The Last Independent Automaker
PBS Western Reserve (WNEO 45.1 / WEAO 49.1):
Fridays at 8:30 PM beginning Jan. 23
Saturdays at 1:30 AM beginning Jan. 24
Take a wild ride through history as nostalgia and great cars combine in this uniquely American story of grit, innovation, and hard work. THE LAST INDEPENDENT AUTOMAKER is a documentary series featuring six half-hour episodes that detail the unlikely rise and tragic fall of American Motors Corporation (AMC). Through more than 40 exclusive interviews with CEOs, engineers, designers, salespeople, journalists, factory workers, and labor union members, THE LAST INDEPENDENT AUTOMAKER is a deep, unvarnished look at the inner workings of a car company. The series traces AMC's history through more than four decades and tells its story through hours of lost film archives combined with thousands of historic photographs and new 4K footage of gorgeous classic cars. Each episode focuses on a different period, weaving together the drama of a cutthroat industry packed with big personalities and iconic cars.
Stream THE LAST INDEPENDENT AUTOMAKER.
Episode 1: The Missionary
The U.S. car market booms in the wake of World War II, until a price war between Ford and Chevrolet decimates competitors. American Motors Corporation is created through the merger of two smaller companies. To survive in an age of conspicuous consumption, president George Romney boldly bets the company’s future on a new niche: economy cars
Episode 2: The NOW Cars
The NOW Cars: After saving American Motors, president George Romney launches a career in politics. His successor takes AMC upmarket, but struggles to capture young baby boomers who want faster, sportier “muscle cars.” In response, the company makes big changes to its products and public image.
Episode 3: The Odd Couple
American Motors’ unlikely management team launches a quirky new car to fight the growing wave of foreign imports in the U.S. Despite his colleague’s protests, CEO Roy Chapin Jr. buys the lackluster Jeep Corporation, leading AMC into the burgeoning four-wheel-drive market. A sudden oil shortage rocks the industry but boosts small car sales.
Episode 4: The Pacer
American Motors Corporation spends a fortune developing a futuristic new car called the Pacer. But things fall apart when its radical engine design can’t pass government pollution regulations, and customers are disappointed with its mediocre gas mileage. Meanwhile, internal politics tear the company apart as two men jockey for the CEO suite.
Episode 5: The Alliance
As the auto industry becomes increasingly diverse, Gerry Meyers becomes the youngest CEO of any American car company. To build a new fuel-efficient car, he partners AMC with French automaker Renault. But a disastrous national recession and second oil crisis threaten to destroy the partnership before the new car is ready.
Episode 6: The Betrayal
Despite award-winning new products, American Motors Corporation struggles to make a profit, frustrating its partnership with French automaker Renault. Rumors swirl as the French secretly negotiate to sell AMC to Chrysler Corporation. A terrorist assassination in France sparks a chain of events that leaves thousands of American workers betrayed. Yet, AMC lives on.
