American Motors Corporation
By Patrick R. Foster
In American Motors Corporation: The Rise and Fall of America’s Last Independent Automaker, author Patrick Foster provides an inside look into an American corporation that rose from the death throes of a once-thriving independent auto industry. Born from the ashes of Hudson and Nash, AMC represented a last, desperate attempt at survival for an independent automobile company. Under the leadership of George Romney, the company not only survived, but briefly thrived, riding on the success of the firm’s small, economical cars like the Rambler.
When competition arose from Ford, Plymouth and Chevrolet, however, and the market began to shift toward performance and luxury cars, AMC found itself poorly prepared to compete with its bigger rivals. With the fuel crisis of the 1970s, the small cars from AMC gave the struggling company a second wind, and the firm’s purchase of the Jeep brand also generated profits—but ultimately it was too little, too late. Last ditch efforts such as a misguided partnership with French automaker Renault and the introduction of all-wheel-drive cars couldn’t save AMC. In 1987, Chrysler Corporation purchased AMC and the story of the last independent automaker came to an end. This new work tells the entire AMC story from its inception to its ultimate demise.
$45.00 @ www.motorbooks.com
