page_title: AMC Concord
section_title: 1979
hierarchical_section_title: AMC Concord / Annual changes / 1979
caption_attribution_description: English: 1979 AMC Concord two-door sedan, an innovative "luxury" compact built by American Motors Corporation. This D/L model is finished in black paint with standard vinyl roof cover and a contrasting red standard plush upholstered and trimmed interior. Picture taken at the American Motors Owners Association (AMO) annual convention that was held July 2015 near Cleveland, Ohio.
context_page_description: The AMC Concord is a compact car manufactured and marketed by the American Motors Corporation for model years 1978-1983. The Concord was essentially a revision of the AMC Hornet that was discontinued after 1977, but more luxurious, quieter, roomier, and smoother-riding than the series it replaced. It was offered in four-door sedan, two-door coupé, three-door hatchback, and five-door station wagon configurations. The Concord was AMC's volume seller from the time it appeared until the introduction of the Renault Alliance.
  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 assembled and marketed modified Concord versions in Mexico as the VAM American, including a unique VAM Lerma model. An electric variant of the Concord station wagons were marketed independently from AMC by Solargen during 1979-1980.
context_section_description: The 1979 model year saw moderate upgrades to the Concord. Front-end styling changed appreciably with a "waterfall" grille with a fine chrome vertical bar treatment, quad rectangular headlights atop slim, wide clear parking and signal lights, and lighter aluminum bumpers were new for 1979. The D/L sedan was given a new vinyl roof design which extended only over the rear passenger compartment was complemented by chrome trim that overlaid the B-pillar and wrapped over the vinyl roof at its leading edge. A thin trim piece at the roof's edge simulated a convertible's fold-down hinge point. The D/L package, now the middle trim level, was extended to the hatchback, which was given a brushed aluminum Targa-like roof band and a half-vinyl roof to differentiate it from the base model hatchback.
  The 1979 model year introduced the "Limited" model, available as coupe, sedan, and wagon models. It included leather upholstery, thick carpeting, full courtesy lighting, body-colored wheel covers, and a standard AM radio. The Concord Limited was well equipped for a compact car at the time.
  The Sport package was dropped for 1979, as was the AMX version that became available in the new AMC Spirit liftback body. The three-speed manual transmission was a "downgrade" option for Concord in 1979. The 304 cu in (5.0 L) V8 engine was available, but not popular. The V8 with automatic transmission delivered 15 mpg‑US (16 L/100 km; 18 mpg‑imp) in the city and 21 mpg‑US (11 L/100 km; 25 mpg‑imp) on the highway, while the standard I6 was rated 18 mpg‑US (13 L/100 km; 22 mpg‑imp) in the city and 26 mpg‑US (9.0 L/100 km; 31 mpg‑imp) or better on the highway (depending on driving habits and transmission).
  On May 1, 1979, AMC celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Nash-Hudson merger and released a limited number of specially appointed "Silver Anniversary" AMC Concords to commemorate the event. The limited production models received a two-tone silver metallic finish, silver vinyl roof, wire wheel covers, commemorative badges, and the interior upholstered in black or russet "Caberfae" corduroy.
  A Popular Science road test of three traditional compact cars (AMC Concord, Ford Fairmont, and Plymouth Volaré) facing the challenge of GM's new front-wheel drive "X cars" (Chevrolet Citation and Oldsmobile Omega) summarized that AMC was committed to serve market segments not served by the other domestic automakers, and concluded that "Concord is the best-looking inside, and offers the plush feel of a big, expensive sedan."
  The Concord line sales totaled at more than 100,000 units during a year when the imported Japanese were gaining market share and new competing domestic models were changing to front-wheel drive.
caption: 1979 AMC Concord D/L 2-door sedan
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