"Patrick Foster's American Motors Corporation: The Rise and Fall of America's Last Independent Automaker is the definitive history of the AMC corporation. Featured vehicles include the Rambler, Javelin, and more, as Foster walks the reader through not only the history of an American classic, but a history of the automotive industry itself as it evolved through emissions restrictions and the gas guzzlers of the 80s and 90s"-Provided by publisher.

Uncover the heroes, the strategies, the design teams, the finances, the presidents and the competitors who made their mark on one of America's feistiest auto companies.

Auto historians and readers interested in business history will enjoy Storied Independent Automakers.

Shows and describes each model produced by American Motors, including Nashes, Hudsons, Jeeps, and Ramblers

Get an inside look at the American automaker that rose from the decline of a once-thriving independent auto industry to put up a valiant fight against Detroit’s Big Three automakers. In The Complete Book of AMC Cars: American Motors Corporation 1954-1988, authors Patrick Foster and Tom Glatch provide a thorough and fully illustrated review of all the production cars offered by AMC from its founding in 1954 to its demise in 1988, including: Rambler Metropolitan Ambassador Rebel Marlin Gremlin Hornet Matador AMX/Javelin Pacer Eagle Jeep Born from the ashes of Hudson and Nash, AMC represented a last attempt at survival for an independent automobile company. Thanks to the capable leadership of CEO George Romney, the company not only survived but thrived, riding on the success of the firm’s small, economical cars like the Rambler. As the market began to shift more toward performance and luxury cars in the 1960s, AMC found itself challenged to compete with the output from Ford, Chrysler, and General Motors. The fuel crisis of the 1970s positioned AMC’s smaller cars to refill corporate coffers. The firm’s purchase of the Jeep brand also generated profits, but ultimately it was too little, too late. Even a partnership with French automaker Renault and the introduction of the all-wheel-drive Eagle couldn’t save AMC. In 1987, Chrysler Corporation purchased AMC and the story of the last independent automaker came to an end. Foster and Glatch’s engaging book covers all of the AMC models, as well as racing exploits, from its inception to its ultimate demise. Whether you are an AMC enthusiast or are simply intrigued by cars and the stories behind them, this volume is a must-have for your bookshelf.

Formed in 1954 by the merger of The Hudson Motor Car Company and Nash-Kelvinator Corporation, American Motors Corporation was no ordinary company. It was the last, and the very best, of the great independent automakers, producing such notables as the muscle-flexing AMX and Javelin, and the forward-designed, 4-wheel-drive Eagle. Highly regarded AMC historian and expert, Patrick Foster, gives us an in-depth look at AMC and its cars from its beginning in 1954 through its demise in 1987. Over 300 photos combined with informative captions show all of AMCs cars. A great reference for the AMC enthusiast!

"Vigorous, provocative... The Sack of Detroit is compelling, bold and stylishly written." —Barbara Spindel, The Wall Street Journal A provocative, revelatory history of the epic rise—and unnecessary fall—of the U.S. automotive industry, uncovering the vivid story of innovation, politics, and business that led to a sudden, seismic shift in American priorities that is still felt today, from the acclaimed author of Hoover In the 1950s, America enjoyed massive growth and affluence, and no companies contributed more to its success than automakers. They were the biggest and best businesses in the world, their leadership revered, their methods imitated, and their brands synonymous with the nation's aspirations. But by the end of the 1960s, Detroit's profits had evaporated and its famed executives had become symbols of greed, arrogance, and incompetence. And no company suffered this reversal more than General Motors, which found itself the main target of a Senate hearing on auto safety that publicly humiliated its leadership and shattered its reputation. In The Sack of Detroit, Kenneth Whyte recounts the epic rise and unnecessary fall of America's most important industry. At the center of his absorbing narrative are the titans of the automotive world but also the crusaders of safety, including Ralph Nader and a group of senators including Bobby Kennedy. Their collision left Detroit in a ditch, launched a new era of consumer advocacy and government regulation, and contributed significantly to the decline of American enterprise. This is a vivid story of politics, business, and a sudden, seismic shift in American priorities that is still felt today.

Auto historians and readers interested in business history will enjoy Storied Independent Automakers.

DIVThe definitive, fully illustrated celebration of an auto manufacturer that paved its own way by going off-road./divDIV /divDIVFew American vehicles, or vehicles made anywhere else in the world for that matter, are as universally iconic as the Jeep. From olive drab WWII military relics to the beloved Wrangler with its rear-mounted spare tire, open-air design, and telltale roll cage, the Jeep is a true classic. In Jeep: The History of America’s Greatest Vehicle, automotive writer Patrick R. Foster chronicles over 70 years of Jeep vehicle design and production. Beginning with the Jeep as a crucial component of the American World War II fleet, Foster expertly recounts the corporate shifts, financial struggles and successes, close calls, and—above all—the enduring machines that have carried Jeep from the early 1940s to its triumphant role as a modern-day embodiment of American perseverance. Three hundred color and black-and-white historical photos complement his expertly written narrative of Jeep’s entire history, reminding us that sometimes, the road less traveled was just waiting for the right truck./div

The independent automakers who had survived the depression of the 1930s had flexibility and enough capital from the war to be the first to launch all-new models for a car-starved nation. So lucrative was the American post-war car market that new automobile companies were also formed to cash in on the pent-up demand for new cars. This is their story told through text and the use of contemporary brochures, period literature, factory photos, road test info, and over 90 new, previously unpublished colour photos of restored examples to relate the importance of these historic vehicles.