01
Origins
The Ambassador of 1957 was the prestige end of the Rambler world: George Romney's compact-car company discovered that some customers wanted Rambler sense with full-size space and V8 power, and the Ambassador supplied it by stretching the Rambler platform ahead of the firewall. It carried AMC's new V8, plusher trim, and a price still comfortably under the Detroit establishment's. The badge juggling tells the corporate story — sold variously as Rambler Ambassador and later simply AMC Ambassador, it stayed in the line right through 1974, growing with each generation until it was as large as the cars Romney had once mocked. Its long, quiet career funded AMC's adventures elsewhere. For a marque synonymous with restraint, the Ambassador was the profitable exception: the sensible company's slightly senior partner.
1958 Ambassador 4-d hardtop · CZmarlin — Christopher Ziemnowicz, releases all rights but a photo credit would be appreciated if this image is used anywhere other than Wikipedia. Please leave a note at Wikipedia here. Thank you! · Public domain
