Title: Why American Motors Failed: The Full Story | TheThings
Headings: Why American Motors Failed: The Full Story
Why American Motors Failed: The Full Story
13 Compact Cars At The Wrong Time
12 1965 AMC Marlin Problems
11 Foreign Competition
10 Inefficient Manufacturing
9 AMX Did Not Sell
8 Renault Partnership
7 Poor Reliability Perception
6 Jeep Ownership
5 AMC Pacer Expenses
4 Design Issues
3 Lack of Partnerships
2 Ford and GM Competition
1 Lackluster Advertising
Next: 15 Facts About AMC And Their Beloved Muscle Cars

Content: 11 Foreign Competition
Via Mecum
The Rambler was a fairly successful car for American Motors, but by the late 1960s, small foreign imports were becoming extremely popular in the U.S. Despite their higher costs due to tariffs, they had the design and features consumers were looking for. Instead of creative new small car offerings, American Motors pretty much stuck with what had been successful previously, not realizing how the market was trending. 10 Inefficient Manufacturing
Via WikiMedia
By the 1970s, the manufacturing processes were starting to impact the bottom line. Most of the facilities were inherited from the Nash-Hudson merger and spread out all over the upper midwest. Many of the factories had not been updated since the 1950s and car parts and pieces had to be shipped long distances for assembly. 9 AMX Did Not Sell
Via Mecum
The AMX was released in 1968 and was actually an innovative and stylish two-seat sports car with some power. It was based on the Javelin, which had been mildly successful. However, by the late ‘60s, American Motors had a reputation as a stodgy manufacturer of economic cars, and consumers were not ready to buy an AMX over a Camaro, Firebird, or Corvette. 8 Renault Partnership
Via AutoEvolutions
Bt the mid 1970s, American Motors was hemorrhaging cash and was desperately looking for a partner to bail them out. French manufacturer Renault came to the rescue, however, it did not work out in the end.