GG28605 1950 NASH RAMBLER DEALERSHIP PROMO FILM FIRST SUCCESSFUL AMERICAN COMPACT CAR

“The Nash Rambler” is a 1950 film prepared for the Nash Dealer Convention. This film is a sales and marketing piece for the 1950 Nash Rambler landau, promoting it as a revolutionary, economical (it could get over 30 mpg), and stylish convertible. The film highlights the car’s extensive testing and its appeal to a broad range of consumers.

Note: The Nash Rambler was a compact, front-engine, rear-drive automobile first manufactured and marketed by the Nash Motors division of Nash-Kelvinator Corporation for model years 1950-1954 — as a sedan, wagon, and notably, a fixed-profile convertible body style. Nash did what up to that point had been considered impossible, successfully establishing a compact market segment. The company did this by coupling the Rambler’s size with an upscale complement of features and equipment as its unique selling proposition. It was a small and economical car, but also luxurious. Nash’s clever marketing strategy was to introduce the expensive convertible and station wagon models first, and then debut lower cost models. This fixed their image as being a classy, desirable small car and avoided the stigma of just being a cheap car. When Nash-Kelvinator merged with the Hudson Motor Car Company in 1954, the Rambler became a product of the resulting American Motors Corporation (AMC). AMC subsequently reintroduced the Rambler for model years 1958-1960. The Rambler was manufactured in Kenosha, Wisconsin over its two separate production runs.

0:00 The film introduces the Nash Rambler as a highly anticipated and revolutionary car, designed and built by a “great organization” with “pioneering vision.”

0:57 To prove its performance, the Rambler was tested at the Indianapolis Speedway and on the beaches of Daytona Beach, where it impressed observers with its speed and performance.

1:35 A more rigorous test followed: a 3,000-mile coast-to-coast trip from Florida to California. The film shows the car traveling through diverse locations, from the Tamiami Trail and the Bay of Louisiana to the heart of Texas.

3:12 The film emphasizes the car’s amazing gasoline economy, claiming a special test on the Salton Sea desert yielded 32.6 miles per gallon.

3:42 The Rambler’s durability is showcased as it effortlessly handles the high altitudes of the Continental Divide and the “dusty, burning Inferno” of the desert.

5:11 The journey concludes with the Rambler arriving in California, its performance and design validated by the grueling trip.

6:00 The film highlights the Rambler’s key features: flashing performance, a comfortable interior with plenty of room, easy parking due to its compact size, and the “famous Nash Weather Eye” climate control.

6:13 The Rambler is promoted as America’s first safety convertible, a “brand new kind of car” designed to fill a definite need in the market.

6:34 The film lists the car’s deluxe features, which are included at no extra cost, such as a deluxe radio, electric clock, and custom appointments, all at the lowest price for any full-size, five-passenger convertible.

7:18 The target audience is broken down into several groups, starting with a “prosperous couple who want a second car for convenience.”

7:33 Other target markets include busy doctors who need an easy-to-park, economical car, and safety-conscious families who want a safer alternative to conventional convertibles.

7:52 The film also targets college students who want a stylish and distinctive car with the “air and flare of youth.”

8:20 It highlights a new, expanded market of people who, for the first time, can afford a convertible due to the Rambler’s low price.

8:31 The film also targets salesmen who need a car that is economical, easy to park, and comfortable for their livelihood.

8:45 The narrator concludes by encouraging dealers to learn the “whole Airflyte story,” which includes the three great Nash cars: the Ambassador, the Statesman, and the new Rambler.

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