Motor Car Co. in 1954. 1970 took over the AMC, the Kaiser - Jeep (and thus the Jeep brand ).

In the spring of 1987, she was even endorsed by the Chrysler Corporation.

History

The company's history began in 1897 when Thomas B. Jeffery built his first prototype of a car. In 1900 he acquired the Sterlin Bicycle Factory in Kenosha (Wisconsin ) to produce cars there under the name Rambler ( German hikers ). The first of a total of 1500 copies finally left in March 1902, the factory. The Rambler was the second built in large series cars in the USA. A year earlier, Oldsmobile had introduced this method of manufacture; until a year later was followed by the Ford Motor Company.

1914, the model Jeffery was named in honor of the 1910 deceased founder. His son, Charles T. Jeffery thereafter initiated the company. When he survived the 1915 sinking of the Lusitania, he opted for a quieter life and sold his company in August 1916 Charles W. Nash, which they renamed Nash Motors. The company existed until 1954, when it merged with Hudson Motor Car Co. to form the American Motors Corporation ( AMC). With a volume of around 198 million U.S. dollars, this was the largest ever corporate merger of the United States. The Nash and Hudson brands were initially maintained; 1957-1969 AMC sold its cars under the brand name Rambler.

In 1969, the Jaguar importer Peter Lindner in Frankfurt- Roedelheim the AMC - exclusive distribution for the Federal Republic of Germany. The program included the models AMX, Rebel, Ambassador, Jeep and Javelin. The latter was built in the CKD method in the Karmann factory in Rheine.

The early 1970s, AMC built the powerful, high performance sports coupe Javelin and AMX, one to two seater modified Javelin. Thus, the company was also in the class of pony cars (including muscle cars ) represented, which was named after the style- Ford Mustang. At the same time came with the Gremlin the first American compact cars on the market. 1970 AMC bought the company Kaiser- Jeep. This AMC was first put into markets outside of North America on foot.

In the late 1970s got AMC in financial difficulties. This was also the fact that General Motors could not provide the funds earmarked for the new model Pacer Wankel engines. Then AMC was in 1979 a co-operation with the French Renault, who wanted to sell their models in the U.S.. Renault models were now built in AMC factories. Early 1980s could achieve success with the AMC Eagle and especially with the Jeep models, but the problems continued. Renault ran into financial difficulties, and the company's commitment in North America was controversial in France. After the assassination of Renault - President Georges Besse on 17 November 1986, the new Commissioner Raymond H. Lévy decided to focus on the European market and abandon the North American business.

In March 1987, American Motors Corporation was acquired by the Chrysler Corporation. Chrysler made ​​from the most successful model AMC Eagle a brand and merged it with the Jeep brand to "Jeep Eagle Division ". In the 1990s, the unprofitable Eagle brand was deleted. What remained was the Jeep brand, DaimlerChrysler AG was after the merger with Daimler -Benz.

AMC models

* - From 1958-1962 as American Motors, as previously Nash and Hudson

AMC models in film and television

• The character Wayne Campbell from the movie Wayne's World AMC Pacer drives a.
• The father of Jennifer Parker from the movie Back to the Future is driving a AMC Eagle.
• Coluche moves into a beef with a AMC Pacer X.
• The comic book - seller and HansMaulwurf in the series The Simpsons ride each one AMC Gremlin.
• James Bond drives in the movie The Man with the Golden Gun " hire " an AMC Hornet, his opponent Scaramanga driving an AMC Matador coupe.