Re: Continuing the Packard

Posted by Fyreline On 2012/9/1 10:35:57

I think the bottom line here is that AMC and S-P, whether they merged or simply shared, needed to reduce the collective number of platforms and assembly lines from 4 to 2, needed to do so as quickly as possible and needed to target South Bend and Kenosha's large car lines for closure.

Absolutely. Depending on how you draw distinctions, and including such non-starters as the Hudson Italia and Nash-Healey, the new AMC would have had about 11 different platforms at the start. Consolidation and a rationalized sharing of platforms were needed, and in a hurry. The actual state of Studebaker's finances has long been a bone of contention, and certainly was a significant piece of the puzzle. In any case, some hard and painful decisions would have needed to be made, and made quickly. I guess that's the nature of business, at least if you want to be successful. A little leadership can go a long way.