From muscle automobile to fashionista.
What American Motors lacked in scale and monetary depth, it made up for in pluck and creativity. The Kenosha, Wisconsin primarily based carmaker appeared to at all times be getting ready to disaster, but by some means managed to maintain issues attention-grabbing available in the market place.
1972 AMC Javelin Pierre Cardin
One dollar-efficient maneuver employed by the AMC advertising and marketing workforce was a collection of licensed “designer” packages provided on sure fashions. Amongst them:
And a lot of Levi’s Version autos replete with, in some circumstances, real-denim upholstery.
Additionally provided, and seen within the advert under, was the Pierre Cardin Javelin. Accessible for the 1972 and 1973 years, the $84.95 (1972) package deal introduced with it particular inside colours and patterns, and a restricted exterior shade pallet.
Cardin Javelins might be had in Snow White, Stardust Silver, Trans Am Crimson, Wild Plum, and Diamond Blue.
Whereas AMC was by no means generally known as an business type chief, the designer-series automobiles had been truly properly acquired, although gross sales had been fairly sluggish. All informed, the carmaker cranked out roughly 60,000 Javelins in 1972 and 1973, although solely 4100 or so got here outfitted with the Pierre Cardin package deal. That’s a couple of 6.5-percent take charge.
The designer-series effort made sense in 1972, because the muscle-car period—because of low-lead gasoline and rising insurance coverage prices—had come to an in depth, and carmakers had been scrambling to seek out methods to promote sporty automobiles with out promoting horsepower or drag-strip-performance figures.
For extra co-branded and designer enjoyable, take a look at these traditional designer Lincolns, and these principally forgotten licensed-vehicle trim ranges.
Take heed to the Automobile Stuff Podcast
Javelin Pierre Cardin Footage
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