Re: [Amc-list] Look

["Swygert, Francis G MSgt 436 CES/CECM" <Francis.Swygert3@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Toyota definitely has the right idea -- figure out how to please the
customer and profits will come. Even if the cars cost a little more, if
the perceived value is there, they will buy. Would you believe that
there's an AMC tie-in? The Romney years. 

That's what old George had in mind -- a good value car. Might not be the
snazziest or the cheapest, but when you bought a 58-64 Rambler you knew
you had a good car that would be with you for a while. The company took
a big down-turn when he left, not just because of who took over, but
just because he left. Several large stock holders attempted lawsuits to
keep him from leaving because they felt he was going in the right
direction and that would change when he left. 

Everyone kids about "Rambler mentality" and "grandma cars", but those
years were AMC's best as far as sales and profits. Plants had to be
expanded to keep up with production (though they were expanded more than
needed -- the 61 expansion, adding the second assembly line at Kenosha,
gave AMC the capacity to build 300,000 cars a year -- running 24 hours).
Ironic that when Abernethey expanded in the mid to late 60s (adding a
third body plant in Kenosha) it was considered a waste of corporate
funds. But the earlier expansions came because they were NEEDED -- not
ANTICIPATED. Don't count those chicks before they start hatching!!
Harley Davidson can tell you that some pent-up demand, as long as it's
not for too long, can be good for business.

I didn't connect the A8 Audi with AMC -- maybe I read over John's
message to quick? 

I hope Aston Martin does well. Traditionally, enthusiast owned car
companies haven't. Duesenberg is a prime example, Lotus is doing well,
but they do a lot of outside contracting and don't build many cars.
Morgan is still in business also -- maybe it's just a British thing with
small but successful auto companies, maybe the US guys just try to get
to big? Avanti was somewhat successful for a while -- at least in
staying (barely) alive. But then again they were selling a 1963 designed
cars with only minor updates in 1988 as a luxo-cruiser!! AMC was the
only other US car company to sell an old body for a long time -- the 70
Hornet designed lasted through the 88 Eagle, but that's nothing compared
to the Avanti! IMHO the Taurus was a good enough car that Ford should
have kept rolling them out as long as they could keep decent volume up
with few changes. Could have been a value car money maker for Ford like
the 2xx series Volvo and 3xx series Mercedes were for years. Some other
Euro cars have been the same way, but only AMC managed to pull it off
with somewhat successful results in the US. 
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