‘The Last Independent Automaker’ Is A Road Trip Through The History Of American Motors

We enjoy a good story about an American car here at American Cars And Racing, so a story about American Motors is right up our alley.

“The Last Independent Automaker” is a new six-part series premiering May 1 on PBS produced by veteran automotive journalist Joe Ligo, who finally gives America’s one-time “fourth” automaker its due.

The documentary recounts AMC’s history from its formation through the merger of Nash-Kelvinator and Hudson through its sale to the Chrysler Corporation. Historians and several former employees lend their voice to the story, including Joe Cappy, who was AMC’s last CEO and oversaw its integration into Chrysler.

Mitt Romney also appears with amazing isights about his father George’s time as CEO from 1954 to 1962, when he spearheaded the company’s move into small cars. The former politician recounting one funny story about visiting the design studio as a boy and telling his father what he really thought of one very important upcoming model.

The episodes are a journey through the company’s eras and focus in on some of its most iconic cars, including the Hornet, Pacer and Eagle, and the many innovations the scrappy little company brought to the industry.

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The half-hour episodes will be released weekly across PBS stations and also made available for on-demand viewing on the PBS app. On May 22 it will be added to the AutoMoments YouTube channel with international distribution.