The Last Independent Automaker

The U.S. car market booms in the wake of World War II, until a price war between Ford and Chevrolet decimates competitors. American Motors Corporation is created through the merger of two smaller companies. To survive in an age of conspicuous consumption, president George Romney boldly bets the company’s future on a new niche: economy cars.

After saving American Motors, president George Romney launches a career in politics. His successor takes AMC upmarket, but struggles to capture young baby boomers who want faster, sportier “muscle cars.” In response, the company makes big changes to its products and public image.

American Motors’ unlikely management team launches a quirky new car to fight the growing wave of foreign imports in the U.S. Despite his colleague’s protests, CEO Roy Chapin Jr. buys the lackluster Jeep Corporation, leading AMC into the burgeoning four-wheel-drive market. A sudden oil shortage rocks the industry but boosts small car sales.