page_title: Nash Rambler
section_title: 1955
hierarchical_section_title: Nash Rambler / Model years / 1955
caption_attribution_description: English: 1955 Hudson Rambler 2-door sedan, a compact-sized car made by American Motors Corporation (AMC). An identical car was also marketed through Nash dealers (as the Nash Rambler). Picture taken at the 2012 Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA) Central Spring meet in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
context_page_description: The Nash Rambler is a North American automobile that was produced by the Nash Motors division of Nash-Kelvinator Corporation from 1950 to 1954 in sedan, wagon, and fixed-profile convertible body styles.
  On May 1, 1954, Nash-Kelvinator merged with the Hudson Motor Car Company to form American Motors Corporation. The Nash Rambler was then built by AMC in Kenosha, Wisconsin until 1955.
  The Nash Rambler established a new segment in the automobile market and is widely acknowledged to be the first successful modern American compact car.
  The 1950–1955 Nash Rambler was the first model run for this platform. Using the same tooling, AMC reintroduced an almost identical "new" 1958 Rambler American for a second model run. This was a rare feat of having two distinct and successful model runs, an almost unheard of phenomenon in automobile history.
context_section_description: The Nash Rambler's most significant change for the 1955 model year was opening the front wheel wells resulting in a 6-foot (2 m) decrease in the turn-circle diameter from previous year's versions, with the two-door models having the smallest in the industry at 36 ft (11 m). The "traditional" Nash fixed fender skirts were removed and the front track (the distance between the center points of the wheels on the axle as they come in contact with the road) was increased to be even greater than was the Rambler's rear tread. Designers Edmund Anderson, Pinin Farina, and Meade Moore did not like the design element that was insisted by George Mason, so soon as Mason died, "Anderson hastily redesigned the front fenders." Tongue-in-cheek, Popular Science magazine described the altered design for 1955: the "little Rambler loses its pants."
  As part of the facelift for 1955, the Rambler's grille was also redesigned with only the center emblem differentiating the cars now sold by both Nash and Hudson dealers. The Rambler was a new model for Hudson dealers and it replaced the compact Hudson Jet.
  The interiors of the economical Nash Rambler were designed by Helene Rother to also appeal to the feminine eye. American Motors featured "Created to Your Discriminating Taste" in the car's marketing knowing what women looked for in a car and Rother's designs featured elegant, stylish, and expensive fabrics that coordinated in colors and trim.
  Model and trim combinations were again reshuffled with a two-door Suburban and Club two-door sedans available in "Deluxe" or "Super" versions. Four-door sedans and wagons came as Super or Custom models, while a new Deluxe four-door sedan was introduced. The pillarless Country Club hardtop was reduced to only the "Custom" trim, while the convertible model was no longer available.
  Fleet sales only versions included a Deliveryman wagon that was not shown in the regular catalog, as well as another new model, a three-passenger business coupe: a two-door sedan with no rear seat.
  The automaker's marketing efforts included sponsorship of the Disneyland television show on the ABC network. The inaugural broadcast was on 25 October 1955; just five days after the new Ramblers debuted in both Nash and Hudson dealerships, and the Disney show quickly become one of the top watched programs in the U.S., thus helping AMC sell more cars.
  The focus continued on economy and a Rambler four-door set an all-time record for cars with automatic transmissions of 27.47 mpg‑US (8.56 L/100 km; 32.99 mpg‑imp) in the 1955 Mobil Economy Run.
  The U.S. domestic market was turning to bigger and bigger cars; therefore, prospects for the compact Nash Rambler line was limited and production was discontinued after the 1955 model year.
caption: 1955 Hudson Rambler Super 2-door
exif: {"Image Make": "Apple", "Image Model": "iPhone 4", "Image Orientation": "Horizontal (normal)", "Image XResolution": "72", "Image YResolution": "72", "Image ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Image Software": "QuickTime 7.6.6", "Image DateTime": "2012:07:01 16:15:42", "Image HostComputer": "Mac OS X 10.6.8", "Image ExifOffset": "230", "GPS GPSLatitudeRef": "N", "GPS GPSLatitude": "[42, 43/25, 0]", "GPS GPSLongitudeRef": "W", "GPS GPSLongitude": "[91, 3913/100, 0]", "GPS GPSAltitudeRef": "0", "GPS GPSAltitude": "42791/170", "GPS GPSTimeStamp": "[20, 24, 5947/100]", "GPS GPSImgDirectionRef": "T", "GPS GPSImgDirection": "87632/913", "Image GPSInfo": "588", "EXIF ExposureTime": "1/247", "EXIF FNumber": "14/5", "EXIF ExposureProgram": "Program Normal", "EXIF ISOSpeedRatings": "80", "EXIF ExifVersion": "0220", "EXIF DateTimeOriginal": "2012:06:23 15:25:00", "EXIF DateTimeDigitized": "2012:06:23 15:25:00", "EXIF ShutterSpeedValue": "7926/997", "EXIF ApertureValue": "4281/1441", "EXIF BrightnessValue": "1103/158", "EXIF MeteringMode": "Pattern", "EXIF Flash": "Flash did not fire", "EXIF FocalLength": "77/20", "EXIF FlashPixVersion": "0100", "EXIF ColorSpace": "sRGB", "EXIF ExifImageWidth": "2448", "EXIF ExifImageLength": "1811", "EXIF SensingMethod": "One-chip color area", "EXIF CustomRendered": "3", "EXIF ExposureMode": "Auto Exposure", "EXIF WhiteBalance": "Auto", "EXIF SceneCaptureType": "Standard"}