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93-621: It was originally established in January 1984 as a joint-venture with BAIC Motor of Beijing, China and American Motors Corporation (AMC) of Michigan, USA therefore named as Beijing Jeep Corporation ( Chinese : 北京吉普汽车有限公司 ). It was the first Chinese auto-making joint venture with a Western partner. The joint venture continued after AMC was acquired by Chrysler in 1987, when Chrysler merged with German automaker Daimler-Benz AG in 1998 and finally ended their partnership in 2005. The history of this company goes back to Beijing Jeep Corporation (BJC), which

186-692: A Mercedes-Benz E-Class in December 2005. The company started producing the Mercedes-Benz E-Class locally in 2006 and the C-Class in 2008. Manufacture of Chrysler-branded models continued until at least 2008. This included the 300C and Sebring, which were both locally produced and imported. Prior to 2010, the E-Class was assembled from knock-down kits with a low localization rate of about 30%. Shortly afterwards, in 2017, Beijing Benz began manufacturing 58% of

279-573: A 5 kW increase to 130 kW, while the E 500 uses the 225 kW 5.0-litre V8 from the W220 S-Class to supersede the W210 E 430. The E 320 remained unchanged, producing 165 kW of power. The E 320 CDI used the 3,222 cc (3.222 L; 196.6 cu in) in-line 6-cylinder diesel engine, OM648 , that made 204 PS (150 kW; 201 hp) at 4,200 rpm and 500 N⋅m (369 lb⋅ft) at 1,800–2,600 rpm. Engines were updated as part of

372-532: A bother some decline" actually began falling behind in share of sales. Moreover, a new line of redesigned cars in the full and mid-sized markets was launched in the fall of 1966. The cars won acclaim for their fluid styling, and Abernethy's ideas did work as Ambassador sales increased significantly. However, the dated designs of the Rambler Americans hurt its sales, which offset gains from Ambassador sales. There were quality control problems with introducing

465-494: A consultant and he took a seat on the board of directors . Nash's George W. Mason became president and CEO. Mason, the architect of the merger, believed that the survival of the U.S.'s remaining independent automakers depended on their joining to form one multiple-brand company capable of challenging the Big Three as an equal. The "frantic 1953–54 Ford/GM price war" devastated the remaining "independent" automakers. The reasons for

558-502: A decade before the Big Three offered them as options. Bendix disc brakes were made standard on the Marlin and optional on other models in 1965. This made the Marlin one of the first modern American cars with standard disc brakes, while the Big Three did not offer them until the early 1970s on most of their models to meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards . In the early part of the decade, sales were strong, thanks in no small part to

651-464: A full-sized Ford or Chevy. There was only an absence of largest-sized cars from the American Motors lineup in 1963 and 1964 The first cars bearing his signature were the 1965 models. The 1965 models were a major makeover of the new platform that had just been introduced in 1963. These were a longer Ambassador series and new convertibles for the larger models. During mid-year, a fastback , called

744-466: A full-sized car in 1974 and was discontinued after the 1974 model year, leaving only the Matador as American Motors' full-size offering. Nash and American Motors made Ambassadors from 1927 through 1974, the longest use of the same model name for any American Motors product and, at the time, the longest continuously used nameplate in the industry. In 1974, the first-generation Matador two-door hardtop, known as

837-459: A joint research effort to consider producing an electric car that was to be powered by a "self-charging" battery. Sonotone had the technology for making sintered plate nickel–cadmium batteries that can be recharged very rapidly and are lighter than a typical automobile lead–acid battery . In 1959, American Motors hired designer Dick Teague, who had previously worked for General Motors , Packard , and Chrysler ; after Edmund E. Anderson left

930-449: A plain brown wrapper, instead of the previous year's glossy cover. A completely new design was also slated for the larger 1967 models. This strategy added $ 60 million in retooling costs, a significant stretch for the company. The latest models shared fewer parts and were more expensive to build. Abernethy continued his objective to position the new Rebel and Ambassador designs on an equal basis with competitive economy models marketed by

1023-458: A production base at the Beijing Economic & Technological Development Area. Another plant opened in 2010. This opening may have increased potential Beijing Benz production capacity to 300,000 units/year. Such unit counts may consider engines and automobiles as discrete. A future engine-making production base is scheduled to become operational in 2013. While Beijing Benz does not produce all

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1116-438: A refusal to participate in the Big Three's restyling race. This cost-control policy helped Rambler develop a reputation for building solid economy cars. Company officials were confident in the changing market and in 1959 announced a $ 10 million (US$ 104,520,548 in 2016 dollars ) expansion of its Kenosha complex (to increase annual straight-time capacity from 300,000 to 440,000 cars). A letter to shareholders in 1959 claimed that

1209-408: A result, 1958 became AMC's first year of profitability since its formation, with $ 28 million in earnings. The Nash and Hudson brands were dropped, and Rambler became a marque in its own right and the mainstay of the company. The popular British-built Metropolitan subcompact continued as a standalone brand until it was discontinued in 1961. The prototype 1958 Nash Ambassador / Hudson Hornet , built on

1302-490: A sedan and a wagon, for use in his popular television series Adam-12 , increasing the cars' public profile. Matadors saw fleet use as taxis, government, police, and fire vehicles in some states. In 1973, American Motors signed a licensing agreement with Curtiss-Wright to build Wankel engines for cars and Jeeps. Starting in 1974, the Matador sedan and station wagon were mildly refreshed, with new boxier front and rear ends, making it full-sized. This second-generation model

1395-438: A stretched Rambler platform, was renamed at the last minute as "Ambassador by Rambler". To round out the model line, American Motors reintroduced the previous 1955, 100 in (2,540 mm) wheelbase Nash Rambler as the new Rambler American with only a few modifications. This gave Rambler a compact lineup that included the reintroduced American, the 108 in (2,743 mm) wheelbase Rambler Six and Rebel V8 , as well as

1488-644: A time, both the Hornet and Gremlin could be ordered with Levi's denim interiors. The new facelifted, mid-sized AMC Matador replaced the Rebel in 1971, using an advertising campaign that asked, "What's a Matador?" In 1972, American Motors won the tender for Los Angeles Police Department cruisers, and Matadors were used by the department from 1972 until 1975, replacing the Plymouth Satellite . American Motors supplied Mark VII Limited owner Jack Webb with two Matadors,

1581-577: A week after Mason's death, Romney announced "there are no mergers under way either directly or indirectly." Romney agreed with Mason's commitment to buy S-P products. Mason and Nance had agreed that S-P would endeavor to purchase parts from American Motors in return, but S-P did not do so. As the Packard engines and transmissions were comparatively expensive, American Motors began development of its own V8 . American Motors also spent US$ 40 million developing its Double Safe Single Unit monocoque , which debuted in

1674-415: Is 11.3:1. According to many auto journalists, the E 63 AMG was one of the quickest production sports sedans in the world. Both the sedan (saloon) and wagon had a 0–60 mph (97 km/h) acceleration time of 4.3 seconds. Compared to the previous E 55 AMG, the E 63 AMG had more horsepower but less torque, enabling it to be mated to the newer 7G-Tronic automatic transmission. While the E 500 and E 550 had

1767-488: Is limited to 542 lb⋅ft (735 N⋅m), not enough to handle the torque from the supercharged V8. E 55 came with an AMG tuned Airmatic suspension with 3 different driving modes as well as the ability to significantly raise the car. The E 55 features 14.2 in (360 mm) cross drilled disc brakes at the front with 8 piston calipers. The rear brakes consist of 13-inch (330 mm) discs and 4 piston calipers. The E 55 came with 245/40/18 tires up front and 265/35/18 in

1860-625: Is the third generation Mercedes-Benz E-Class made from 2001 to 2009 in sedan/saloon and station wagon/estate configurations – replacing the W210 E-Class models and superseded by the Mercedes-Benz W212 in 2009. The C219 , marketed as the CLS , was introduced as a niche model in 2005, based on W211 mechanicals. Launched in 2002 for the 2003 model year, the W211 E-Class was another evolution of

1953-542: The Hornet range of compact cars. The Hornet and the later Gremlin shared platforms . The Gremlin, the first North American-built subcompact, sold more than 670,000 units from 1970 through 1978. The Hornet became American Motors' best-selling passenger car since the Rambler Classic, with more than 860,000 units sold when production ended in 1977. The Hornet platform continued to be built under various models through 1987. For

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2046-524: The Marlin , was added. It competed directly with cars like the Dodge Charger , but AMC's "family-sized" fastback emphasized personal-luxury . The continuing quest "in the business world's toughest race – the grinding contest against the Big Three automobile makers" also meant annual styling changes requiring large expenditures. American Motors's management total confidence "that the new 1965 models would stem

2139-660: The Nash Rambler in 1950, Hornet , Gremlin , and Pacer ; intermediate and full-sized cars , including the Ambassador , Rambler Classic , Rebel , and Matador ; muscle cars , including the Marlin , AMX , and Javelin ; and early four-wheel drive variants of the Eagle and the Jeep Wagoneer , the first true crossovers in the U.S. market. Regarded as "a small company deft enough to exploit special market segments left untended by

2232-552: The Paris Motor Show . It debuted as the fastest production sedan in the world. The E 55 AMG was also offered in an estate version for later model years. The E 55 AMG is powered by the M113K engine, a 5.4 L V8 with a Lysholm type supercharger manufactured by IHI. The E 55's engine won International Performance Engine of the Year for 2003. The E 55's engine, although the same as

2325-406: The "Big Three" introduced ever-larger cars, American Motors followed a "dinosaur-fighter" strategy. George W. Romney 's leadership focused the company on the compact car, a fuel-efficient vehicle 20 years before there was a real need for them. This gave Romney a high profile in the media. Two core strategic factors came into play: (1) the use of shared components in American Motors products and (2)

2418-1075: The "flying brick" due to its poor aerodynamics in NASCAR competition, was replaced with a sleek, smoothly shaped, and radically styled two-door coupe. The model received praise for its design, including "Best Styled Car of 1974" by Car and Driver magazine, customer satisfaction, and sold almost 100,000 coupes over five years. The Matador Coupe shared few components with the Matador sedan and station wagon other than suspension, drive train, some trim, and interior parts. In 1974, American Motors's AM General subsidiary began building urban transit buses in cooperation with Flyer Industries of Winnipeg , Manitoba. A total of 5,431 Metropolitan buses, including 219 electric trolley buses , were built before production ceased in 1979. Production of diesel buses had ceased in 1978, with only trolley bus production taking place in 1979. The AMC Pacer , an innovative all-new model introduced in March 1975 and marketed as "the first wide small car",

2511-717: The ( NASCAR ) champion during the early 1950s; the Wasp now used the former engine of the Hudson Jet. The Nash Ambassador and Statesman continued with overhead- valve and L-head sixes, respectively. Hudson and Nash cars had different front suspensions. Trunk lids were interchangeable, but other body panels, rear window glass, dash panels, and braking systems differed. The Hudson Hornet, Wasp, and their Nash counterparts had improved ride, visibility, and fuel economy because of their lighter unitized Nash body. The larger Nash and Hudson range did not sell well, and AMC lost money each year. Dismayed with

2604-583: The 117 in (2,972 mm) wheelbase Ambassador. Sales of Ramblers soared in the late 1950s partly because of American Motors' focus on the compact car and its marketing efforts. These included sponsoring the hugely popular Walt Disney anthology television series and as an exhibitor at the Disneyland theme park in Anaheim, California. George Romney himself pitched the Rambler product in television commercials. While

2697-545: The 1956 model year. In mid-1956, the 352 cu in (5.8 L) Packard V8 and TwinUltramatic transmission were phased out and replaced by American Motors's new V8 and by GM Hydra-Matic and Borg-Warner transmissions. American Motors combined the Nash and Hudson product lines under a common manufacturing strategy in 1955, with the production of Nashes and Hudsons consolidated at the Nash plant in Kenosha. The Detroit Hudson plant

2790-494: The 1968 model year cars, which required a neutral position between reverse and drive, while General Motors still offered a shift selector that had reverse immediately next to low gear (PNDSLR) well into the 1960s. Unique in the U. S. automotive industry, American Motors offered adjustable front seat backrests from their Nash-origin, and in 1964, the Classic and Ambassador were equipped with standard dual reclining front seats nearly

2883-554: The A-pillar forward, the Ambassador was redesigned and stretched 7 inches (178 mm) to become the biggest ever, just as the 1973 Arab Oil Embargo sparked gasoline rationing across the nation. The additional length was due to a new front-end design and more substantial energy-absorbing bumpers required of all automobiles sold in the U.S. Sales of all large cars fell due to economic problems and rising gasoline prices. The Ambassador became

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2976-728: The American Motors Jeep Cherokee (XJ) in Beijing . While talks began in the late 1970s, operation started in 1985. The initial investment by AMC was $ 8 million. Assembly of the Cherokee continued after Chrysler purchased American Motors as did production of the classic Beijing BJ212 -based SUVs. Beijing Jeep has since become well known as an example of early foreign direct investment in China. Its pitfalls and successes are pored over in case studies, and such academic reports sometimes compare

3069-611: The Bessemer–American Motors Corporation. The Nash-Kelvinator/Hudson deal was a straight stock transfer (three shares of Hudson listed at 11 + 1 ⁄ 8 , for two shares of American Motors and one share of Nash-Kelvinator listed at 17 + 3 ⁄ 8 , for one share of American Motors) and finalized in the spring of 1954, forming the fourth-biggest auto company in the U.S. with assets of US$ 355 million and more than $ 100 million in working capital . The new company retained Hudson CEO A.E. Barit as

3162-423: The Big Three. American Motors did not have their own electric car program as did the Big Three, and after some negotiation, a contract was drawn in 1967 with Gulton Industries to develop a new battery based on lithium and a speed controller designed by Victor Wouk. A nickel-cadmium battery powered 1969 Rambler station wagon demonstrated the power systems that according to the scientist was a "wonderful car". This

3255-465: The Chrysler and Jeep brands, however. During Chrysler's short-lived partnership with Daimler AG, maker of Mercedes-Benz cars, production at Beijing Jeep was expanded to include Mercedes-Benz-branded products. Its legal name was changed to Beijing Benz-DaimlerChrysler Automotive Co Ltd, with then German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder in attendance at the 2004 naming ceremony. While Chrysler was removed from

3348-609: The E 55 AMG. Besides the Saloon, it was also offered in the Estate body style similarly to the E 55 AMG estate model to compete with the new wagon versions of the BMW M5 (E61) and Audi RS 6 (C6), though those two high-performance wagons were never sold in North America. This engine had a high-pressure die-cast alloy cylinder block with twin-wire arc spray coated running surfaces. Compression ratio

3441-647: The Mercedes-branded autos sold on the Chinese market. Some Mercedes offerings, the S-Class for example, are imported by Mercedes-Benz (China) Ltd. As of 2009, Beijing Benz products, alongside those of several other makes, are purchased for use by Chinese State officials such as ministers and provincial heads. Sales in 2010 were expected to reach 50,000 cars, but total Mercedes-Benz sales in China including imports were near 150,000. In 2008, Beijing Benz's production capacity

3534-514: The Pacer and Matador Coupe drained capital that might otherwise have been invested in updating the more popular Hornet and Gremlin lines so that toward the end of the 1970s, the company faced the growing energy crisis with aged products that were uncompetitive in hotly contested markets. However, "AMC used cars, as far back as 1967, had the advantage of good warranty coverage … so most owners were conscious of low-cost car maintenance … AMC units became some of

3627-503: The Pacer instead. The fuel economy was better than the expected rotary engine's, but the I6's gas mileage was relatively low in light of the new focus on energy efficiency. Also, as the Pacer shared few components other than the drivetrain with other American Motors cars, it was expensive to make, and the cost increased when sales fell steeply after the first two years. The Pacer line was discontinued in mid-1980. Development and production costs for

3720-477: The S65 AMG. However, Car and Driver criticized the brakes on the E 55, chastising them for being difficult to modulate, and said that the car as a whole felt 'aloof'. Car and Driver also tested an E 55 AMG Wagon, which weighs 256 lb (116 kg) more than the sedan. They found that it accelerated from 0–60 mph (0–97 km/h) in 4.1 seconds and 0–100 mph (0–161 km/h) in 9.7 seconds. The E 55

3813-638: The United States had ended, and its Canadian operations ceased in 1966. The "Big Three", plus the smaller American Motors, Kaiser Jeep , International Harvester , Avanti , and Checker companies were the remaining North American auto manufacturers. Abernethy believed that American Motors's reputation of building reliable, economical cars could translate into a new strategy that could follow AMC buyers as they traded into larger, more expensive vehicles. American Motors, in reality, had produced large cars throughout its history. The Rambler Ambassadors were as large as

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3906-434: The brake system. Only Cadillac also included this safety feature six years before U.S. safety regulations required it on all cars. Rambler also was an early pioneer in offering an automatic shift indicator sequence (P R N D2 D1 L, where if one selected "D2", the car started in second gear, while "1" began in first gear) on its "Flash-O-Matic" transmission which is similar to today's "PRNDSL" shift pattern, made mandatory for

3999-460: The company in 1961, Teague was named principal designer and in 1964, vice president. To stay competitive, American Motors produced a wide range of products during the 1960s and added innovations long before the "Big Three" introduced them. For example, the Rambler Classic was equipped with a standard tandem master cylinder in 1962 that provided stopping ability even if there was a failure in

4092-465: The company in 2009, it remained in its legal name for several more years. Mercedes-Benz was firstly involved in a short lived joint venture from 1987 until 1988 with FAW (First Automobile Works) where 828 vehicles were produced consisting of the Mercedes-Benz (W123) 200 and 230E Lang, most of which were made from CKD kits. Incidentally, Daimler had previously cooperated with FAW Group to produce

4185-404: The company saw a $ 11.8 million loss. In response, Romney launched a massive public relations campaign, traveling 70,000 miles (112,654 kilometres) nationwide in 12 months. Romney spoke at union halls, dinners, churches, fairgrounds, and radio and TV stations. He was anywhere where he could get the word out about Rambler. Rambler sales took off in 1958, up 58.7%, and 425 new dealers were signed up. As

4278-525: The company to reach an agreement on August 26, 1961, with the United Auto Workers for a profit sharing plan that was new in the automobile industry. Its new three-year labor contract included generous annual improvement pay increases, and automatic cost-of-living raises. However, in 1962, Romney resigned to run for Governor of Michigan . His replacement was Roy Abernethy , American Motors' successful sales executive. By 1964, Studebaker production in

4371-438: The company's history of building small cars, which came into vogue in 1961. In both 1960 and 1961, Ramblers ranked in third place among U. S. automobile sales, up from third on the strength of small-car sales, even in the face of a lot of new competition. Romney's strategic focus was very successful, as reflected in the firm's healthy profits year after year. The company became completely debt-free. The financial success allowed

4464-423: The de-emphasis of the Rambler brand because he believed the public associated it too strongly with economy cars and that it was hindering the sale of American Motors' other models at a time when mid and luxury car sales were robust. As a result, he ordered that for 1966, the Ambassador and Marlin were to be badged purely as a product of American Motors. The strategy shift at first seemed to be working because sales of

4557-679: The decade's muscle car boom, most notably the AMX . At the same time, the Javelin served as the company's entrant into the sporty pony car market created by the Plymouth Barracuda and the Ford Mustang . Additional operating cash was derived in 1968 through the sale of Kelvinator Appliance, once one of the firm's core operating units. The Kelvinator divestiture left American Motors a downsized company solely manufacturing automobiles. The Rambler marque

4650-511: The facelift, and the new 320 CDI was powered by a 2987 cc OM642 V6 engine delivering 224 hp at 3,800 rpm and 540 N⋅m (398 lb⋅ft) at 1,600–2,800 rpm. The E 400 CDI used Mercedes-Benz's OM628 3,996 cc (3.996 L; 243.9 cu in) V8 diesel engine, that made 260 PS (191 kW; 256 hp) at 4,000 rpm and 560 N⋅m (413 lb⋅ft) at 1,700–2,600 rpm. The second generation E 55 AMG debuted in September 2002 at

4743-428: The failure of its attempt to acquire the maker of Mercedes-Benz models . That German company, Daimler , kept the profitable China manufacturing operation for itself once it was clear the merger was a failed prospect. Domestic manufacture of Jeep-branded vehicles ceased in 2006. Newer Jeep models are now being produced at a joint venture between Guangzhou Automobile Group and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles , current owner of

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4836-513: The front grill, rear view mirror, side mirrors, redesigned headlamps, front spoiler, rear lights, gear knob and steering wheel. Coinciding with the minor model update, the largest factory built engine in the E-class range, the E 500 (badged E 550 in some countries), had its engine size increased from 5 litres to 5.5 litres in 2006. The E 63 AMG was the refreshed high-performance model of the W211, replacing

4929-400: The giants", American Motors was widely known for the design work of chief stylist Dick Teague , who "had to make do with a much tighter budget than his counterparts at Detroit's Big Three", but "had a knack for making the most of his employer's investment". After periods of intermittent independent success, Renault acquired a significant interest in American Motors in 1979, and the company

5022-576: The iconic Jeep brand of light trucks and SUVs, as well as Kaiser-Jeep's government contracts – notably the M151 line of military Jeeps and the DJ-Series postal Jeeps. American Motors also expanded its international network. The military and special products business was reconstituted as "American Motors General Products Division", later reorganized as AM General . In 1970, American Motors consolidated all passenger cars under one distinct brand identity and debuted

5115-422: The introduction of new compact cars by American Motors' large domestic competitors (for the 1960 model year) "signals the end of big-car domination in the U.S." and that American Motors predicts small-car sales in the U.S. may reach three million units by 1963. American Motors was also beginning to experiment with non-gasoline-powered automobiles. On April 1, 1959, American Motors and Sonotone Corporation announced

5208-727: The marketing strategy of Beijing Jeep with that of Shanghai Volkswagen , another early Sino-foreign joint venture. When Chrysler purchased American Motors in 1987, its Jeep brand came with an unexpected boon, Beijing Jeep. A few Chrysler models were subsequently added to the Chinese company's product line including the Jeep Grand Cherokee , Mitsubishi Pajero Sport , and the Mitsubishi Outlander , as well as some Beijing Jeep-branded, locally developed vehicles. Chrysler no longer had any ownership in Beijing Jeep as of early 2009 due to

5301-444: The merger between Nash and Hudson included helping cut costs and strengthen their sales organizations to meet the intense competition expected from autos' Big Three. One quick result from the merger was the doubling up with Nash on purchasing and production, allowing Hudson to cut prices an average of $ 155 on the Wasp line, and up to $ 204 on the more expensive Hornet models. After the merger, AMC had its first profitable quarter during

5394-409: The new 320 cu in (5.2 L) Packard V8 engine and Packard's Ultramatic automatic transmission available to American Motors for its 1955 Nash Ambassador and Hudson Hornet models. When Mason died in 1954, George W. Romney succeeded him. Ironically, Romney had once been offered Nance's job. In 1948, Romney received offers from Packard for the post of chief operating officer and from Nash for

5487-575: The new corporate logo. However, "American Motors" and "AMC" were used interchangeably in corporate literature well into the 1980s. The branding issue was further complicated when the company's Eagle all-wheel drive passenger cars were marketed as the American Eagle in the 1980s. In the late 1960s, Kaiser Industries Corporation decided to leave the automotive industry and sought a buyer for its money-losing Kaiser Jeep division. American Motors' vice president for manufacturing, Gerald C. Meyers , headed

5580-579: The new full-sized cars and persistent rumors of the company's demise because of its precarious cash flow. Consumer Reports ' negative ratings for American Motors' safety did not help. During this time, AMC's international sales were expanding. From only 18,000 cars five years ago, the 1965 model year AMC sold 74,420 vehicles in Canada, Europe, and Latin America. AMC remained the most significant U.S. seller of autos in both France and Germany. Abernethy also called for

5673-454: The number two position in the company. Although the Packard offer would have paid more, Romney decided to work under Mason because he thought Nash had a brighter future. Studebaker-Packard president James Nance refused to consider merging with American Motors unless he could take the top position (Mason and Nance were former competitors as heads of the Kelvinator and Hotpoint , respectively), and

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5766-543: The one in the SL55 AMG, had less horsepower, at 476 PS (350 kW; 469 hp) and 516 lb⋅ft (700 N⋅m) of torque. The difference in power is due to a smaller-diameter, longer-length exhaust system in the E 55. The supercharged 5.4 L V8 engine was mated to the Speedshift 5-speed automatic transmission , which has a torque capacity of 796 lb⋅ft (1,079 N⋅m), as the newer 7G-Tronic introduced in 2003

5859-665: The parts for the Mercedes-Benz GLA , Mercedes-Benz GLB and Mercedes-Benz GLC in China for those parts to be exported afterwards for assembly. As well as Beijing, there is also a subsidiary in Fuzhou, Fujian under the name Fujian Benz established in 2007 where they have produced light commercial vehicles such as the Vito since April 2011 and the Sprinter in November 2011. The Viano commenced in

5952-466: The previous model. Before North American sales began, the car was shown in the 2002 movie Men in Black II . The W211 development program began in 1997, followed by design work. The final designs were chosen in 1999, and German patents were filed on December 18, 2000 utilizing an E 500 prototype. Development ended in 2001 after 48 months, at a total cost of €2 billion. Pilot production went into testing in

6045-559: The rear with performance tires on the standard AMG 18" split spoke wheels. Car and Driver reported in their testing that the E 55 AMG was faster than the SL55 AMG. The E 55 AMG was the fastest four door car in Mercedes-Benz's lineup at the time. While the E 55 could accelerate from 0-100 mph (161 km/h) in 9.8 seconds, it took the Audi RS6 11 seconds. The E 55 was the fastest production sedan available until Mercedes-Benz released

6138-409: The redesigned 1965 and 1966 Ambassadors improved, even as AMC's overall production decreased from the record level achieved in 1963. However, corporate earnings per share were a meager 27 cents per share, the lowest since AMC made its famous compact car comeback in 1958. Investors received a message of the changing fortune of the automaker when the company's 1966 annual financial report was delivered in

6231-500: The results, Romney decided in 1956 that the company's future lay with the compact Rambler line. Romney halted production on the new large cars and focused entirely on the new Rambler Six and V8 introducing them in 1956, despite being scheduled for a 1957 release. Sales of the new Ramblers were poor, and sales of the Hudson and Nash models were almost non-existent, resulting in a $ 31.7 million operating loss for 1956. Sales improved in 1957, but

6324-576: The same month as the Vito and ended production in April 2015. The V-Class was launched in March 2016. Since the 2014 sales of Chrysler and Jeep to FIAT, the Jeep-like vehicles and their derivatives have been produced by the BAIC subsidiary Beijing Automobile Works Co., Ltd. (BAW) . As of 2016, Beijing Benz assembles and manufactures the Mercedes-Benz E-Class (long wheelbase), and C-Class in China. Beijing Benz has

6417-505: The second three months of 1955, earning $ 1,592,307, compared to a loss of $ 3,848,667 during the same period in the previous year. Mason also entered into informal discussions with James J. Nance of Packard to outline his strategic vision . Interim plans were made for American Motors to buy Packard Ultramatic automatic transmissions and Packard V8 engines for certain American Motors products. In July 1954, Packard acquired Studebaker . The new Studebaker-Packard Corporation (S-P) made

6510-664: The standard AMG tuned Airmatic, AMG 18-inch (460 mm), 5-spoke multi-piece wheels, and optional AMG carbon fibre trim. The E-Guard was an armoured version with category B4 protection level, introduced in July 2006. Engine choices included E 320 CDI, E 350, and E 500. The vehicles were reinforced with steel and aramid . Other safety equipment included Michelin MOExtended run-flat tyres with pressure loss warning system . All three models had an electronically limited top speed of 240 km/h (149 mph). Common rail Direct Injection with

6603-485: The standard Mercedes Airmatic DC suspension with adaptive damping , the E 63 AMG had the AMG-tuned Airmatic suspension which with the stability control turned off gave it far better driving dynamics than its non-AMG predecessors. The AMG Performance package P030 added electronic speed limiter deletion, limited-slip rear differential , Alcantara sports steering wheel, stiffer valving Airmatic suspension over

6696-482: The summer of 2001, and the W211 E-Class debuted at the Brussels Motor Show in January 2002. The W211 Platform was also the base foundation for which the newly reintroduced Chrysler LX cars were engineered from ( Chrysler 300 , Dodge Charger , Dodge Magnum ). The W211 E-Class was unveiled at the January 2002 European Motor Show Brussels featuring twin-headlights, angled slightly rearward. The 2003 E-Class

6789-487: The team sent to evaluate Kaiser's Jeep factories. Although opposed by AMC's top management, Chapin made a significant decision in February 1970 to purchase Kaiser Jeep for $ 70 million. Although it was a gamble, Chapin believed Jeep vehicles would complement American Motors' passenger car business. The Jeep market was also a market in which the Big Three had no presence, and therefore there was no competition. American Motors gained

6882-549: The then-recently discontinued Mercedes-Benz W123 (200 and 230E) sedans although these did not prove popular. Between January 1988 and sometimes in 1990, a mere 828 units were assembled in Changchun most of which were 230s. A few dozen of the long wheelbase 230E (V123) were among the cars assembled. It was later established in August 2005 where Mercedes Benz was reintroduced to the Chinese market as Beijing Benz and assembled its first car,

6975-535: The time, it was the largest corporate merger in U.S. history. American Motors' most similar competitors were those automakers that held similar annual sales levels, such as Studebaker , Packard , Kaiser Motors , and Willys-Overland . Their largest competitors were the Big Three — Ford , General Motors , and Chrysler . American Motors' production line included small cars —the Rambler American , which began as

7068-591: The very best buys on the used car market" by 1975. The 1977 Gremlin had redesigned headlights, grille, rear hatch, and fascia. For economy in the fuel crisis, American Motors offered the car with a more fuel-efficient Volkswagen -designed Audi 4-cylinder engine 2.0 L (122 cu in). The engine was expensive for American Motors to build, and the Gremlin retained the less costly but less economical 232 cu in (3.8 L) as standard equipment. Mercedes-Benz E-Class (W211) The Mercedes-Benz W211

7161-728: The year before Tax Credits and deferred Tax Assets. By this time the board had lost confidence in Abernethy due to his vast spending which had unstabilized the company and each year under his leadership the company had suffered substantial financial losses. As a result, Abernethy was forced into taking an "early retirement" from American Motors on January 9, 1967. Abernethy was replaced by Roy D. Chapin Jr. (son of Hudson Motors founder Roy D. Chapin ). Chapin quickly instituted changes to American Motors's offerings and tried to regain market share by focusing on younger demographic markets. Chapin's first decision

7254-412: Was a sales success, being the best selling AMG until the release of the C 63 AMG. The W211 was updated in 2006 for the 2007 model year . There was new standard and optional equipment, which enabled the W211 to hold its own against its competitors. Sensotronic was dropped due to customer complaints about its software, while Pre-Safe (w/o autonomous braking ) was made standard. The announced vehicle

7347-766: Was a subcompact designed to provide the comfort of a full-sized car. Its pre-production development coincided with tightened U.S. federal passenger emissions and auto safety regulations. The Pacer sold well its first two years with 262,772 combined units sold in the US. With the Arab Oil Embargo of 1973, General Motors aborted the Wankel rotary engine around which the Pacer had been designed, as its fuel consumption exceeded that of conventional engines with similar power. Therefore, American Motors's existing 258 and 232 cu in (4.2 and 3.8 L) AMC Straight-6 engines were used in

7440-469: Was also the start of other "plug-in"-type experimental American Motors vehicles developed with Gulton – the Amitron city concept car and later the similar Electron . Although the new models were well received by the motor industry media, the last quarter sales for AMC ended September 30, 1966 (AMC was not on a calendar fiscal year) were disappointing. The company recorded a balance sheet loss of $ 12,648,000 for

7533-640: Was continued with the Nash Statesman restyled as the "new" Hudson Wasp and the Nash Ambassador restyled as the Hudson Hornet . Although the cars shared the same body shell, they were at least as different from one another as Chevrolet and Pontiac. Hudsons and Nashes each used their engines as they had previously: the Hudson Hornet continued to offer the 308 cu in (5.0 L) I6 that had powered

7626-476: Was converted to military contract production and eventually sold. The separate Nash and Hudson dealer networks were retained. The Hudsons were redesigned to harmonize with Nash's body styles. The fast-selling Nash Rambler model was sold as a Nash and a Hudson in 1955 and 1956. These badge-engineered Ramblers, and similarly the small Metropolitans, were identical except for the hubcaps, nameplates, and other minor trim. The pre-existing full-size Nash product line

7719-415: Was discontinued for the larger 1968 domestic models, leaving only the small Rambler American as the last product to bear the name through 1969. The Rambler brand continued to be used only for export markets, with Mexico being the last market to use it in 1983. From 1970, American Motors was the brand used for all American Motors passenger cars, and all vehicles from that date bore the American Motors name and

7812-454: Was estimated at 100,000 units/year although that figure may consider engines and vehicles as discrete, and the company was likely able to produce only half that number of whole vehicles. American Motors American Motors Corporation ( AMC ; commonly referred to as American Motors ) was an American automobile manufacturing company formed by the merger of Nash-Kelvinator Corporation and Hudson Motor Car Company on May 1, 1954. At

7905-482: Was larger than its predecessors while offering less interior space, particularly in the estate version, than the W210 it replaced. It offered petrol or diesel engines with a choice of rear or four-wheel drive. Mercedes-Benz claimed to have reduced the fuel consumption of the new E-Class by up to 0.9 litres per 100 km compared with the outgoing model. The redesigned 2003 model featured electrohydraulic braking system marketed as Sensotronic Brake Control (SBC), which

7998-433: Was offered in sedan and 5-door station wagon configurations in three trim lines, marketed as Classic, Elegance, and Avantgarde. The W211 was the first E-Class since 1985 equipped with two windshield wipers. The transmission options were 5 or 7-speed automatic or 6-speed manual. V6, V8, inline-4, and supercharged inline-4 engines were offered. Engine outputs of E 240 and E 270 models from the previous W210 E-Class were given

8091-499: Was originally the Beijing Jeep Corporation ( Chinese : 北京吉普汽车有限公司 ), China's first Sino-western automotive joint venture having been established in 1984 with American Motors Corporation . American Motors began negotiations in 1979 to sell its vehicles in China and gain access to then low-cost Chinese labor. The Chinese wanted more-modern automotive technology; Beijing Jeep suited the needs of both parties and produced

8184-505: Was produced virtually unchanged until 1978. Sagging sales and tight finances resulted in the discontinuation of the Matador line after the 1978 model leaving American Motors to focus almost exclusively on its Hornet platform -based cars and the Jeep line. From 1970, the Rebel and Ambassador were identical from the A-pillar back. The Ambassador continued as AMC's upmarket model with higher trim, more equipment, and air conditioning as standard. From

8277-417: Was standard equipment in the E-Class. Options included multicontour front seats and dual control air suspension system marketed as Airmatic DC . Air suspension was standard equipment in the top-of-the-range E 500 V8 model and was available as an option on all other E-Class models. The W211 is a more complex car than its predecessor, with a programmable serial bus and many automated systems. The 2003 E-Class

8370-407: Was the first Sino-foreign automobile joint venture in China. It became a prototype for future cooperative projects and BJC became a test case revealing problems, both political and economic, that would appear for other investors the Chinese hoped to attract. The current name, Beijing Benz, was established in 2005 and the enterprise now owned by Beiqi and Daimler AG . Beijing Benz grew out of what

8463-452: Was to cut the price of the Rambler to within $ 200 of the basic Volkswagen Beetle . Innovative marketing ideas included making air conditioning standard on all 1968 Ambassador models (available as a delete option). This made American Motors the first U.S. automaker to make air conditioning standard equipment on a line of cars, preceding even luxury makes such as Lincoln , Imperial , and Cadillac . The company introduced exciting entries for

8556-597: Was ultimately acquired by Chrysler in 1987. In January 1954, Nash-Kelvinator Corporation began the acquisition of the Hudson Motor Car Company (in what was called a merger ). The new corporation would be called the American Motors Corporation. An earlier corporation with the same name, co-founded by Louis Chevrolet , had existed in Plainfield, New Jersey, from 1916 through 1922 before merging into

8649-416: Was unveiled at the 2006 New York International Auto Show . In total, 29 model variants were available, with 16 Saloons and 13 Estates. New standard equipment included PRE-SAFE active protection, NECK-PRO head restraints , flashing brake lights, tyre pressure monitor . The optional Intelligent Light System included bi-xenon headlamps and 5 different lighting functions. The bodies were restyled including

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