Rambler is an

automobile A car, or an automobile, is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of cars state that they run primarily on roads, Car seat, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport private transport#Personal transport, peopl ...

brand name that was first used by the

Thomas B. Jeffery Company The Thomas B. Jeffery Company was an American automobile manufacturer in Kenosha, Wisconsin, from 1902 until 1916. The company manufactured the Rambler (car), Rambler and Jeffery (automobile), Jeffery brand motorcars. It was preceded by the Gorm ...

between 1900 and 1914. Charles W. Nash bought Jeffery in 1916, and Nash Motors reintroduced the name to the automobile marketplace from 1950 through 1954. The "Rambler" trademark registration for use on automobiles and parts was issued on 9 March 1954 for Nash-Kelvinator. Nash merged with the

Hudson Motor Car Company The Hudson Motor Car Company made Hudson and other branded automobiles in Detroit, Michigan, U.S., from 1909 until 1954. In 1954, Hudson merged with Nash-Kelvinator to form American Motors Corporation (AMC). The Hudson name was continued through ...

to form

American Motors Corporation American Motors Corporation (AMC; commonly referred to as American Motors) was an American automobile manufacturing company formed by the mergers and acquisitions, merger of Nash-Kelvinator Corporation and Hudson Motor Car Company on May 1, 19 ...

(AMC) in 1954. The Rambler line of cars continued through the 1969 model year in the United States and 1983 in international markets. Rambler cars were often nicknamed the "Kenosha Cadillac" after the original location and their most significant place of manufacture in the city of

Kenosha, Wisconsin Kenosha () is a city in Kenosha County, Wisconsin, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of cities in Wisconsin, fourth-most populous city in Wisconsin, with a population of 99,986 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. S ...

Rambler 1897–1914

The first use of the name Rambler for an American-made automobile dates to 1897 when Thomas B. Jeffery of

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...

, builder of the Rambler bicycle, constructed his prototype automobile. After receiving positive reviews at the 1899 Chicago International Exhibition & Tournament and the first National Automobile Show in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

, Jeffery entered the automobile business. Following the sudden death of his Rambler partner, R. Philip Gormully, Jeffery sold their bicycle business to the American Bicycle Company, but retained rights to the Rambler name. In 1900, he bought the old Sterling Bicycle Co. factory in

, and set up shop. Thomas Jeffery and his son Charles experimented with such early technical innovations as a

steering wheel A steering wheel (also called a driving wheel, a hand wheel, or simply wheel) is a type of steering control in vehicles. Steering wheels are used in most modern land vehicles, including all mass-production automobiles, buses, light and hea ...

(as opposed to a

tiller A tiller or till is a lever used to steer a vehicle. The mechanism is primarily used in watercraft, where it is attached to an outboard motor, rudder post, rudder post or stock to provide leverage in the form of torque for the helmsman to turn ...

), left-hand driving and the engine placement under a hood instead of under the seat, but they was decided that such features were too advanced for the motoring public of the day. The first Ramblers were tiller-steered, had right-hand drive, and the

single-cylinder A single-cylinder engine, sometimes called a thumper, is a piston engine with one cylinder. This engine is often used for motorcycles, motor scooters, motorized bicycles, go-karts, all-terrain vehicles, radio-controlled vehicles, power tools an ...

engine was positioned under the seat. Rambler innovated various design features and was the first to equip cars with a spare wheel-and-tire assembly. This allowed the driver, when experiencing a

flat tire A flat tire (British English: flat tyre) is a deflated Tire, pneumatic tire, which can cause the rim of the wheel to ride on the tire tread or the ground potentially resulting in loss of control of the vehicle or irreparable damage to the tire. T ...

, to exchange the spare wheel and tire for the flat one, rather than patching. Jeffery started commercially mass-producing automobiles in 1902. By the end of the year the company had produced 1,500 motor cars, priced at US$750 (), one-sixth of all cars that were manufactured in the U.S. during that year. The

was the second largest auto manufacturer at that time, behind

Oldsmobile Oldsmobile (formally the Oldsmobile Division of General Motors) was a brand of American automobiles, produced for most of its existence by General Motors. Originally established as "Olds Motor Vehicle Company" by Ransom E. Olds in 1897, it produc ...

. In 1904, Jeffery built 2,342 Ramblers. Higher-powered

two-cylinder The engine configuration describes the fundamental operating principles by which internal combustion engines are categorized. Piston engines are often categorized by their cylinder layout, valves and camshafts. Wankel engines are often categoriz ...

versions with front-mounted engines and steering wheels were now available. In 1905, the single-cylinder was discontinued, and three larger two-cylinder models priced from $1,200 to $3,000 were offered (equivalent to between US$ and $ in ). A Rambler

four-cylinder The engine configuration describes the fundamental operating principles by which internal combustion engines are categorized. Piston engines are often categorized by their cylinder layout, valves and camshafts. Wankel engines are often categoriz ...

was introduced in 1906. New employee Edward S, Jordan, who would later become Jeffery's secretary and general manager, provided advertising copy such as "The Right Car at the Right Price", “June Time Is Rambler Time”, and other similarly evocative phrases. By 1906, Rambler was considered an industry leader, with one of the best-equipped automobile factories. Thomas Jeffery was not interested in increasing mass production, however, and settled into a pattern of producing 2,500 Ramblers a year. In 1910, all Ramblers were now four-cylinder medium-priced cars. While on vacation in 1910, Thomas B. Jeffery died of a heart attack and his son Charles took over the newly incorporated Thomas B. Jeffery Company. Charles increased annual production by about 500 cars and, in 1912, introduced new Ned Jordan model names such as Cross Country, Country Club, Knickerbocker, and Valkyrie. For 1913 the last Rambler branded models were the Cross Country roadster and

touring car Touring car and tourer are both terms for open cars (i.e. cars without a fixed roof). "Touring car" is a style of open car built in the United States which seats four or more people. The style was popular from the early 1900s to the 1930s. The ...

, an Inside Drive

coupe A coupe or coupé (, ) is a passenger car with a sloping or truncated rear roofline and typically with two doors. The term ''coupé'' was first applied to horse-drawn carriages for two passengers without rear-facing seats. It comes from the Fr ...

and the Gotham

Limousine A limousine ( or ), or limo () for short, is a large, chauffeur-driven luxury vehicle with a partition between the driver compartment and the passenger compartment which can be operated mechanically by hand or by a button electronically. A luxu ...

, priced from US$1,650 to $2,750 (equivalent to between US$ and $ in ). In 1914, Charles T. Jeffery, Thomas B. Jeffery's son, replaced the Rambler brand name with Jeffery in honor of his now-deceased father. In 1916, the Thomas B. Jeffery Company was purchased by Charles W. Nash and became

Nash Motors Nash Motors Company was an American automobile manufacturer based in Kenosha, Wisconsin from 1916 until 1937. From 1937 through 1954, Nash Motors was the automotive division of Nash-Kelvinator. As sales of smaller firms declined after 1950 in ...

Company in 1917. The Jeffery brand name was dropped at the time of the sale. The manufacture of Nash-branded automobiles commenced. In 1937, the concern became the Nash-Kelvinator Corporation through a merger with the major appliance maker. File:1901 Rambler A -Charles T. Jeffery.jpg, Thomas Jeffery in his prototype Rambler motor vehicle 1901 File:Rambler 1903 6HP Runabou on London to Brighton VCR 2010.jpg, Rambler 6HP Runabout 1903 File:Rambler 1903 6.5 HP Runabout on London to Brighton VCR 2010.jpg, Rambler 6 1/2HP Runabout 1903 File:Rambler 1904 7HP Rear-Entrance Tonneau on London to Brighton VCR 2010.jpg, Rambler 7HP Rear-entrance tonneau 1904 File:Rambler1908.jpg, 1908 Rambler advertisement File:1909 Rambler.jpg, A 1909 Rambler File:1913 Rambler 5-passenger Touring.JPG, 1913 Rambler five-passenger

File:1913RamblerTruck.jpg, 1913 Rambler truck on display at the

Iowa 80 Iowa 80 is the world's largest truck stop, located along Interstate 80 off exit 284 in Walcott, Iowa. It sits on a plot of land, three times larger than an average truckstop, and it receives 5,000 visitors daily. Iowa 80 features a main bu ...

Trucking Museum, Walcott, Iowa.

Overview of production figures

Rambler 1950–1957

Under the direction of Charles Nash's successor, George W. Mason, Nash-Kelvinator Corporation began the development of a small car that could be produced inexpensively for the post-

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

economy. Both General Motors and Ford had plans to develop smaller-sized cars after the war, but did not realize them. Moreover,

steel Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon that demonstrates improved mechanical properties compared to the pure form of iron. Due to steel's high Young's modulus, elastic modulus, Yield (engineering), yield strength, Fracture, fracture strength a ...

shortages following the war limited the amount of

raw material A raw material, also known as a feedstock, unprocessed material, or primary commodity, is a basic material that is used to produce goods, finished goods, energy, or intermediate materials/Intermediate goods that are feedstock for future finished ...

s that Nash could obtain. Hence, Mason ordered the development of a "compact car" that would have greater appeal to consumers, because the Crosley in production at that time was considered too small to be practical. The new Nash compact featured a unique

convertible A convertible or cabriolet () is a Car, passenger car that can be driven with or without a roof in place. The methods of retracting and storing the roof vary across eras and manufacturers. A convertible car's design allows an open-air drivin ...

design. It included many standard features that were typically options on other cars. This approach maximized

profit Profit may refer to: Business and law * Profit (accounting), the difference between the purchase price and the costs of bringing to market * Profit (economics), normal profit and economic profit * Profit (real property), a nonpossessory inter ...

s for the company. Nash-Kelvinator trademarked Rambler in 1950, the same nameplate as was used by its predecessor company in the early 1900s. When introduced, the Rambler was an immediate success for Nash. As the steel quotas related to the

Korean War The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...

eased, the Rambler line was broadened in its model types, first a

station wagon A station wagon (American English, US, also wagon) or estate car (British English, UK, also estate) is an automotive Car body style, body-style variant of a Sedan (automobile), sedan with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo ...

and two-door hardtop (no

B-pillar The pillars on a car with permanent roof body style (such as four-door sedans) are the vertical or nearly vertical supports of its window area or greenhouse—designated respectively as the A, B, C and (in larger cars such as 4-door stati ...

) named "Country Club", and later a two-door sedan. A further expansion of the line for 1954 included a four-door sedan and station wagon called "Cross Country" on a stretched

wheelbase In both road and rail vehicles, the wheelbase is the horizontal distance between the centers of the front and rear wheels. For road vehicles with more than two axles (e.g. some trucks), the wheelbase is the distance between the steering (front ...

, which proved to be as successful as the first generation of two-door sedan convertibles. The Rambler became the most successful of the early post-Second World War American compacts compared to the

Henry J The Henry J is an American automobile built by the Kaiser-Frazer Corporation and named after its chairman, Henry J. Kaiser. Mass production, Production of six-cylinder models began in their Willow Run factory in Michigan in July 1950, and four- ...

(and rebadged

Allstate The Allstate Corporation is an American insurance company, headquartered in Glenview, Illinois (with a Northbrook, Illinois address) since 2022. Founded in 1931 as part of Sears, Roebuck and Co., it was spun off in 1993, but was still pa ...

version), Willys Aero, and

Hudson Jet The Hudson Jet is a Compact car, compact-sized automobile produced by the Hudson Motor Car Company of Detroit, Detroit, Michigan, during the 1953 and 1954 model years. The Jet was the automaker's response to the popular Nash Rambler. The cost ...

. The first generation of modern Ramblers carried a modified version of Nash's ''Airflyte'' styling, which included closed wheel openings. While the wheel openings of any car are a major source of wind resistance, the design was rather primarily an engineering design to increase the strength of the car for impact resistance. The engine is positioned between massive inner fender bulges to allow for the skirted front fenders along with a narrow front track to provide a turning circle of . Ramblers continued to use this styling until 1955 when the front wheels were revealed by a periodic design update. In 1954 the Rambler offered the first combination heating and air conditioning unit available on American cars. The unit could be an add-on or could be installed at the factory for $395, which at that time was about the lowest-cost unit available in an American car. In 1954,

(AMC) was formed from the

merger Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are business transactions in which the ownership of a company, business organization, or one of their operating units is transferred to or consolidated with another entity. They may happen through direct absorpt ...

of Nash-Kelvinator and the

. Following the merger, 1955 and 1956 Ramblers were badged as both Nashes and Hudsons, with no visible differences. Rambler became a marque in its own right for the 1958 model year. The Nash and Hudson makes continued as a "senior" model only through 1957, after which all AMC's offerings were marketed as Ramblers, except the imported 1958–1962 Metropolitan. File:Nash Rambler (4252280021).jpg, 1951 Nash Rambler Custom two-door sedan File:1951 Nash Rambler Deliveryman (15112959125).jpg, 1951 Nash Rambler Deliveryman File:1952 Nash Rambler blue wagon front.jpg, 1952 Nash Rambler wagon File:1954 Nash Rambler Custom Country Club at 2015 AACA Eastern Regional Fall Meet 3of9.jpg, 1954 Nash Rambler Custom Country Club File:Flickr - DVS1mn - 55 Rambler Country Club (3).jpg, 1955 Rambler Country Club, made by American Motors Corporation File:1956 Nash Rambler (11398983695).jpg, 1956 Nash Rambler 4-Door Sedan File:1957 Rambler Custom Cross-Country wagon AnnMD-a.jpg, 1957 Rambler Custom Cross-Country wagon

Rambler 1958–1969

With the elimination of the Nash and Hudson marque, Rambler became the primary AMC make for 1958. At the start of the 1960s, George Romney made a marketing decision that more fully unified the Rambler model names under the Rambler brand. In 1962, the

Ambassador An ambassador is an official envoy, especially a high-ranking diplomat who represents a state and is usually accredited to another sovereign state or to an international organization as the resident representative of their own government or so ...

, a top-trim level model, was officially brought under the Rambler name (it had previously been named the "Ambassador by Rambler"). The former Rambler Six and

Rambler Rebel The Rambler Rebel is a series of automobiles manufactured by the American Motors Corporation (AMC) of Kenosha, Wisconsin, across two distinct periods: from 1957 through 1960 and again for the 1966 and 1967 model years. Beyond its production ...

V8 were renamed the

Rambler Classic The Rambler Classic is an Mid-size car, intermediate-sized automobile built and marketed by American Motors Corporation (AMC) from the 1961 through 1966 model years in three generations. The 1961 Classic line replaced the Rambler Six and V8, ...

. While the top-line models for 1958-1961 were advertised as the "Ambassador V-8 by Rambler", but on the cars themselves, the badging was "Rambler Ambassador". In 1958, AMC re-introduced America's first successful compact car, the

Rambler American The Rambler American is a compact car that was manufactured by the American Motors Corporation (AMC) between 1958 and 1969. The American was the second incarnation of AMC forerunner Nash Motors' compact Nash Rambler, Rambler that was introduced ...

, after a three-year hiatus. This car was essentially the no-frills, economical 1950 Nash Rambler, but slightly restyled and modernized with a new grille and full cut-out wheel openings. The Recession of 1958 hurt all carmakers except AMC, whose economy-oriented Ramblers saw high demand. The American was an instant success and lost sales only after the "Big Three" (GM, Ford, and Chrysler) each introduced compact cars of their own in the 1960s ( GM "X" body,

Ford Falcon The Ford Falcon is an automobile nameplate by Ford Motor Company, Ford that applied to several vehicles worldwide. * Ford Falcon (North America), an automobile produced by Ford from 1960 to 1970. * Ford Falcon (Argentina), a car built by Ford ...

, and Chrysler A platform). Romney also put into play his plan to slash production costs, which involved more common parts sharing between the Ambassador and Classic models. Beginning in 1962, all "senior" Rambler models would share the same

automobile platform A car platform is a shared set of common design, engineering, and production efforts, as well as major components, over a number of outwardly distinct models and even types of cars, often from different, but somewhat related, marques. It is prac ...

with identical wheelbase and body parts. However, the engines, trims, and equipment levels distinguished the Classic from the Ambassador. The Rambler's compact size (by U.S. standards) also made it an international competitor, and between 1961 and 1965, AMC opened thirteen foreign assembly plants, from

Costa Rica Costa Rica, officially the Republic of Costa Rica, is a country in Central America. It borders Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the northeast, Panama to the southeast, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, as well as Maritime bo ...

to the

Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...

. In 1963, the entire Rambler line received the ''

Motor Trend ''Motor Trend'' is an American automobile magazine. It first appeared in September 1949, and designated the first Car of the Year, also in 1949. Petersen Publishing Company in Los Angeles published ''Motor Trend'' until 1998, when it was sold ...

Car of the Year Car of the Year (COTY) is a common abbreviation for numerous automotive awards. The "Car of the Year" phrase is considered to have been introduced by '' Motor Trend'' magazine in 1949 when the new publication named Cadillac as Motor Trend Car of ...

award. However, Romney's departure to become Michigan governor opened the door for his successor, Roy Abernethy, to redirect the company towards a strategy of competing head-to-head with the Big Three (

General Motors General Motors Company (GM) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. The company is most known for owning and manufacturing f ...

Chrysler Corporation FCA US, LLC, doing business as Stellantis North America and known historically as Chrysler ( ), is one of the " Big Three" automobile manufacturers in the United States, headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan. It is the American subsidiary of ...

, and

Ford Motor Company Ford Motor Company (commonly known as Ford) is an American multinational corporation, multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, United States. It was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. T ...

) with a variety of bodies and

s. This new plan also included marketing the various models apart from the Rambler brand name, which Abernethy thought would be a hindrance in the market segments he hoped to pursue. One of the first moves in that direction was the development of the 1965 line of Ramblers, which visually split the Classic from the Ambassador while still sharing many parts. Once again, the Ambassador had a unique, extended wheelbase. In addition, AMC introduced the

Marlin Marlins are fish from the family Istiophoridae, which includes between 9 and 11 species, depending on the taxonomic authority. Name The family's common name is thought to derive from their resemblance to a sailor's marlinspike. Taxonomy T ...

, a hardtop

fastback A fastback is an automotive styling feature, defined by the rear of the car having a single slope from the roof to the tail. The kammback is not a fastback design with a roofline that tapers downward toward the car's rear before being cut of ...

intended to enter AMC in the youth and personal luxury market segments as well as also positioning it as a "halo" vehicle. AMC chief stylist Richard Teague introduced a restyled and attractive Rambler American in 1964, which was a sales success. This basic body remained in its original shape through 1969. Backed by marketing reports, Abernethy next made a persuasive argument to the AMC board that the Rambler name had not only acquired a stodgy image and hindered increasing

sales Sales are activities related to selling or the number of goods sold in a given targeted time period. The delivery of a service for a cost is also considered a sale. A period during which goods are sold for a reduced price may also be referred ...

, but that consumers associated it with

compact car Compact car is a vehicle size class—predominantly used in North America—that sits between subcompact cars and mid-size cars. "Small family car" is a British term and a part of the C-segment in the European car classification. However, before ...

s. In what hindsight would show to be an ill-conceived decision, American Motors began to phase it out in favor of an AMC marque starting with the 1966 model year as it attempted to become a multiplatform automobile manufacturer. By 1968, the only vehicle produced by AMC to carry the Rambler marque was the compact

. Although designed as a "basic" economy car, the American spawned the audacious SC/Rambler, developed with

Hurst Performance Hurst Performance, Inc. was an American manufacturer and marketer of automobile performance parts, most notably for muscle cars. History Hurst Performance was originally named Hurst-Campbell. The company was established in 1958 as an auto repa ...

. While AMC planned to produce only 500 for the 1969

model year The model year (sometimes abbreviated as MY) is a method of describing the version of a product which has been produced over multiple years. The model year may or may not be the same as the calendar year in which the product was manufactured. ...

, the "''Scrambler''" proved popular so two more groups of about 500 each were built. All featured the same V8, four-barrel

carburetor A carburetor (also spelled carburettor or carburetter) is a device used by a gasoline internal combustion engine to control and mix air and fuel entering the engine. The primary method of adding fuel to the intake air is through the Ventu ...

, and close-ratio four-speed transmission of the AMX, plus Hurst shifter, Twin-Grip (limited slip) differential, and cold air hood. For the final year in 1969, the "American" line was called Rambler. The 1969 Rambler (and Chevrolet Corvair and Dodge Dart) were the only U.S. compact cars available that year in a two-door hardtop body style; Ford compacts were available only as sedans. The last U.S.-built Rambler, of over 4.2 million cars that carried the Rambler name that rolled off the assembly line in Kenosha, was produced on 30 June 1969. File:1958 Rambler sedan pink and white NJ.jpg, 1958 Rambler sedan File:Fifty-six carloads of new 1958 Ramblers.jpg, Train unloading 1958 Ramblers for a car rental company in Florida. File:1962 Rambler Ambassador 2-door sedan Kenosha green-f.jpg, 1962

Rambler Ambassador An ambassador is an official envoy, especially a high-ranking diplomat who represents a state and is usually accredited to another sovereign state or to an international organization as the resident representative of their own government or so ...

, AMC's largest model File:1963 Rambler American 440-H black-red MD fl.jpg, 1963 Rambler American 440 2-door hardtop File:1964 Rambler Classic 770 wagon-green.jpg, 1964 Rambler Classic 770 wagon File:1966 AMC Ambassador red convertible in MD.JPG, 1966 Rambler Ambassador 990 convertible File:1967 AMC Rambler Rebel sedan aqua.jpg, 1967 Rambler Rebel 770 sedan

Rambler 1970–1983

The Rambler

marque A brand is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that distinguishes one seller's goods or service from those of other sellers. Brands are used in business, marketing, and advertising for recognition and, importantly, to create and ...

was continued in all international markets after it was dropped in the United States. AMC vehicles were badged as “Rambler" in Argentina, Australia, Chile, Costa Rica, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Philippines, Venezuela, South Africa, and the United Kingdom. In Argentina, a unique model based on the third-generation Rambler American became the IKA Torino in 1967. It was later named the Renault Torino and produced until 1981. The Rambler nameplate was last used on automobiles in 1983 by

Vehículos Automotores Mexicanos Vehículos Automotores Mexicanos, S.A. (VAM) was a Mexican automaker from 1946 to 1986. The original organization, a distributor and license manufacturer for Willys-Overland and AMC vehicles, became government controlled in 1963 with American Mo ...

(VAM) in Mexico.

Rambler brand cars

Historic: * Rambler: 1901–1913 Compact: *

: 1958–1968 * Rambler 1969 Mid-sized: * Rambler Six and V8: 1957–1960 *

: 1957–1960 *

: 1958–1965 *

: 1961–1966 * Rambler Typhoon: 1964 *

: 1967 *

Rambler Marlin The Rambler Marlin (later AMC Marlin) is a two-door fastback automobile produced in the United States by American Motors Corporation from 1965 to 1967. A halo car for the company, it was marketed as a personal luxury car. In 1965, the car was ...

: 1965 Show cars: * Rambler Palm Beach: 1950 * Rambler Tarpon: 1964 International: *

** Costa Rica 1965-1970 ** United Kingdom 1965-1974 * Rambler AMX ** Australia 1969–1970 * Rambler Hornet ** Australia 1970–1975Green Price and Model Guide, July–August 1983, page 74 ** Costa Rica 1970-1975 (as "Rambler SST" and "Rambler Unisex") ** Mexico 1970-1977 (as "VAM American" and "Rambler American") ** South Africa 1970-1971 ** Venezuela 1970-1977 * Rambler Javelin ** Australia 1968–1973 ** Germany 1968-1970 ** Mexico 1968-1973 ** Venezuela 1968-1974 ** Philippines 1968–1970. * Rambler Matador ** Australia 1971–1977 ** Costa Rica 1971-1974 ** Mexico 1971-1976 (as "Rambler Classic") ** United Kingdom 1971-1977 *

** Australia 1967–1971 ** Belgium 1967 (as "Renault Rambler") ** Costa Rica 1967-1970 ** Mexico 1967-1970 (as "Rambler Classic") ** New Zealand 1967-1971 ** United Kingdom 1967-1970

International production

File:1964 Rambler Classic 660 (27414915636).jpg, 1964

660 built by Campbell Motor Industries, New Zealand. File:Cancerdaytehran.jpg, Sherkate Sahami Jeep company built the 1966

from 1967 until 1974 in Iran. File:Rambler av.jpg, 1967 Renault Rambler sedan, built by

Renault Renault S.A., commonly referred to as Groupe Renault ( , , , also known as the Renault Group in English), is a French Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automobile manufacturer established in 1899. The company curr ...

, Belgium. File:1975 Rambler Hornet Sedan (45676182011).jpg, 1975 Rambler Hornet built by

Australian Motor Industries Australian Motor Industries (AMI) was an automobile assembly firm that was significant in the early history of the automotive industry in Australia. Start of production The origins of Australian Motor Industries can be traced back to 1926 w ...

, Australia. File:1974 Rambler Matador Sedan (9347190925).jpg, 1976 Australian-assembled Rambler Matador (U.S 1974 model) File:1971 Rambler Regal (21213649360).jpg, New Zealand-assembled 1970 Rambler Rebel. File:Rambler Classic IKA.JPG, Rambler Classic made by IKA, Argentina. Companies that undertook the production of Rambler vehicles outside of the United States either by local assembly or full import included the following: North America *

(Mexico): 1963–1983 * Purdy Motor (Costa Rica): 1964-1973 * Motorizada de Costa Rica (Costa Rica): 1974-1978 * Nassau Motors (Bahamas): 196?-197? Australasia *

(Australia): 1960–1977 * VW Motors Ltd (New Zealand): 1958-1962 * Campbell Motor Industries (New Zealand): 1964–1971 * Luzon Machineries Limited (Philippines): 196?-1970 Europe *

(France/Belgium): 1962-1967 * Jacques Poch (France): 1970s * Jean-Charles (France): 1970s * Nash Concessionaires Ltd (United Kingdom): 19??-1960 * Petrol Motor Power Co. (United Kingdom): 1902-1912 * Rambler Motors (A.M.C) Limited (United Kingdom): 1961-1977 * Peter Lindner GmbH (Germany) 1969-1977 * Wilhelm Karmann GmbH (Germany): 1968-1970 * Kolberg & Caspary AS (Norway): 1958-19?? South America * Automovil de Francia (Venezuela): 1963-1968 * Constructora Venezolana de Vehículos (Venezuela): 1968–1977 *

Industrias Kaiser Argentina Industrias Kaiser Argentina S.A. (mostly known for its acronym IKA) was an Argentina, Argentine automobile manufacturer established in 1956 as a joint venture with Kaiser Motors of the United States. Headquartered in Santa Isabel District, Río Cu ...

(Argentina): 1962–1972 * Juan Carlos Lutteral (Argentina) 1979-198? * Indauto (Chile): 1964-1967 * Automotores Franco Chilena (Chile) 1967-19?? * Rambler del Peru S.A (Peru): 1963-1966 * Industria Automotriz Peruana S.A (Peru): 1966-1970 Africa * National Motor Assemblers (South Africa): 1964-1967 * Rosslyn Motor Assemblers (South Africa): 1968 * Motor Assemblies Limited (South Africa): 1969-1970 Middle East * Pars Khodro (Iran): 1967-1974

Trademark

American Motors stopped producing cars using the Rambler trademark in 1970. In 1973, Action Age Incorporated wanted to register "Scrambler" for an off-highway vehicle and, in a case before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, contended that the trademark Rambler had been abandoned. This registration was opposed by AMC and the court determined that even though the manufacturing of Ramblers ended, the trademark was not abandoned because AMC continued to have commercial activities such as parts with the Rambler name on the boxes as well as franchising dealers that retained Rambler in their name or marketed used cars under the Rambler trademark./ The Rambler trademark registration expired on 12 December 1994, because Chrysler (the company that acquired AMC in 1987) did not file an affidavit of continued use. However, it was claimed by Chrysler as a retro or heritage mark that "had built an affinity and emotional connection with the consumer as a result of the original product that was in the marketplace, and continues to have nostalgia appeal with consumers who are still interested in acquiring products built around the mark’s core values and replicates the markets and the mark itself." In a 2008 case before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, the

United States Patent and Trademark Office The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is an List of federal agencies in the United States, agency in the United States Department of Commerce, U.S. Department of Commerce that serves as the national patent office and trademark ...

determined that Chrysler continued to have products licensed in connection with the Rambler mark for automobiles and thus sufficiently related to automobiles so that consumers would ascribe a single source to the products. Chrysler, as the successor company, was able to "prove non-abandonment by demonstrating that there were many Rambler cars (and related supplies) bearing the mark still in use. The board ruled that Chrysler "has priority of use, at the very least with respect to key rings, calendars, decals, specification sheets, and owner's manuals, all relating to Rambler automobiles."

References

External links

The AMC Rambler Car Club

Ramblers at ConceptCarz
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rambler (Automobile) Rambler vehicles 1900s cars 1910s cars 1950s cars 1960s cars AMC vehicles Brass Era vehicles Veteran vehicles Cars introduced in 1900 Cars introduced in 1950 Compact cars Defunct motor vehicle manufacturers of the United States George W. Romney Motor vehicle manufacturers based in Michigan Motor vehicle manufacturers based in Wisconsin Motor vehicles manufactured in the United States Nash vehicles Rear-wheel-drive vehicles Sedans Station wagons Defunct manufacturing companies based in Michigan Defunct manufacturing companies based in Wisconsin Companies based in Kenosha, Wisconsin