|
| transmission = | wheelbase = | length = | width = | height = | weight = (base) | predecessor = AMC Hornet | related = | layout = FR layout | platform = AMC’s "junior cars" | designer = Richard A. Teague }} The AMC Concord is a compact car produced by the American Motors Corporation for the 1978 through 1983 model years. The Concord replaced the AMC Hornet and to some extent the mid-size AMC Matador, discontinued after 1978 in a market moving to downsized automobiles. Offered in four-door sedan, two-door coupe (through 1982), three-door hatchback (through 1979) and four-door station wagon forms, AMC sought to give its, by this time venerable, compact car an image of luxury, class, and value. The Concord was AMC's volume seller from the time it appeared. The car was available as a sports-oriented two-door hatchback AMX model without any "Concord" badges or identification for the 1978 model year, as well as the Concord Sundancer convertible during 1981 and 1982, an authorized conversion sold through AMC dealers. Vehiculos Automotores Mexicanos (VAM) assembled and marketed modified Concord versions in Mexico as the VAM American, including a unique VAM Lerma model. Concord station wagons were converted to electric cars in Cortland, New York, and marketed independently of AMC as the Solargen Electric for only the 1979 and 1980 model years. == Origin and development == American Motors was unable to develop a completely new car to replace its successful, but aging, Hornet. Competition was expected from the new Ford Fox platform (also introduced for 1978 as the Fairmont and Zephyr). The rear-wheel drive GM A platform (RWD) intermediates such as the Chevrolet Malibu were to be downsized to the same wheelbase as the Hornet for the 1978 model year as well, following the previous shrinking of full size GM models. Therefore, the smallest domestic American automaker needed something fresh to continue competing in a class that had long been their core market segment. The 1978 Concord offered slightly revised styling, higher level of appointments and features, and an emphasis on workmanship and quality prompted by the growing success of cars imported from Japan. The transformation of the old Hornet into the new 1978 Concord included promoting the new model as an upscale luxury compact with competitive starting price in the mid-US$4,000 range (adjusted only for inflation equivalent to US$ in dollars). The U.S. automobile industry has had a place "for a small company deft enough to exploit special market segments left untended by the giants" and under the leadership of "Gerald C. Meyers, AMC transformed the austere old Hornet into the handsomer Concord." Richard A. Teague, AMC's top car designer, utilized the facelifted 1977 Gremlin's front fenders with a new hood over a chrome six-section egg-crate grille incorporating white rectangular parking lights, as well as new rectangular headlights, bumpers, fiberglass rear fender end caps, rectangular tri-color taillights, and a stand-up hood ornament with a new Concord emblem. On cars with the optional D/L package, the roof featured an outlined quarter-vinyl cover that was available in matching or contrasting color. The new model featured increased sound insulation and suspension upgrades to isolate the interior from vibration and noise. The new compact car's luxury ride - "aiming at a virtually noiseless boulevard ride" was engineered by isolating the front suspension and rear axle from the car. All Concord models included special insulation in the dashboard and front floor, as well as sound-deadening coatings to all areas where plastic components joined.〔 Top models also came with molded fiberglass acoustical headlining and sound absorption pads behind all interior panels.〔 The Concord also came with numerous standard comfort and upscale features, gaining an inch (25.4 mm) of rear seat headroom, as well as two additional inches (50.8 mm) of rear passenger legroom.〔 An advantage of using the aging and heavy Hornet design was its body stiffness and safety performance. Crash tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) showed the probability of injury in a struck vehicle to range from a low of 9 percent for the 4-door AMC Concord to a high of 97 percent for the 2-door Nissan Sentra. American Motors was increasingly turning to the rapidly growing four-wheel-drive market, but most of the press coverage for the 1978 model year "was focused on AMC's new Concord luxury compact car, which was a sign that even then reporters still considered automobiles more important than Jeeps." 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「AMC Concord」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|