them third) in a logical way: "Let's get rid of this Romney image." A completely redesigned larger Rambler lineup appeared. The new cars continued the philosophy of building smaller cars than its larger "Big Three" competitors, but also had a high degree of interchangeability in parts to keep tooling costs and production complexity to a minimum. The automaker, which pioneered "styling continuity", introduced all-new styling for the 1963 model year Ambassadors and claimed that these were "functional changes .... not change just for the sake of change". The Ambassadors featured a longer wheelbase, but were shorter due to reduced front and rear body overhangs, as well as a drop in overall height. Designed by Dick Teague, the 1963 Ambassador's shape was much tighter, cleaner, and smoother, with almost all of its parts interchangeable between it and the new Classic. All Ambassadors used unitized structure instead of the more rattle-prone, traditional body-on-frame construction, which was still the industry standard. In 1963, AMC's new wheelbase cars (Ambassadors and Classics) used a revolutionary method of unit construction, which has since been almost universally adopted by automobile manufacturers. AMC Ambassador and Classics used outer panels stamped from single sheet metal panels that included both door frames and outer rocker panels. This resulted in an extremely rigid and rattle-free structure, better fit of doors into frames, production cost savings as well as reduced noise, vibration, and harshness. The "uniside" structure was superior to the conventional production methods in which multiple smaller pieces were welded together. There were 30% fewer parts and the result was greater structural rigidity, quieter car operation, and an overall weight reduction of about . Curved side glass and push-button door handles were new and costly upgrades, but contributed to the new Rambler's handsome, elegant, and modern Mercedes-like bodyside styling, by adding greater elegance in detail. At the time, curved side glass was used exclusively in a few much more expensive luxury cars. The design feature increased interior room and visibility, as well as reduced wind noise and improved proportions and styling of the cars. The Ambassador also featured a squared-off Thunderbird-type roofline. The front end featured a forward-thrusting upper and lower ends with a vertical bar "electric shaver" chrome grille insert. The Ambassador's grille was differentiated from the Classic's grille by its use of the Ambassador name in script within the small horizontal bar between the upper and lower grille sections.