Big Bad AMX
01-08-2005, 05:30 PM
Rambler American still, dollar for dollar, the world's best automobile value….
Early last year, the tight grip of foreign automobiles on the under $2,000 U.S. car market was broken when officials of American Motors announced a new manufacturing policy and price reductions for its Rambler American line.
Recognizing that a gap existed between the prices of U.S. compacts and foreign economy imports, American Motors set out to close that gap with the Rambler American mainly by abandoning the industry's annual changeover. By establishing a firm policy to confine changes on the Rambler American to meaningful product and safety improvements, American Motors thus eliminated the vast expenditures necessary to restyle a car each year. With these anticipated savings, the company was able to reduce the price of each Rambler American from $154 to $234, depending upon model.
For the first time, value conscious U.S. car buyers were able to choose between a small European economy car and a car built specifically around the comfort, performance and safety requirements of American drivers. They discovered that Rambler American provides the room of an American six-passenger car, up to 2 1/2 times more standard horsepower than an economy import and includes all U.S, government safety standards. And all at no substantial difference in price.
The response was immediate. Sales leaped by 140 percent within weeks. Soon, it became necessary to treble production of Rambler Americans at AM's huge assembly plant in Kenosha, Wisconsin, one of the largest in the world.
This fall, amid the fanfare introducing the industry's new 1968 models, Rambler Americans are rolling off the Kenosha assembly lines in a form which continues the "no‑change" policy announced last year and which again offers strong value.
There are changes-some pretty important ones. A few external styling changes are obvious, like new trim, colors and a redesigned roofline on two and four-door sedans for a smoother, sleeker look. But you'll have to look rather closely to spot the other changes, for most of them are under the sheet metal. Largely, they're things that make a Rambler American work better, or longer, or more safely, or more comfortably.
If you're interested in specific details, you'll find information about all of them readily available at your local AM dealer. But, in general, you can sum up the new things by thinking of them as improvements rather than change for change's sake.
One that might interest you is a new economy version of the 145 hp "232" Six as a standard engine in the top‑line Rambler American Rogue Hardtop. It's available either with the standard, all synchromesh three‑speed manual transmission or optional column-mounted Shift-Command automatic transmission. If you choose the automatic, you'll get a new 2.37:1 axle ratio that gives you much the same economy cruising benefits as an overdrive (performance ratios are optional at no extra cost). With either transmission, there are a number of standard modifications on the engine for greater fuel economy.
Standard engine on models other than the Rogue Hardtop is the "199" Six with a spanking 128 horsepower which tops that of some other larger, heavier U.S. cars. If you'd like more sass under the hood, you can choose the optional "232" Six or from a couple of "290" Typhoon V-8's, with 200 or 225 horsepower. Along with the storming V-8's, you'll find a flock of performance and handling options that can make a Rambler American about as hot a swinger as a compact can get.
Why performance options with a car that is now gaining great success with a renewed reputation for economy and value? Because, however you take it, the 1968 Rambler American is fun to drive! And extra performance means a lot more fun for many RamblerAmerican fans. (You'll find this brand of performance costs much less with an American, too!).
Which all boils down to the point that the Rambler American like all the other AM cars for 1968 is designed to become what the individual wants it to be. In the case of the American, the big accent is on getting a whole lot more of what you want for a lot fewer dollars.
That's why, dollar for dollar, Rambler American is still the best automobile value in the world.
You'll find that dollar value in five models: the basic Rambler American Two‑Door and Four-Door Sedans; 440 Four-Door Sedan and Four-Door Station Wagon, and the Two-Door Rogue Hardtop.
Early last year, the tight grip of foreign automobiles on the under $2,000 U.S. car market was broken when officials of American Motors announced a new manufacturing policy and price reductions for its Rambler American line.
Recognizing that a gap existed between the prices of U.S. compacts and foreign economy imports, American Motors set out to close that gap with the Rambler American mainly by abandoning the industry's annual changeover. By establishing a firm policy to confine changes on the Rambler American to meaningful product and safety improvements, American Motors thus eliminated the vast expenditures necessary to restyle a car each year. With these anticipated savings, the company was able to reduce the price of each Rambler American from $154 to $234, depending upon model.
For the first time, value conscious U.S. car buyers were able to choose between a small European economy car and a car built specifically around the comfort, performance and safety requirements of American drivers. They discovered that Rambler American provides the room of an American six-passenger car, up to 2 1/2 times more standard horsepower than an economy import and includes all U.S, government safety standards. And all at no substantial difference in price.
The response was immediate. Sales leaped by 140 percent within weeks. Soon, it became necessary to treble production of Rambler Americans at AM's huge assembly plant in Kenosha, Wisconsin, one of the largest in the world.
This fall, amid the fanfare introducing the industry's new 1968 models, Rambler Americans are rolling off the Kenosha assembly lines in a form which continues the "no‑change" policy announced last year and which again offers strong value.
There are changes-some pretty important ones. A few external styling changes are obvious, like new trim, colors and a redesigned roofline on two and four-door sedans for a smoother, sleeker look. But you'll have to look rather closely to spot the other changes, for most of them are under the sheet metal. Largely, they're things that make a Rambler American work better, or longer, or more safely, or more comfortably.
If you're interested in specific details, you'll find information about all of them readily available at your local AM dealer. But, in general, you can sum up the new things by thinking of them as improvements rather than change for change's sake.
One that might interest you is a new economy version of the 145 hp "232" Six as a standard engine in the top‑line Rambler American Rogue Hardtop. It's available either with the standard, all synchromesh three‑speed manual transmission or optional column-mounted Shift-Command automatic transmission. If you choose the automatic, you'll get a new 2.37:1 axle ratio that gives you much the same economy cruising benefits as an overdrive (performance ratios are optional at no extra cost). With either transmission, there are a number of standard modifications on the engine for greater fuel economy.
Standard engine on models other than the Rogue Hardtop is the "199" Six with a spanking 128 horsepower which tops that of some other larger, heavier U.S. cars. If you'd like more sass under the hood, you can choose the optional "232" Six or from a couple of "290" Typhoon V-8's, with 200 or 225 horsepower. Along with the storming V-8's, you'll find a flock of performance and handling options that can make a Rambler American about as hot a swinger as a compact can get.
Why performance options with a car that is now gaining great success with a renewed reputation for economy and value? Because, however you take it, the 1968 Rambler American is fun to drive! And extra performance means a lot more fun for many RamblerAmerican fans. (You'll find this brand of performance costs much less with an American, too!).
Which all boils down to the point that the Rambler American like all the other AM cars for 1968 is designed to become what the individual wants it to be. In the case of the American, the big accent is on getting a whole lot more of what you want for a lot fewer dollars.
That's why, dollar for dollar, Rambler American is still the best automobile value in the world.
You'll find that dollar value in five models: the basic Rambler American Two‑Door and Four-Door Sedans; 440 Four-Door Sedan and Four-Door Station Wagon, and the Two-Door Rogue Hardtop.