Amc American Motors Ambassador Eighth Generation 1974
| Eighth generation | |
|---|---|
1974 Ambassador Brougham sedan
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| Overview | |
| Model years | 1974 |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Full-size |
| Body style |
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| Powertrain | |
| Engine |
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| Transmission | 3-speed Torque Command automatic |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 122 in (3,099 mm) |
| Length | 217.8 in (5,532 mm) |
1974
Ambassador sales had remained steady since 1970, despite the lack of major changes to the vehicle.
However, the 1974 model year would bring out the biggest Ambassador—just as the 1973 Arab Oil Embargo sparked gasoline rationing across the nation. The Ambassador sedan was stretched seven inches (180 mm) compared with the 1973 versions. This additional length was due to a new front end design and stronger energy absorbing bumpers with hydraulic backup.
The 1974 Ambassador Brougham was no longer available as a 2-door (pillar-less) hardtop, leaving the 4-door sedan and station wagon body styles in the line. The hardtop's cancellation was due in part to low sales volume of the Ambassador 2-door versions, as well as the introduction of an all-new 1974 Matador coupe that featured a very long hood and a short rear deck. The new coupe was selected as the "Best Styled Car of 1974" by the editors of Car and Driver magazine and did not have the requisite share the typical mid- to late-1970s styling hallmarks that included an upright grille, a notchback roof, and imitation "landau bars" or opera lights.
Styling changes for the sedan and wagon included new front fender caps on the same fenders as used since 1969, and hood, grille, bumpers, rear fascia, instrument panel, interior trim, hood ornament, and a new font for the Ambassador nameplate. The grille showed off a new squared-off loop-type design surrounding the circular recessed quad headlights, and featured a forward-protruding center. The insert held a crosshatch pattern dominated by two thick horizontal bars that connected the headlight bezels and contained new parking lights between them. These parking lights had amber lenses, followed the grille protrusion forward, and were overlaid by the grille's crosshatch trim. Headlamp bezels were once again blacked out in their recessed areas. The new hood and front bumper followed the grille's central protrusion forward, giving the car a slight "coffin nose" look. The contemporary Matador saw a similar frontal treatment, but with a much more pronounced effect and with different single headlamp clusters, hood, and grille insert.
At the rear, the new bumper was much larger and backed by shock absorbers, as it was beefed up to comply with new National Highway Traffic Safety Administration regulations for standardized front and rear bumpers on passenger cars that could sustain a 5-mile-per-hour (8 km/h) impact with no damage. Fiberglass end caps were added to the ends of each rear fender on sedans. They wrapped inward to create a recessed space that met a carryover decklid. In this space was mounted the new rectangular taillight housings, which featured taller white backup lights mounted inboard of the new taillights. The license plate moved from the rear bumper to the area between the new taillight assemblies, and the whole taillight and license plate system on the sedans was surrounded its own loop of chrome trim.
The cargo area and the rear design of station wagons remained similar to previous Ambassadors, save for a massive new bumper and revised taillamps. The wagon was available with two-row bench seats for six passengers or with a rear-facing third row for a total eight seat-belted passengers. All came with numerous practical, appearance, and comfort items as standard. These included a two-way opening tail gate: (1) hinged at the bottom for convenient loading or hauling long cargo and (2) hinged at the side to open as door for ease of entry and exit for passengers or cargo; wood grained semi-transparent vinyl side and rear trim, a full-length roof rack; as well as a chrome and wood grain roof air deflector to help keep the tailgate window clean.
Powertrain selections remained the same as in 1973, with only V8 engines and automatic transmissions available. When ordered with a trailer package (special wiring harness with heavy-duty flasher and heavy-duty suspension with rear sway bar), the Ambassador was rated for up to 5,000-pound (2,268 kg) towing capacity. Other increases for 1974 included a larger capacity fuel tank, 24.9 US gal (94 L; 21 imp gal), and an alternator producing 62 amperes. New sound insulation made the Ambassador even quieter. All came with a very lengthy list of standard equipment that was typically optional on competing makes. These included comfort items such as air conditioning, an AM radio, and vanity mirror to appearance enhancements such as pin striping and whitewall tires.
Sales of all full-size vehicles, regardless of the automaker, fell significantly in 1974 as America's focus shifted to smaller cars. Ambassador sales were no different, and in June 1974, the final AMC Ambassador rolled off the Kenosha, Wisconsin assembly line, ending a nameplate that had been in continuous production in some form for 48 years.
Overseas production
Argentina
Industrias Kaiser Argentina (IKA) produced the U.S. third, fourth, and fifth generation Ambassadors in Córdoba, Argentina from 1962 to 1972, and later available by special order through 1975.
Assembly of IKA Ramblers began in 1962, with the Argentinean cars being the 1961 U.S. versions, but equipped with 226 cu in (3.70 L) Continental I6 engines producing 119 hp (89 kW; 121 PS) at 4000 rpm, along with a steering column mounted manual three-speed transmission. The Ambassador 440 was the top trim IKA model available only as a four-door sedan.
The completely new generation models by AMC in the U.S. for the 1963 model year was also replicated by IKA. The Ambassador sedan came only in 990 trim and it revolutionized the Argentine automotive market by introducing innovations that included power steering, power windows, and factory installed air conditioning.
The Ambassador line was redesigned for 1965 in the U.S., as well as for Argentina. All IKA Rambler models now featured the 230.5 cu in (3.78 L) overhead camshaft (OHC) straight-six "Tornado Interceptor" engines producing 145 hp (108 kW; 147 PS) at 4200 rpm. They were originally developed by Kaiser Motors in the U.S. for the 1963 Jeep Gladiator pickups and Wagoneer vehicles. The engine was now produced in Argentina and it increased the domestic (local sourced) content of IKA automobiles to lower taxes (tariffs).
The new IKA Ambassador 990 sedans were further upgraded to steering column mounted ZF four-speed manual transmissions, front disk brakes, front reclining bucket seats with center cushion and armrest, as well as the luxury features that included power windows and air conditioning. A road test by Revista Parabrisas described the 1965 IKA Rambler Ambassador 990 as "soft, opulent, and smooth ride at all speeds... something big, luxurious and complete... the highest expression of comfort tested so far by the magazine."
Stretch versions of the IKA Rambler Ambassador were used as official government limousines. The "Presidential" models featured a longer rear door and side window, as well as broader C-pillar with padded vinyl roof cover and a small rear window.
Australia
Australian Motor Industries (AMI) obtained the rights to assemble and distribute Ramblers, and the 1961, 1962, and 1963 model year Ambassadors were built in Australia. The 1961 sedan, which was powered by a 327 cu in (5.4 L) V8, was the most powerful car being assembled in Australia at that time. Knock-down kits featuring right-hand drive were shipped from Kenosha to AMI's facilities in Port Melbourne, Victoria. The Australian-built Ambassadors included a significant percentage of "local content" to gain import tariff (tax) concessions by using parts and components (such as interiors and upholstery) that were sourced from Australian manufacturers. The dash and instrument pack of the 1967 Ambassador was converted to RHD by AMC and thereafter used in all Australian and New Zealand-assembled Rambler Rebel and Matador models, from 1967-1974.
Costa Rica
Rambler vehicles were marketed in Costa Rica since 1959. New local content regulations enacted during the 1960s effectively required vehicles sold in those markets to be assembled from knock-down kits. An assembly plant for Rambler and Toyota vehicles was established, ECASA, and the first Ramblers were produced in Costa Rica by the end of 1965. The company built Ambassadors and other AMC models through 1970, with Toyota increasing ownership of ECASA.
Mexico
American Motors first-generation Ambassadors were exported to Mexico in the first half of 1958 and assembled locally in the second half of the same year and 1959 under Planta REO based in Monterrey, Nuevo León. The model was virtually restricted to the four-door hardtop sedan only. It was powered by the four-barrel 327 cubic inch V8 engine with 270 gross horse power coupled to a three-speed automatic transmission. The model became the marque's top-of-the-line product alongside the three versions of the midsize Rambler and Rambler American models.
However, low sales figures alongside a downfalling relationship between AMC and Planta REO lead to the cancellation of the contract in the second half of 1959. American Motors once again exported its products into Mexico and took the task of finding a new local partner, which was found in Willys Mexicana, the company that eventually would become Vehículos Automotores Mexicanos (VAM). The agreement was signed in March 1960 and production began in Mexico City.
This agreement meant the discontinuation of the Ambassador line in Mexico, the new operation had several priorities above offering a top-end luxury full-size car line. Aside from offering the already existing Jeep line, Willys Mexicana opted to focus all efforts in the compact Rambler American, which obtained a generation change just the next year, meaning a complete retooling of the Vallejo plant. In 1962, legal and industrial requirements in the country became stronger with the auto industry integration decree issued by president López Meteos in 1962. Among its contents, it fully banned the importation of automobile engines; forcing WM to take the monumental task of building its own engine plant, which was achieved in November 1964. Once the Rambler American was consolidated in the Mexican market, Willys Mexicana opted to expand the product line by introducing the brand-new second generation Rambler Classic midsize model as a larger luxury counterpart to the economy compact American. Also in 1963, due to problems with WM's parent company (the SOMEX bank) as well as further requirements of the government auto industry decree, Willys Mexicana was reorganized into an entirely new company with expanded capital and direct investment from the Mexican government, Kaiser Willys and American Motors, resulting in the formation of Vehículos Automotores Mexicanos S.A.
After the whole corporate transition process between 1960 and 1964 finally concluded, in which the Rambler marque under VAM monumentally surpassed the commercial results of its local predecessors Armadora Mexicana and Planta REO combined between 1950 and 1959, the company in the end opted not to offer the Ambassador model. The Mexican market of the era was still relatively small and since the Ambassador shared mostly the same styling as the contemporary midsize model of the company, it was considered that internal competition would affect the sales of a simultaneous Rambler Classic/Ambassador line-up. Unlike the United States, which had a much larger and diverse market for two different car lines with the same styling, AMC could offer a strong difference between both models with the exclusive V8 engine for the Ambassador and the Classic being restricted to six cylinders only. This advantage did not exist in Mexico since VAM could only produce six cylinder engines in its Lerma plant and V8 engines could not be imported from AMC due to the ban of the 1962 decree. Instead, VAM opted to use the Rambler Classic as its most luxurious and flagship model, giving it the same treatment AMC put in the Ambassador model in the US and Canada. This would be passed on to the subsequent equivalent Rebel and Matador models produced under VAM.
The 1958-1959 Ambassador models represent the only chapter in this model's history to be present in Mexico. These were the only full-size American Motors products sold in the country alongside the second generation VAM Classic (Matador) models. Even more unique was the fact that it was a factory V8 model, the only one of its kind to ever be sold in Mexico belonging to American Motors.
Epilogue
Because AMC was focusing its attentions on their newly acquired Jeep line, the redesigned 1974 Matador coupe, and the AMC Pacer, which would debut in 1975, the company would not put forth the investment to continue the full-size Ambassador line after its 1974 redesign. Instead, the automaker upgraded the Matador sedan and wagon counterparts starting with the 1975 model year. The basic automobile platform was used by AMC since the 1967 model year, and the full-size automobile market segment was declining. American Motors strategy now aimed at smaller cars and sport-utility vehicles. However, the Ambassador basically continued as the similarly sized and styled Matador sedans and wagons became available in uplevel "Brougham" trim from 1975, as well as in a unique top-of-the-line Barcelona trim in its final year of production, 1978.