![]() ![]() The American went on sale late January 1958, with a minimum of marketing and promotion. The only engine was a 195.6 cu in (3.2 L) flathead six producing 90 hp (67 kW 91 PS). Romney worried about cannibalizing sales of his larger, more profitable senior Ramblers, so for 1958, the American was available only as a two-door sedan (senior Ramblers came only in a variety of four-door body styles). The car's seemingly narrow 55-inch (1,397 mm) track was not much different from the industry standard, but rather an illusion fostered by the bulbous bodywork. This design was originally mandated by Nash's Airflyte styling motif, which sought to reach for the blinding optimism of post- World War II transportation. The original taillights were turned upside down, saving money on retooling. Using the platform of the Nash Rambler, American Motors' designers gave the car a new grille and more open rear fender wells, giving the car a lighter appearance than that of the earlier car, which had hidden its rear wheels behind deeply skirted fenders. The reintroduction of the old model leveraged Rambler's renown for fuel economy and wins in the Mobil Economy Runs, with the consumer's need for a smaller and more efficient alternative to the standard-sized cars that were marketed by the domestic Big Three at that time. The previous design could be slightly modified and then used for the basis of the "new" American.Īmerican Motors' financial condition meant it could not afford to develop an entirely new model. The old model's 100-inch (2,540 mm) wheelbase fit between its bigger family-sized 108-inch (2,743 mm) wheelbase Ramblers and the small import. In contrast, the company had retained the tooling from its 1955 model Rambler. The 85-inch (2,159 mm) wheelbase of the Metropolitan, though, severely limited the necessary interior room, and costs of the overseas-built model were harder to control. The first proposals were to modify AMC's captive import by extending the Metropolitan with a station wagon-type roof design to make room for four passengers. The introduction of the low-priced small Rambler was ideal as the nation entered into a recession in 1958. Romney, also wanted to build momentum in challenging the domestic Big Three automakers by adding a third car line. The domestically produced small car let AMC control costs more closely. With costs to produce the Metropolitan rising, AMC decided to reintroduce a modified version of the 1955 Nash Rambler (the previous 100 in (2,540 mm) wheelbase model). The Rambler line grew to a larger size (108-inch (2,743 mm) wheelbase) in 1956. AMC President George Mason believed in small cars and introduced the Austin-built, Nash-designed Metropolitan in 1954. The genesis of the Rambler American began with the Nash Rambler, introduced in 1950. After an optional second-generation AMC V8 engine was added in late 1966, the cars also became known as a powerful compact " muscle" models that included the 390 cu in (6.4 L) version built in conjunction with Hurst Performance, the 1969 SC/Rambler.Ī special youth-oriented concept car, the 1964 Rambler Tarpon, was built on an Rambler American platform that foretold the fastback design of the 1965 Rambler Marlin, as well as future trends in sporty-type pony cars, including the 1968 AMC Javelin. It was popular for its economy in ownership, as was proven by numerous Mobilgas Economy Run championships. The compact Rambler American was most often the lowest priced car built in the U.S. ![]() During the entire length of its production, the car was sold under the Rambler brand and in 1969 became the last Rambler-named automobile marketed in the Canadian and United States markets. The Rambler American can be classified into three distinct model year generations: 1958–1960, 1961–1963, and 1964 until 1969. The American was the second incarnation of AMC forerunner Nash Motors' compact Rambler that was introduced in 1950 and marketed after the merger with Hudson Motors under both Nash and marques during the 19 model years. The Rambler American is a compact car that was manufactured by the American Motors Corporation (AMC) between 19. ![]()
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