Though American Motors never approached the size of Detroit's Big Three, it produced a long series of successful cars that were distinctive, often innovative and in many cases influential. This history examines AMC's cars from the company's formation in 1954 through its absorption by Chrysler in 1987. The Gremlin, Pacer and Eagle vehicles are examined in detail, as are the AMC custom cars of George Barris and Carl Green. The text details AMC's 1980s involvement with the French firm Renault and the design legacy of that joint venture, which includes the Hummer. The evolution of Jeep is covered from the 1960s through the 2000s. Features include some 225 photographs; a listing of AMC / Rambler clubs, organizations and business entities, with contact details; tables of detailed specifications and performance data; data on technical devices, trim packages and all model variations; a comprehensive account of AMC / Rambler appearances in film, television and cartoons.

"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.

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

Though American Motors never approached the size of Detroit's Big Three, it produced a long series of successful cars that were distinctive, often innovative and in many cases influential. This history examines AMC's cars from the company's formation in 1954 through its absorption by Chrysler in 1987. The Gremlin, Pacer and Eagle vehicles are examined in detail, as are the AMC custom cars of George Barris and Carl Green. The text details AMC's 1980s involvement with the French firm Renault and the design legacy of that joint venture, which includes the Hummer. The evolution of Jeep is covered from the 1960s through the 2000s. Features include some 225 photographs; a listing of AMC / Rambler clubs, organizations and business entities, with contact details; tables of detailed specifications and performance data; data on technical devices, trim packages and all model variations; a comprehensive account of AMC / Rambler appearances in film, television and cartoons.

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

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!

The 1973 oil crisis forced the American automotive industry into a period of dramatic change, marked by stiff foreign competition, tougher product regulations and suddenly altered consumer demand. With gas prices soaring and the economy in a veritable tailspin, muscle cars and the massive "need-for-speed" engines of the late '60s were out, and fuel efficient compacts were in. By 1980, American manufacturers were churning out some of the most feature laden, yet smallest and most fuel efficient cars they had ever built. This exhaustive reference work details every model from each of the major American manufacturers from model years 1973 through 1980, including various "captive imports" (e.g. Dodge's Colt, built by Mitsubishi.) Within each model year, it reports on each manufacturer's significant news and details every model offered: its specifications, powertrain offerings, prices, standard features, major options, and production figures, among other facts. The work is heavily illustrated with approximately 1,300 photographs.

This is the muscle car history to own--a richly illustrated chronicle of America's greatest high-performance cars, told from their 1960s beginning through the present day! In the 1960s, three incendiary ingredients--developing V-8 engine technology, a culture consumed by the need for speed, and 75 million baby boomers entering the auto market--exploded in the form of the factory muscle car. The resulting vehicles, brutal machines unlike any the world had seen before or will ever see again, defined the sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll generation. American Muscle Cars chronicles this tumultuous period of American history through the primary tool Americans use to define themselves: their automobiles. From the street-racing hot rod culture that emerged following World War II through the new breed of muscle cars still emerging from Detroit today, this book brings to life the history of the American muscle car. When Pontiac's chief engineer, John Z. DeLorean, and his team bolted a big-inch engine into the division's intermediate chassis, they immediately invented the classic muscle car. In those 20 minutes it took Bill Collins and Russ Gee to bolt a 389 ci V-8 engine into a Tempest chassis they created the prototype for Pontiac's GTO--and changed the course of automotive history. From that moment on, American performance cars would never be the same. American Muscle Cars tells the story of the most desirable cars ever to come out of Detroit. It's a story of flat-out insanity told at full throttle and illustrated with beautiful photography.

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.