85-559: The Rambler Six and the Rambler V8 are intermediate sized automobiles that were built and marketed by American Motors Corporation (AMC) for model years 1956 through 1960. Launched on 15 December 1955, the 1956 model year Rambler Six ushered a "new era in motoring has begun" according to George W. Romney , President of AMC. In 1956, the Rambler was sold through both Nash and Hudson networks of dealerships . This resulted from
170-472: A continental tire , Weather Eye heating and air conditioning system, as well as dealer accessory window insect screens to use with the individually adjustable and reclining front seats that could be used as a bed. The new Rambler model became the replacement for the large-sized Nash and Hudson "legacy" models that were now suffering from dwindling sales. On the other hand, the Rambler was the only completely new "popular-priced" car in 1956. Consumer reaction to
255-429: A "sales explosion". In 1957, the Rambler was established as a separate marque and these models became the foundation for the new company's best sales performance through the late 1950s. Sales increased to 82,000. The four-door sedans and station wagons were offered as well as a four-door hardtop body style with no "B" pillar. The most basic trim level, Deluxe, was essentially for fleet customers and only available with
340-785: A U.S. automobile uncensored through the Soviet Union was Harry Walton in a brand new 1957 Rambler station wagon assembled in Belgium . The engine was detuned at the Brussels assembly plant to run on the higher 74 octane gasoline, available only in certain gas stations, and on one occasion, "to the Rambler's eternal credit it swallowed the [ordinary Soviet] stuff, protesting mildly." The heavily loaded station wagon cruised at 60 mph (97 km/h) and travelled 22.35 miles per US gallon (10.52 L/100 km; 26.84 mpg ‑imp ). The journalist drove 3,500 miles (5,633 km) from
425-542: A comparison test of four 1958 station wagons (Rambler, Ford, DeSoto, and Oldsmobile) and found that the compact Rambler could hold as much cargo as the others. The Rambler models continued to be the shortest cars marketed in the United States – at 191 inches (4,851 mm) in total length – with room for six passengers. Rambler's marketing focused on having "the best of both: 1. American big car room and comfort. 2. European small car economy and handling ease." Powering
510-483: A concern that U.S. federal safety regulations would be onerous for pillarless models to pass. The ascendancy of monocoque construction also made the pillarless design less practical. Some models adopted modified roof styling, placing the B-pillars behind the tinted side window glass and painting or molding the outer side of each pillar in black to make them less visible, creating a hardtop look without actually omitting
595-426: A convertible look and padded nylon or cotton was applied over the roof contributing to the soft-top appearance. Two-door hardtops became popular with consumers in the 1950s, while the two-door sedan body design fell out of favor among buyers. In 1955, General Motors introduced the first four-door hardtops. Following the pattern established by the two-door variants, GM utilized the same special sub-designations for
680-406: A full range of models targeting different market segments. As the chairman and president of AMC, George W. Romney also avoided a head-to-head battle with the U.S. automakers by focusing the company on the compact car. He "felt that with the Rambler I had the car of the future" and Romney "bet the farm on the Rambler" by spending US$ 5.4 million on a "crash program to bring the 1957 Rambler to market
765-605: A genuine hardtop sedan with its Laurel . Toyota introduced a genuine four-door hardtop with the Toyota Carina ED followed by the Toyota Corona EXiV . Mazda marketed its Luce and Subaru from 1989 until 2009 with their Legacy / Outback sedans and station wagons as a pillared hardtop. A detachable hardtop is a rigid, removable roof panel that is often stored in a car's trunk/boot . A retractable hardtop (also known as coupé convertible or coupé cabriolet)
850-422: A line of smaller cars compared to those then available from the domestic Big Three (General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler) for the 1956 model year. The designs were developed by AMC's styling director, Edmund E. Anderson , and they were aimed at a new market segment. Although conventional business thinking states that bigger profits were made from sales of bigger cars, American Motors lacked the resources to develop
935-407: A marketing advantage by offering buyers a $ 25,000 personal automobile injury insurance policy at no extra cost. The Typhoon straight-six for the new Rambler was based on the previous 195.6 cu in (3.2 L) block, but was improved and featured overhead valves and produced 120 bhp (89 kW; 122 PS). It was the only engine available in the 1956 Rambler because the automaker
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#17327755710951020-525: A midsize AMC automobile until 1963, the cars being the second-generation Rambler Classic models. The 1956 through 1959 Rambler models represented the only case of an AMC midsize station wagon being available in Mexico as the future second-generation Classic, Rebel, and Matador station wagons would not be produced in the country. It also represented the only case in Mexico in which AMC's intermediate line had more than two body styles available. As of 2017, there
1105-444: A response to America's newly discovered fondness for sportier looking cars that resembled a convertible, but had the comfort and convenience of a two-door sedan." In one instance, stylists added faux ribbing to a hardtop roof to make it appear to be like a convertible top, By the mid-1960s, optional vinyl roofs became widely available in virtually all model lines, reinforcing the convertible look in hardtops. A pillarless hardtop
1190-664: A right-hand drive from semi-knock-down kits sourced from Canada. The cars were assembled by VW Motors in Otahuhu, Auckland where they were made alongside Volkswagen vehicles. Rambler production continued at the VW plant until 1962. American Motors began the process of differentiating the Rambler brand name from its various sizes and similar model names. New nameplates were introduced; the Rambler Six and Rambler Rebel V8 were both renamed
1275-444: A standard roof rack . The new design also featured wider rear openings with a frame-less roll-down rear window and a "one-finger" latch on the spring-assisted tailgate. Rambler's new one-piece, fold-down station wagon tailgate was adopted by all the U.S. automakers by 1961. A horizontal roller-type " window blind " was available to hide the lower half of the wagon's 80 cubic feet (2,265 L) cargo area. Motor Trend magazine conducted
1360-462: A two-door hardtop body styles, with the latter "rendered as a premium quality personal car." Subaru introduced a new compact coupe as a genuine two-door hardtop with the Subaru Leone in 1971. The pillarless hardtop models were more expensive and luxurious than the sedan versions. In the 1980s, Toyota continued the design with a pillared four-door hardtop Mark II , while Nissan again offered
1445-610: A variety of hardtop-like body styles dating back to 1916. Chrysler Corporation built seven pillarless Town and Country hardtop coupes as concept vehicles in 1946, and even included the body style in its advertising that year called the Town and Country Custom Club Coupe . In 1951, Plymouth offered the Cranbrook Belvedere as a low priced hardtop two-door until 1953. Mass-production of hardtops began with General Motors , which launched two-door, pillarless hardtops in 1949 as
1530-410: A year earlier." The redesigned Rambler line for the 1956 model year was bigger, about 8 inches (203 millimetres) longer overall, but still positioned in the compact car classification of the time. The new for 1956 Rambler was arguably "the most important car American Motors ever built" in that it not only created and defined a new market segment, emphasized the virtues of compact design, but also enabled
1615-516: A year when all U.S. cars were down in volume. The 1958 Ramblers "sold like hotcakes" and returned the smallest U.S. automaker to profitability. Together with the smaller Rambler American line, AMC "broke sales records" in 1958 as consumers valued basic transportation from their automobiles and no longer cared "how big their cars were." Although in the midst of the Recession of 1958 , Rambler captured seventh place in automobile sales. Improvements to
1700-432: Is a rigid form of automobile roof , typically metal, and integral to the vehicle's design, strength, and style. The term typically applies to a pillarless hardtop, a car body style without a B-pillar . The term "pillared hardtop" was used in the 1970s to refer to cars that had a B-pillar but had frameless door glass like a pillarless hardtop. In limited cases, a hardtop roof can be detachable (often designed to store in
1785-614: Is inherently less rigid than a pillared body, requiring extra underbody strength to prevent shaking. Production hardtops commonly share the frame or reinforced body structure of the contemporary convertible model, which is reinforced to compensate for the lack of a fixed roof. The hardtop design received criticism that its roof structure may not provide adequate protection during a rollover crash. However, subsequent research reported that rates of serious or fatal injury in hardtop models (both two- and four-door versions), as well as four-door station wagons, were significantly lower than sedans while
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#17327755710951870-754: Is no record of the high-performance 1957 Rambler Rebel being available in Mexico, although there was the possibility of it being imported through individual orders. Ramblers were assembled in Australia by Australian Motor Industries (AMI) starting in October 1960 under an agreement with AMC. They were assembled with right-hand drive from semi knock-down (SKD) kits shipped from U.S. factories. Many components such as upholstery, lights, and other parts were locally sourced to meet import tariff concessions. The 1956-1960 Rambler models were assembled in New Zealand with
1955-477: The Buick Roadmaster Riviera, Oldsmobile 98 Holiday, and Cadillac Coupe de Ville . They were purportedly inspired by the wife of a Buick executive who always drove convertibles, but never lowered the top. The Kaiser-Frazer 1949 Virginian was an early example of a four-door hardtop albeit with a removable thin, chrome- and-glass 'B' pillar held on by five screws. The car was designed to have
2040-607: The Chrysler and Dodge 880 lines. Throughout the 1960s, the two-door pillarless hardtop was the most popular body style in most lines where such a model was offered. Even on family-type vehicles like the Chevrolet Impala , the two-door hardtop regularly outsold four-door sedans. Some car lines (such as the 1957-64 Cadillac and 1965–69 Corvair) only offered pillarless models with no pillared sedans. So prevalent were true hardtops that Popular Mechanics had to describe that
2125-552: The Ford Consul Capri (355) which, unlike American models, sold fewer cars than their regular center pillar saloon versions. A New Mini two-door sedan has been marketed as a hardtop in the U.S. includes a structural B-pillar on the inside that is disguised on the exterior by a black border on the fixed rear windows. The Mercedes E-class coupe W213 from 2016 is an example of a modern pillarless design. In July 1965, Toyota introduced Japan's first two-door hardtop in
2210-662: The Ford LTD II and the Plymouth Fury . A comparison test by Popular Science of four intermediate sedans (the 1976 AMC Matador, Chevrolet Malibu , Ford Torino, and Dodge Coronet ) predicted that these will be the "big cars of the future." By 1978, General Motors made its intermediate models smaller. New "official" size designations in the U.S. were introduced by the EPA , which defined market segments by passenger and cargo space. Formerly mid-sized cars that were built on
2295-525: The Polish border near Brest to the port city of Yalta , and Walton reported the Rambler station wagon "galvanized Russians into attention everywhere." George W. Romney stated "the Hudson and Nash would remain distinctive in size from the Rambler in 1958." Designs were developed for the big-car Hudson and Nash models to share the Rambler automobile platform by stretching the body about nine inches ahead of
2380-709: The Rambler Classic in 1961. Mid-size car Mid-size —also known as intermediate —is a vehicle size class which originated in the United States and is used for cars larger than compact cars and smaller than full-size cars . "Large family car" is a UK term and a part of the D-segment in the European car classification. Mid-size cars are manufactured in a variety of body styles, including sedans , coupes , station wagons , hatchbacks , and convertibles . Compact executive cars can also fall under
2465-415: The headlamps from inside the grille to the top of the front fenders and featured twin headlamps on each side on the "Super" and "Custom" models, as well as full-length bodyside moldings. The basic "Deluxe" trim models had no side trim and came standard with single headlights, but the new "quad" headlights were optional. The 1958 Ramblers now had the industry's requisite flared tailfins . The Rambler line
2550-484: The "Cross Country" representing about half of the sales during 1959. These station wagons featured economy in fuel consumption and overall use as well as 80 cubic feet (2.27 m) of cargo space and room to fit 4-by-8-foot (1.22 m × 2.44 m) sheets of plywood. Rambler finished 1959 in sixth place among all models produced in the U.S. and AMC ended with $ 60 million in profits. The 1960 models featured numerous exterior and interior design changes. The greenhouse
2635-415: The "then-trendy pushbutton" gear selection on the far left side of the instrument panel, was optional. Also new on the left side for the driver was a step-on parking brake pedal. American Motors instituted a new paint system for the 1958 model year. All Ramblers received rust-inhibiting by submerging assembled bodies up to their roof into a large 40-foot (12 m) vat of primer (not sprayed on) before
Rambler Six and V8 - Misplaced Pages Continue
2720-538: The 1956 Rambler was very positive. Advertising for the new car urged potential buyers to "Drive the Rambler - You'll Make the Smart Switch for 1956." Almost 74 percent of surveyed Rambler owners by Popular Mechanics described their cars as small and roomy, as well as easy to park and operate. Sales for the inaugural year totaled 66,573. Of these, 20,496 were badged as Hudsons. Soon, the all-new "compact-sized" (as vehicles were defined at that time) models experienced
2805-474: The 1956 model year were completely redesigned, with a characteristic swept-back C-pillars (the Fashion Safety Arch), unusual wing windows on the rear doors, inboard, grille-mounted headlamps, as well as "the widest windshield" of any car. The short- wheelbase two-door ( Nash Rambler ) versions were no longer available. The new line retained the 108-inch (2,743 mm) wheelbase that was used for
2890-477: The American Motors' exclusive individually adjustable and reclining front seats with headrests that "would pay for themselves in safety if the car was banged from the rear." A survey of 5,000 Popular Science magazine readers about all the new 1959 cars resulted in Rambler achieving the highest response to "Which car is the best deal for the money?" with its economy being cited as being most important for
2975-538: The Hardtop Taunus models had no B pillar and provided an open-air feel inside the car when all the windows were rolled down. DKW was the only German manufacturer that offered pillarless two-door windows, as well as wrap-around windows in the back of the glasshouse from 1953 (3=6 F91) on and with a wrap-around windscreen since 1959 (1000 Coupe). British pillarless hardtops included the Sunbeam Rapier and
3060-487: The Nash and Hudson brand names. The cars were almost identical except for minor badge engineering that included different logos on the hubcaps , grille insert, and hood emblem. The new Ramblers came only as four-door models. Along with the usual four-door sedan and station wagon was a new four-door hardtop sedan. Rambler also introduced the industry's first four-door hardtop station wagon in 1956. The station wagons used
3145-511: The Rambler Six and Rambler V8 models, focusing instead on the smaller-sized Rambler American cars. This marked the end of both the midsize Ramblers and subsequent first-generation Rambler Classics in the Mexican market. VAM never sought to import them instead either in 1960 and 1961 and the auto industry integration decree published in 1962 would legally ban the importation of fully assembled vehicles and engines. Willys Mexicana would not introduce
3230-413: The Rambler Six was AMC's new 127 hp (95 kW; 129 PS) overhead valve (OHV) 195.6 cu in (3.2 L) straight-six . NASCAR tests showed the Rambler Six had a $ 0.01 per mile gasoline cost when equipped with overdrive transmission. A V8 engine was available in the performance-oriented Rambler Rebel models. A Borg-Warner torque converter "Flash-O-Matic" automatic transmission, with
3315-532: The Rambler included a full-width die-cast grille while the bodyside gained an uninterrupted line. Rather than blending into the C-pillar, the beltline continued to the tailfins. Engineering changes included thicker brake linings and larger brakes for V8-powered cars, as well as fuel economy improvements with lower axle ratios and more efficient carburetor for the I6 engines. An electrically engaged overdrive unit behind
3400-632: The automaker to prosper in the post- World War II marketplace that shifted from a seller's to a buyer's market . The sales war between Ford and Chevrolet conducted during 1953 and 1954 had left little business for the much smaller "independent" automakers trying to compete against the standard models offered by the domestic Big Three ( General Motors , Ford , and Chrysler ). Imported vehicles from Europe ( Volkswagen in 1955, Peugeot in 1958) and Asia ( Toyota in 1957) were much smaller, but found buyers in North America. The four-door Ramblers for
3485-456: The bigger Ramblers did very well, especially given the automobile industry's modest recovery in 1959. Promotion by AMC focused on the car's compact size offering "big car room and comfort" along with "small car economy and handling." Ramblers attracted over a quarter-million customers, with the majority of them being sixes, as the Rebel V8 found just 16,399 buyers. The most popular body style was
Rambler Six and V8 - Misplaced Pages Continue
3570-421: The color coat was applied, a revolutionary process that was later copied by other automakers. After drying, an additional wax-based compound was sprayed inside girders, rocker panels, fenders, and other hidden areas in the car bodies. American Motors promoted the 1958 Rambler in several advertising campaigns. One approach featured George W. Romney challenging "the big car concept." A series of print ads also mocked
3655-521: The country and resuming local assembly. Between 1958 and 1959, the Mexican midsize Rambler line consisted of a four-door sedan in Super trim, a four-door hardtop in Super trim, and a four-door pillared wagon in Cross Country trim. All three versions were powered by the one-barrel OHV 127 hp (95 kW; 129 PS) 195.6 cu in (3.2 L) I6 engines. A three-speed manual transmission
3740-442: The cowl. However, the Rambler became the new AMC division following the discontinuation of both the Nash and Hudson lines after the 1957 model year. The larger-sized 1958 Ramblers incorporated "more than 100 changes and were outwardly quite different from their predecessors." The cars received "a complete reskin that made the 1956 bodies look a bit bulkier". This major redesign featured new front and rear fenders. A new front end moved
3825-639: The current Bentley Continental GT , the 2008 Bentley Brooklands , the 2001-2003 Renault Avantime , the Rolls-Royce Wraith , and the 2012-2017 Ford B-Max . The 1958-1964 Facel Vega Excellence is one of few four-door hardtops produced in Europe. German pillarless hardtops included cars from Taunus, a Ford subbrand. Namely the Ford Taunus P5 and Ford P7 including both P7A and P7B versions. They had regular coupe versions with B pillars, but
3910-435: The domestic Big Three automakers' standard-sized cars featuring illustrations by famous cartoonists showing the compact Rambler easily getting through places that would get the large "gas guzzling dinosaur" automobiles stuck. An example is the story, "The Millionaire and The Rambler" by Otto Soglow . Chon Day illustrated a story on how "Rambler foils bank robbery." Sales of the Rambler six and V8 increased to 119,000 during
3995-525: The doors and the rear glass frames are removable and stored under or behind the seats. In the late teens, Cadillac offered a sedan with removable "B" pillars. Another form of early pillarless hardtop is the "California top", originating in Los Angeles and most popular from 1917 to 1927. These were designed to replace the folding roofs of touring cars , to enclose the sides of the car for better weather protection. One objective of these aftermarket tops
4080-525: The full-size cars of a decade or so ago ... best sellers include Ford Torino , Chevrolet Chevelle , AMC Matador , Plymouth Satellite ..." The domestic manufacturers began changing the definition of "medium" as they developed new models for an evolving market place. A turning point occurred in the late 1970s, when rising fuel costs and government fuel economy regulations caused all car classes to shrink, and in many cases to blur. Automakers moved previously "full-size" nameplates to smaller platforms such as
4165-506: The hardtop "Country Club" model came in Economy 6 Super or as a Rebel V-8 Custom. The Super models featured a contrasting color for the rear side trim while Custom models included a full-length secondary color-filled body side trim. Premium options and conveniences continued to be offered including " Weather Eye " air-conditioning, air suspension on V8 equipped cars, limited slip differentials , an exterior-mounted continental tire , as well as
4250-478: The low sales volume, American Motors terminated its contract with Armadora Mexicana that originally began with AMC's predecessor company in 1950. Complete Rambler models were again imported from the United States (between 1957 and 1958) and sold through a limited network of dealerships, most of which were located in Mexico City. The agreement with Planta REO was formalized in 1959, becoming AMC's second partner in
4335-526: The lowest-priced lines. Chrysler also offered two- and four-door hardtops for every brand, from Imperial, Chrysler, DeSoto, Dodge, and Plymouth. In 1956, the first four-door hardtop station wagons were introduced to the Rambler line by American Motors Corporation . The following year, the Mercury Commuter hardtop wagons became available in both two- and four-door body styles. Chrysler built four-door hardtop station wagons through 1964 in both
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#17327755710954420-487: The merger of the two companies to form AMC in 1954. The new Rambler line created and defined a new market segment, the " compact car " as the automobile classification was called at that time. A V8 engine powered model, the Rambler V8, was added for the 1957 model year. The full-size cars made by Nash and Hudson were experiencing declining sales. The newly-organized American Motors focused its resources on introducing
4505-522: The mid-size category. The automobile that defined this size in the United States was the Rambler Six that was introduced in 1956, although it was called a "compact" car at that time. Much smaller than any standard contemporary full-size cars, it was called a compact to distinguish it from the small imported cars that were being introduced into the marketplace. By the early 1960s, the car
4590-576: The mid-size market for decades. Mid-size cars were the most popular category of cars sold in the United States, with 27.4 percent during the first half of 2012, ahead of crossovers at 19 percent. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Fuel Economy Regulations for 1977 and Later Model Year (dated July 1996) includes definitions for classes of automobiles. Based on the combined passenger and cargo volume, mid-size cars are defined as having an interior volume index of 110–119 cu ft (3.1–3.4 m ). Hardtop A hardtop
4675-414: The mid-size market segment as the line of cars themselves kept increasing in size. By 1965, these GM "A platform" mid-size models matched the size of 1955 full-size cars. During the 1970s, the intermediate class in the U.S. was generally defined as vehicles with wheelbases between 112 inches (2,845 mm) and 118 inches (2,997 mm). Once again, the cars grew and by 1974 they were "about as large as
4760-512: The name Southampton , Packard named them Mayfair , and Hudson's were Hollywoods. Nash used the Country Club moniker while pillarless Studebakers were Starliners, a name that was later used by Ford for its Galaxie hardtop. By 1956, every major U.S. automaker offered two- and four-door hardtops in a particular model lineup. General Motors restyled their new models and offered four-door hardtops from every division and nearly every series except
4845-467: The new full-sized 1967 Oldsmobile Delmont models even included a "pillar" sedan . The U.S. industry's last pillarless two-door and four-door hardtops were in the 1978 Chrysler Newport and New Yorker lines. Since then, no U.S. manufacturer has offered a true hardtop in regular production. Various European manufacturers have produced hardtops without B-pillars (usually coupes). However, they are rarely marketed as pillarless hardtops. Examples include
4930-564: The owners. When asked "if you buy a '59, which one will you pick?" resulted in Ford being selected by 17% of the respondents while Rambler and Chevrolet tied for second place at 16%. The Ramblers "were well built, roomy, and economical, and found favor with thousands of American families. The unit body construction of the Ramblers was "found to be more superior to the others in terms of body tightness and freedom from rattles and twisting." Sales of
5015-424: The pillar. Some mid- to late-1970s models continued their previous two-door hardtop bodies, but with fixed rear windows or a variety of vinyl roof and opera window treatments. By the end of the 1990s, almost all hardtop designs were discontinued as structural integrity standards increased. Hardtops were typically more expensive than regular sedan models when new. They are more collectible than standard models of
5100-423: The pillarless four-door body types within all their brands in North America. The term de Ville was used for Cadillac, Riviera was used for Buick, Holiday was used for Oldsmobile, Catalina was used for Pontiac, and Bel Air was used for Chevrolet. Other manufacturers also designated unique names for their pillarless models. Ford called them Victoria, Chrysler used Newport, and their luxury division Imperial used
5185-529: The previous four-door versions of the Nash Rambler, but the overall length was increased by 5 inches (127 mm), to 191.14 in (4,855 mm). The Rambler was substantially smaller outside compared to the other popular domestic cars of the era, but its interior room was equal to the top-selling "low-priced" field. Construction was also unusual, being unit body (what Nash called Double Safe Single Unit). The 1956 Rambler models were marketed under both
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#17327755710955270-423: The pronounced arch over the rear window." According to automobile journalist Floyd Clymer, "economy and high-performance do not go hand in hand, but in the Rambler, the owner will find a happy medium ... though smaller, is safer than many cars. The welded, unitized body-frame construction offers above-average protection in collisions." The single-unit construction that was used by AMC on all of its models provided
5355-417: The rates of any degree of injury for those same body styles were also significantly lower. A 1980 study for evaluation of rollover test devices reported that a greater degree of roof crush was associated with hardtop body styles, but severe passenger injury was not more frequent than in the other car body styles. The hardtop body style began to disappear along with convertibles in the mid-1970s, partly out of
5440-467: The relationship with Toyota was also terminated because the Mexican government increased the domestic content rate as well as the bankruptcy of Planta Reo. Imports of completed AMC vehicles into Mexico resumed until a third domestic production partner was established. Willys Mexicana, the company that would become Vehículos Automotores Mexicanos (VAM) was the third local company that AMC would sign an agreement with during 1960. However, VAM did not assemble
5525-679: The same platform, like the AMC Matador sedan, had a combined passenger and cargo volume of 130 cubic feet (3.68 m ), and were now considered "full-size" automobiles. Cars that defined the mid-size market in the 1980s and 1990s included the Chrysler K-Cars ( Dodge Aries and Plymouth Reliant ), the Ford Taurus , and the Toyota Camry , which was upsized into the midsize class in 1991. The Taurus and Camry came to define
5610-447: The same rear doors as the sedans with the back roof dipped lower over the cargo area and featured a standard roof rack . The wagon models were called Cross Country. An innovation for station wagons was Rambler's roll-down tailgate window; competitors' models continued to use upward-hinged rear windows. The new car was described as "distinct and different .... can be recognized at any angle from its wide-open competition-type grille to
5695-485: The same vehicle, which have a B-pillar. Early automobiles had no roof or sides, but by 1900, several cars were offered with fabric roofs and primitive folding tops. However, cars with fully closed bodies (i.e., with a rigid roof and sides) grew in popularity and soon became the norm. In 1915–1918, the first pillarless hardtop cars were produced, then called "convertible cars" (or "touring sedans" or "Springfields"). The Springfield design featured folding upper frames on
5780-414: The shorter 100 in (2,540 mm) platform as the smaller two-door sedan and wagon series, but sales of all Ramblers continued to increase. In 1960, the Rambler line reached third place in total annual industry sales in the United States. The 1960 Rambler Six with its 127 hp (95 kW; 129 PS) 195.6 cu in (3.2 L) engine became the best selling model for AMC with 297,368 sold for
5865-469: The six-cylinder engine. The Super and Custom trimmed models came with the I6 or AMC's new V8 engine. The Deluxe had no exterior side trim or series name, the Super came with a single full-length body side molding and a "Super" script emblem, and the Custom featured dual full-body side moldings with a "Custom" script emblem and a round "R" medallion on the top of the front fenders. The new Rambler Cross Country
5950-535: The third generation Toyota Corona line. This was followed by several manufacturers offering the popular body style as a luxury car appearance. During the 1970s, Toyota produced the Toyota Crown in a genuine two-door hardtop, while offering a pillared four-door hardtop sedan. Nissan followed suit with the Nissan Cedric and Nissan Gloria but offered a genuine pillarless four-door hardtop along with
6035-430: The three-speed manual transmission was also available. The automatic transmission was operated by pushbuttons on the left side of the instrument panel. The button functions were indicated by lights with amber for neutral and start, red for reverse, and green for the three drive gears. Engine starting was now incorporated into the neutral pushbutton, thus eliminating the ignition key start switch. Accidental starter engagement
6120-455: The trunk), or retractable within the vehicle itself. The pillarless hardtop (abbreviated as "hardtop") is a post-World War II car body designed with no center or B-pillar or glass frames. If window glass frames are present, they are designed to retract with the window when lowered. This creates an impression of uninterrupted glass along the side of the car. Even the smaller automakers like Packard introduced two-door hardtops in 1952 "as
6205-623: The year. The former Nash plant on Danforth Avenue in Toronto produced the Rambler Six from 1955 until 1957. Production ended as subsequent models were imported from the United States. Midsize Rambler models were assembled from CKD kits in Mexico during two different periods. The first was under Armadora Mexicana based in Mexico City , between 1956 and 1957, and the second was under Planta REO based in Monterrey , from late 1959. Because of
6290-422: Was "typical of the stylish, yet highly practical wagons built by AMC in the 1950s" and was offered in solid colors or two- or three-tone paint schemes. Only a few station wagons "were available in 1957 with the very vogue hardtop configuration", and Rambler's Cross Country station wagon in Custom trim carried a relatively low price of $ 2,715. Options included seat belts, padded dash, and child proof door locks. This
6375-431: Was also revised and the instrument panel now incorporated all instrumentation within a large oval in front of the driver. The practice of separate Six and Rebel V8 models now ended with the focus on the Rambler name and the trim three levels: "Deluxe", "Super", and "Custom". Each was offered with "Economy 6 or Rebel V-8 engines." The larger Rambler sedans were joined by a new four-door Rambler American model that rode on
6460-464: Was made "lighter" with a narrower C-pillar and roof profile, as well as slanting both the windshield and rear window at a greater angle providing for an "airy cabin." The front end was simplified, while the tailfins became smaller thus highlighting the new tall taillamps. The overall length was trimmed by 1.6 inches (41 mm) because of a new spit-bumper design. Riding on 15-inch wheels the Rambler appeared to be larger than it actually was. The interior
6545-465: Was one of the last among the domestic automobiles to incorporate tailfins to its body design (and also one of the first to eliminate them). When asked why the 1958 Ramblers featured this styling feature, George W. Romney, AMC's Chairman and CEO responded, "If we have to use tail fins to get people to try compact cars, we'll use tail fins. Later on, we will certainly be able to do away with them, and to build clean, simple, uncluttered cars." By 1958, Rambler
6630-513: Was prevented by a vacuum lockout when the engine was running. To increase longevity, Rambler mufflers were aluminum-coated on the inside and zinc-coated on the outside. A total of eleven models were offered for 1959 in four-door sedan and station wagon versions as well as a four-door hardtop (no B-pillar) body style. The base "Deluxe" model came only as a six-cylinder 4-door sedan, the "Super" and "Custom" trims were available as "Economy 6" or "Rebel V-8" sedans or "Cross Country" station wagons, while
6715-449: Was renamed the Rambler Classic and while it retained its basic dimensions, it was now competing with an array of new "intermediate" models from General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler. The introduction of the 1962 Ford Fairlane was viewed by consumers as too close to the compact Falcon in size and performance as well as too close to the full-sized Ford models in price. It was the introduction of General Motors " senior compacts " that grew
6800-426: Was selling half of its production as station wagons, proportionately more of that body style than any other automaker. All Rambler station wagons carried the Cross Country name. The innovative hardtop (no "B-pillar") station wagon body style was no longer available in the Rambler line, as it was reserved for the 1958 Ambassador models. The Rambler station wagons featured a step-down roof over their rear cargo area and
6885-508: Was standard with the three-speed automatic as an option, including the push-button version. The problem of low sales volume continued under Planta REO and AMC also canceled this contract. The company signed an agreement with Toyota in 1960. Planta REO did not focus on the Rambler brand in favor of the Japanese one, being allegedly an important or the main cause of the low commercial success of this second venture of AMC in Mexico. By March 1964,
6970-499: Was still developing its own V8 . This engine was said to deliver 33% more power than the 1955 version, and - at up to 30 miles per US gallon (7.8 L/100 km; 36 mpg ‑imp ) - provided better fuel economy than the competition. The new Rambler also changed to a 12-volt electrical system. The automatic transmission was the GM-produced Hydramatic (called Flashaway by AMC). A torque tube drive system
7055-575: Was the first year the Rambler offered a new 250 cu in (4.1 L) V8 engine, producing 190 bhp (142 kW). A companion model in four-door hardtop style and featuring AMC's new high-performance 327 cu in (5.4 L) V8 was also introduced in 1957. This was the Rambler Rebel and it was an early " muscle car ." With overdrive, the 1957 model was capable of up to 32 mpg ‑US (38 mpg ‑imp ; 7.4 L/100 km). The first American journalist to drive
7140-454: Was to bring the cost of the closed car nearer to the prices of corresponding open cars. Automobile dealers were encouraged to equip an open car with a California top to demonstrate that they were "cool and clean in summer, and warm and dry in winter." The hard tops were frequently equipped with celluloid windows that retracted like a roller blind for open sided motoring offering a low-cost compromise between an open and closed car. There were
7225-409: Was used with a four-wheel coil spring suspension instead of the previous Hotchkiss drive setup. The interiors were offered in fifteen colors and offered "genuine leather" (in six colors) as an option. The station wagons were popular with buyers, and in addition to power brakes (standard on Custom models), frequently ordered options included power steering, two- and three-tone exterior color schemes,
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