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457:(named after the town the engine factory was in). The Lerma was a "cut and weld" built body. The rear hatchback portion of an AMC Spirit (or rather VAM Rally) was cut from the Spirit body and then grafted onto the longer wheelbase AMC Concord (VAM American) in two and four door versions. This idea was presented to AMC, but the labor cost to produce the car using the cut and weld method would have been cost prohibitive in the U.S., and sales of the aging Concord/Spirit (in production since 1970) were not up to adding a new body that would require unique panels to be pressed.
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and different model and designation names than their counterparts in the United States and Canada, but were all based on U.S. bodies and used the same parts. Most bodies used the same year parts as U.S. production cars, but sometimes years and models were mixed. VAM built 1974-1976 Gremlins, for example, used the AMC Hornet grille and front fenders, and the 1977 Hornet mentioned above.
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291:(AMC) holding a minority interest. The company imported and produced automobiles and light trucks under license from Willys, AMC, Eagle, Jeep, Chrysler, Renault, and designed their own vehicles based on AMC platforms. The early-1980s collapse of the Mexican economy forced a sale of the Mexican government's interest in VAM to
449:
kept the "American" name, in base and GFS, ECD and DL models. Some VAM models mixed and matched body components from U.S. cars. Examples of
Mexican-only cars include a 1977 two-door "Hornet" with a 1977-1978 Gremlin front clip. Many of these carried slightly different engines, all-original interiors,
350:
in late 1980 when
Renault assumed the majority (controlling) ownership of AMC. The last AMC based cars were produced in 1983, the same year the last two wheel drive cars were produced by AMC in the US. Beginning in 1984 the company produced several Renault models as VAM vehicles.
426:, called first "Rambler American" and since 1975 just "American," plus a sport version called "Rambler American Rally" (subsequently "American Rally"). The Concord hatchback was badged an "American Rally AMX." Rambler Classics,
330:
Jeeps and used both the names VAM and Willys
Mexicana on its products) that held the license to produce and import AMC Ramblers. Willys Mexicana was transformed into VAM in 1963 after an agreement between
343:
interest in VAM, but did not actively participate in the company's management. Government content regulations required VAM vehicles had to have at least 60% locally sourced parts.
335:(AMC) and the Mexican Government. After the restructuring of the original company, VAM proceeded to the construction of its own engine plant located in the municipality of Lerma,
479:
and fitted VAM's straight six into it (in place of AMC's four-cylinder or optional V6 from
General Motors). AMC was impressed by the project, which eventually developed into the
410:
under license, and AMC vehicles after 1954. Most VAM cars mimicked domestic (U.S.) models but had significant differences in aesthetic design. In the sixties, VAM produced the
468:(essentially a 258 block cast with a 0.16" larger bore) not available from AMC. The larger six helped counter high altitude/low octane fuel power loss and with the lack of a
438:
sedan models were badged as the "Classic DPL" since 1972 and the
Matador Coupe was produced in a sport version called "Classic AMX" and a luxury "Classic Brougham".
358:, beginning in 1982) forced the eventual sale of the Mexican government's interest in the company to Renault. The Mexican government actually paid Renault some
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Young, Peter. "Privatization in Mexico: Robust
Rhetoric, Anemic Reality" Backgrounder #611, The Heritage Foundation, October 22, 1987
295:, which shut down the firm in the late 1980s. The Mexican government maintains the rights to the VAM name and brand to this day.
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All VAM engines were of AMC design, but built in Mexico. Moreover, VAM added unique engineering features to deal with low
414:(in 2- and 4-door and wagon versions plus a limited single-year hardtop imodel in two generations), a version of the
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was established as its own company in 1963, after the
Mexican Government passed a law to control the privately owned
105:
79:
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The Willys Jeep CJ-2A, the first vehicle produced by the company in 1946, when it was known as Willys
Mexicana.
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as the sporty "Rally AMX", luxury "Rally SST" and high performance "Rally GT". The
Mexican version of the
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A modified version of the Eagle
Premier was the last vehicle produced by VAM for a few months in 1987.
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The VAM Gremlin was based on the 1979-83 AMC Spirit sedan but retained the older Gremlin name.
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Financial problems during a collapse of the Mexican economy (recession and devaluation of the
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200 million to take over VAM and assume its debts in 1987. Renault then closed VAM down.
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called the "Rambler Classic" (in 2-door hardtop and 4-door sedan versions) and the
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VAM produced one original body not available in the U.S. or other markets, the
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326:(which was established in 1946 as a local manufacturer and distributor for
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Gabriel Fernández Sáyago; Roberto Rojas Flores; Raúl Netzahualcóyotl Valdez
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fuel and high altitudes. This included a 282 cu in (4.6 L)
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The original organization, a distributor and license manufacturer for
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In 1982, VAM's engineering department worked on a prototype
907:
407:
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The AMC Matador Coupe was manufactured as a VAM vehicle.
251:
Passenger cars, luxury sedans, performance cars, SUVs
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vehicles, became government controlled in 1963 with
46:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
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575:
434:were sold under their original U.S. names. The
422:. In the seventies VAM produced a full line of
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276:) was a Mexican automaker from 1946 to 1986.
1220:Manufacturing companies based in Mexico City
406:in the late 1940s, the company manufactured
346:AMC's stake in VAM passed into the hands of
441:In later years, VAM badged variants of the
568:
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374:The VAM Classic, based on the AMC Matador.
126:
1240:Defunct manufacturing companies of Mexico
106:Learn how and when to remove this message
393:
385:
377:
369:
302:
316:Sociedad Mexicana de Credito Industrial
262:Sociedad Mexicana de Crédito Industrial
1202:
549:
270:Vehículos Automotores Mexicanos, S.A.
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44:adding citations to reliable sources
15:
339:. At the same time, AMC took a 40%
13:
1235:Luxury motor vehicle manufacturers
14:
1251:
534:
527:, retrieved on: 3 September 2007.
472:option in VAM-produced vehicles.
55:"Vehículos Automotores Mexicanos"
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1174:
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861:
20:
938:Vehículos Automotores Mexicanos
483:version introduced in the 1987
312:Vehículos Automotores Mexicanos
120:Vehículos Automotores Mexicanos
31:needs additional citations for
511:
497:
402:From its initial inception as
1:
1215:Truck manufacturers of Mexico
490:
7:
1230:Car manufacturers of Mexico
1131:Computerized engine control
903:Industrias Kaiser Argentina
883:Australian Motor Industries
577:American Motors Corporation
365:
333:American Motors Corporation
289:American Motors Corporation
10:
1256:
1136:Cross Country (automobile)
1121:AMC and Jeep transmissions
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523:October 13, 2007, at the
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541:VAM Jeeps in Mexico page
1085:Brampton Assembly (AMC)
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700:Ambassador by Rambler
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148:Semi-state controlled
324:Willys Mexicana S.A.
40:improve this article
1059:W. Paul Tippett Jr.
122:
1014:Charles T. Jeffery
1004:Jose Dedeurwaerder
964:Edmund E. Anderson
720:Rambler Six and V8
485:Jeep Cherokee (XJ)
477:Jeep Cherokee (XJ)
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1080:Brampton Assembly
1019:Thomas B. Jeffery
994:Roy D. Chapin Jr.
989:François Castaing
857:
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505:"Historia de Vam"
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204:Renault de México
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1044:George W. Romney
1034:Gerald C. Meyers
999:Richard E. Cross
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787:M422 Mighty Mite
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481:4.0-liter engine
430:, Javelins, and
412:Rambler American
337:Estado de México
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1075:American Center
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1039:Charles W. Nash
1029:George W. Mason
1009:Robert B. Evans
984:Joseph E. Cappy
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923:Nash-Kelvinator
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525:Wayback Machine
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404:Willys Mexicana
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328:Willys-Overland
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281:Willys-Overland
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178:Willys Mexicana
167:Willys Mexicana
139:Willys Mexicana
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96:February 2018
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57: –
56:
52:
51:Find sources:
45:
41:
35:
34:
29:This article
27:
23:
18:
17:
1141:Electrosport
937:
888:Beijing Jeep
871:Affiliations
653:Metropolitan
513:
499:
474:
459:
452:
440:
428:AMC Gremlins
401:
356:Mexican peso
353:
345:
336:
315:
311:
310:
278:
273:
269:
268:
210:Headquarters
145:Company type
119:
102:
93:
83:
76:
69:
62:
50:
38:Please help
33:verification
30:
1210:AMC engines
1161:Weather Eye
1054:Dick Teague
943:Wheel Horse
918:Nash Motors
834:Astra-Gnome
677:IKA-Renault
447:AMC Concord
436:AMC Matador
424:AMC Hornets
420:AMC Javelin
229:Area served
215:Mexico City
163:Predecessor
1204:Categories
1151:Go package
1068:Facilities
974:A.E. Barit
913:Kelvinator
878:AM General
598:Ambassador
491:References
443:AMC Spirit
239:Key people
157:Automotive
66:newspapers
766:Medallion
470:V8 engine
466:I6 engine
455:VAM Lerma
416:AMC Rebel
200:Successor
1179:Category
1024:Roy Lunn
893:Chrysler
839:Electron
829:Cavalier
780:Military
741:Alliance
705:American
584:Vehicles
521:Archived
366:Products
248:Products
176:1946 as
153:Industry
135:Formerly
1189:Commons
933:Renault
928:Rambler
819:Amitron
812:Concept
771:Premier
734:Renault
710:Classic
693:Rambler
648:Matador
638:Javelin
623:Gremlin
613:Concord
608:AMX III
348:Renault
299:History
293:Renault
195:Defunct
184:Defunct
173:Founded
80:scholar
1116:AMC 20
1111:AMC 15
952:People
849:XR-400
844:Tarpon
824:AMX-GT
746:Encore
715:Marlin
684:Torino
668:Spirit
643:Marlin
633:Italia
628:Hornet
462:octane
432:Pacers
341:equity
257:Parent
233:Mexico
221:Mexico
82:
75:
68:
61:
53:
1156:Renix
803:Lerma
756:LeCar
751:Fuego
663:Rebel
658:Pacer
618:Eagle
408:Jeeps
87:JSTOR
73:books
908:Jeep
360:US$
283:and
192:Fate
187:1986
59:news
796:VAM
603:AMX
591:AMC
322:of
285:AMC
274:VAM
42:by
1206::
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218:,
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272:(
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94:(
84:·
77:·
70:·
63:·
36:.
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