As the Rambler brand name began to lose its appeal in the mid-60s, AMC gradually phased it out. The 1966 Ambassador and Marlin were American Motors models, no longer Ramblers. After the 1969 model year, the Rambler name was gone. The company seemed unable to settle on a consistent name or logo for several years: a script “AM” logo was used for a time, followed by a stylized “A” with the words “American Motors”, which finally became “AMC”. It’s little wonder that most people of a certain age still think of the company as “Rambler”.
AMC’s share of the market rose significantly in the “stagflation” era of the early 70s, when solid, economical cars like the Hornet and Gremlin lured new customers, just as the Rambler had in the late 50s. Unfortunately, the company was unable to sustain its temporary success in the face of mounting competition from imports and federal regulations that demanded technical sophistication beyond its means. Two expensive product development efforts — the Matador Coupe and the Pacer — used up cash that might have been better spent on new engines or a downsized intermediate sedan. AMC was forced to consolidate, and in 1981 was left with three models (Concord, Spirit and Eagle) based on a single platform — just like in the early 60s.