Instruct: Given a question, retrieve documents that can help answer the question.
Query: When was the AMC Hornet phased out of production?
The Hornet was phased out after 1977 and transformed into a new "luxury compact" line of automobiles, the AMC Concord. It also served as the basis of an innovative "crossover" all-wheel drive vehicle, the AMC Eagle that was introduced in 1979.
Introduced in 1969 for the 1970 model year, the Hornet was the first car in a line of new models that AMC would introduce over the following three years, and it set the tone for what designer Richard A. Teague and chief executive officer Roy D. Chapin, Jr., had in mind for the company for the 1970s.[12] The Hornet marked the return of AMC to its original role as a "niche" marketer specializing in small cars.[9] It also became one of AMCs best sellers.[13]
The AMC Hornet served as a vehicle for several experimental alternative power sources.
Soon after the 1954 merger, CEO George Mason died. Mason's successor, George W. Romney, pinned the future of the company on an expanded Rambler line of compact-sized cars, and began the process of phasing out the Nash and Hudson nameplates by the end of the 1957 model year. Nash and Hudson production ended with the last Hornet made on June 25, 1957. From 1958 to 1962, Rambler and the Metropolitan were the only brands of cars sold by AMC. By 1965 the Rambler name would begin to be phased out and AMC would take over as the brand name until the 1988 model year.
In 1970, American Motors acquired Kaiser Jeep (the descendant of Willys-Overland Motors) and its Toledo, Ohio, based manufacturing facilities. In 1979, AMC entered into a technology partnership with Renault. In 1987, Chrysler Corporation made a public offering to acquire all shares of AMC on the NYSE. The shareholders approved the offer and AMC became a division of Chrysler Corporation.
Like most American manufacturers of the fifties, Nash was a participant in the Grand National Stock Car series.
The Hornet's styling was based on the AMC Cavalier and Vixen show cars.[7] The Hornet, as well as the Ford Maverick, were considered a response by the domestic automakers to battle with the imports.[8]
The initial proposal for production of what would become the AMC Eagle came from Roy Lunn, the chief design engineer for AMC Jeep. "Project 8001 plus Four" was Lunn's code name for a new "line of four-wheel-drive vehicles with the ride and handling conventions of a standard rear wheel drive car" built on a uni-body platform. In February 1977, AMC contracted FF Developments to build a prototype vehicle based on a production V8 powered AMC Hornet with drive torque split 33% front and 66% rear. Testing and further development proved the feasibility of a vehicle with greater ground clearance, larger 15-inch wheels, as well as a torque split closer to 50% - 50%, with Lunn recommending using the AMC straight-6 engine coupled to an automatic transmission.
On 6 February 1977, out of 57 cars that started the 24 Hours of Daytona, Championship of Makes, at Daytona International Speedway, an AMC Hornet driven by Tom Waugh, John Rulon-Miller, and Bob Punch drove car #15 to 22nd place overall and 12th in the GTO class by completing 394 laps in 1,582 miles (2,546km).[77]
From 1971 the AMC Hornet was campaigned in the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) races.[73] Hornets ran in GTO class (Grand Touring type with engines of 2.5L or more) and American Challenge (AC) class. American Motors provided only limited support in the form of technical help. The cars were gutted and powered by highly modified AMC 232 straight-six engines.[74]
VAM Rambler American (up to 1974) U.S. equivalent: AMC Hornet VAM Rambler American Rally - U.S. equivalent: AMC Hornet X sedan instead of hatchback VAM American (after 1975) U.S. equivalent: AMC Hornet base model VAM American Rally - U.S. equivalent: AMC Hornet X sedan instead of hatchback VAM American ECD (1975–1977) U.S. equivalent - AMC Hornet DL two- and four-door sedans VAM American GFS (1977) U.S. equivalent: AMC Hornet DL two-door sedan, replaces two-door ECD VAM Camioneta American automática (1977) U.S. equivalent: AMC Hornet DL wagon with automatic transmission
Focusing on the new Pacer, AMC kept the Hornet mostly the same.[51] A new grille with vertical grating was the primary change. A new "Touring Package" included special upholstery and luxury features. In a return to its philosophy of economical compact cars, AMC emphasized its comprehensive "Buyer Protection Plan" warranty in marketing the Hornets.[51]
For the 1970 model year, American Motors revived the "Hornet" model name for its new series of compact cars (the AMC Hornet). AMC was later purchased by Chrysler, which at one time considered reintroducing the Hornet name in the Dodge model line (See: Dodge Hornet).
To consolidate AMC's product offering, reduce production costs, and offer more value to consumers, the base models were dropped in 1972 and all models were designated as "SST". The SST offered more items standard than the previous year's base model at about the same price. Hornets now came with comfort and convenience items that most consumers expected, and these items were typically standard on imported cars. For the first time, an AM/FM monaural radio was added to the options list.[36]
In 1973, AMC cars very nearly placed 1-2-3, in a BF Goodrich Radial Challenge Series race, but Bob Hennig driving an AMC Hornet went out while in third place with only six laps to go.[75] BMW driver Nick Craw and AMC Hornet driver Amos Johnson ended the IMSA series as co-champions in Class B.[76]
The AMC Cavalier was part of three other prototypes that hinted at some of AMC's future production vehicles. In 1966, the Cavalier became part of "Project IV" touring the auto show circuit. This group of four show cars included the Vixen (a 4-seat coupe with "flying buttress" rear roof pillars), the AMX prototype (a 2-seat coupe that evolved into the real production car), and the AMX II (a notchback hardtop that was longer than the AMX). At the time, none of the concept cars carried the Rambler nameplate, which AMC started phasing out in 1966 in favor of AMC.
AMC used the Hornet as the basis for its AMC Gremlin, which consisted of the front half of the two-door Hornet's body and a truncated rear section with a window hatchback.
The AMC Hornet is a compact automobile, manufactured and marketed by American Motors Corporation (AMC) in a single generation from model years 1970 through 1977 — in sedan, wagon, and hatchback coupe configurations. The Hornet replaced the compact Rambler American marking the end of the Rambler marque in the American and Canadian markets.
The AMC Hornet platform served as the basis for evaluating design and styling ideas by AMC. In the late-2000s, the Hornet name was revived for a Dodge concept car.
Production of the Hornet ended on June 25, 1957, at which time the Hudson marque was dropped and all of AMC's products took the "Rambler" name.
The Rally included D70x14 radial tires in all years and rear gear ratios of 3.54:1 (1970–1972), 3.31:1 (1973–1976) and 3.07:1 (1977). The American Rally was discontinued in 1977 along with all other Hornet-based VAM Americans. It would find a successor in the 1978 American Rally AMX model (VAM's version of the 1978 AMC Concord AMX), meaning the production in Mexico for the first time of AMC's hatchback coupe body style. Unlike the AMC Hornet X models, both the Hornet-based Rambler American Rally and American Rally were never available with V8 engines, automatic transmissions or column-mounted shifters. The Rally model being more than just an appearance package but also not as strong as a muscle car finds its closest American equivalent in the form of the 1972 Hornet Rallye-X model. It is regarded as one of VAM's most collectible and sought-after models.
Despite Hudson's racing success, the marketplace competition and fierce rivalry between Chevrolet and Ford was too much to save the small scale independent automaker. Hudson merged with Nash-Kelvinator Corporation in 1954 to become American Motors Corporation. The Hudson name was finally retired in 1957, as AMC transformed into Rambler. The Hornet name was used by AMC for their compact sedan from 1970 to 1977. When automakers began returning to racing venues as a form of advertising and industrial prowess, AMC was competitive in the drag racing scene with their AMX taking the SS/D class record for ten years, and successfully fielded the AMC Javelin in the Trans-Am Series winning the manufacturer trophies in 1970 and 1971. The AMC Matador was developed into a winner on the NASCAR circuits.
As part of a significant product placement movie appearance by AMC, a 1974 Hornet X Hatchback is featured in the James Bond film: The Man with the Golden Gun, where Roger Moore made his second appearance as the British secret agent.[85]
The Hornet became an important vehicle and platform for AMC, serving the company in one form or another for eighteen years, until the 1988 model year. It would outlast other compact platforms from the competition, including the Chevrolet Nova, Ford Maverick, and Plymouth Valiant. The Hornet was also the basis for AMC's Gremlin, Concord, Spirit, and all-wheel drive AMC Eagle.
The AMC Hornet is one of Hagerty's favorites Bond cars for vintage automobile collectors on a budget.[95] Several scale models of the AMC Hornet are available that include the James Bond hatchback versions made by Corgi Toys and Johnny Lightning.[96]
Except for the short hood giving it equal-length front and rear decks, many of the Cavalier's styling touches found their way into the AMC Hornet that was introduced for the 1970 model year. The Hornet was also designed under the direction of Richard A. Teague. "The Cavalier's strong horizontal lines, flat surfaces, minimal overhangs and blockish face were all visual hints to the 1970 AMC Hornet compact." Although the production Hornets did not use interchangeable body parts, its front and rear bumpers were made from the same stamping.
In the early 1970s, AMC was planning a compact coupé utility (pickup) based on the Hornet to compete with the increasing sales of Japanese compact pickup models.[118] A prototype called the Cowboy was developed under the leadership of Jim Alexander.[119] The prototype vehicle featured a modified AMC Gremlin front design and a cargo box with a Jeep logo on the tailgate. The standard I6 engine would be more powerful than the 4-cylinders found in the imported pickups. The only surviving prototype was built using a 1971 Hornet SC360 with the 360 V8 and 4-speed manual transmission. It was used by AMC on their proving grounds for several years before being sold to an employee, who later installed a 1973 Hornet updated front end.[119] However, with the increasing sales of the Hornet models, and the 1970 acquisition of Jeep and no 4WD option ready for the Cowboy (at the time all Jeeps were 4WD), AMC's product planners shelved the Cowboy truck program.[120] A 4WD system was developed and later used on the 1980 AMC Eagle, and the "uniframe" construction ("frame" rails under the truck bed made of folded sheet metal and incorporated into the cab structure as one piece) resurfaced for the 1985 Jeep Comanche pickup, based on the unit body XJ Cherokee.