Budd XR-400

Last updated

Budd XR-400
Budd XR-400 proposal for AMC sports car.jpg
Overview
ManufacturerBudd Company
Body and chassis
Class Concept car
Body style Sports car
Layout FR layout
Powertrain
Engine 327 cu in (5.4 L) V8
Transmission 3-speed automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase 108 inches (2,743 mm)

The XR-400 was a fully operational concept car. [1] A "sporty" youth-oriented convertible was built in 1962 by the Budd Company, an independent body builder in Detroit, Michigan, for evaluation by the fourth largest U.S. automaker at the time, American Motors Corporation (AMC). [2]

Contents

Origin

The XR-400 was developed and constructed by the Automotive Division of the Budd Company. [3] The "X" stood for experimental and the "R" stood for Rambler. [4] The trunk lid featured Rambler lettering as the intended customer of the car. [2]

The objective of this car was to entice AMC to expand into a new market segment with a low-cost Rambler-based "sports convertible." [5] The Budd Company was a long-time supplier of tooling, parts, and bodies to automakers. Budd also worked with Nash Motors, AMC's predecessor company, to develop the 1941 Nash 600, the first unibody (unitized) automobile body in the United States in 1940, the predecessor of the modern mass-produced car. [6] [7]

Examples of Budd's experiments include the first all-plastic-bodied automobile developed for Studebaker in 1954. [8] This prototype logged thousands of test miles on public roads. [9] Its contracts included the manufacture of Thunderbird bodies for Ford starting in 1955 through 1957. [9] [10] In 1962, Budd proposed to replicate the original two-seat Thunderbird design on a Ford Falcon platform, but Ford rejected the idea. [11] [12] [13] Budd's XT-Bird idea was then redeveloped using an AMC platform and shown to AMC. [11]

Budd's already existing business with AMC would increase by having AMC proceed with developing its concept vehicle. Budd wanted to supply bodies and major sub-assemblies to the automaker for a production version of this new car. [14] Budd estimated that the new model could be available for public sale by October 1963, [15] six months ahead of the Ford Mustang. [16]

Design

The XR-400 was built on a two-door 1962 Ambassador chassis. [17] To keep costs down, Budd engineers kept the front of the unit body with the suspension in its existing position. However, the engine's position was lowered by two inches (51 mm) with new rear mounts. The radiator was moved down 3.5 inches (89 mm). The fan blades were shortened, as was the oil-filler neck. [4] The air cleaner was relocated, the exhaust system was reshaped, and the gas tank was new. [4]

The XR-400's long nose was achieved by extending the front section and adding a cowl behind it that held the battery. [18] The car was styled by Budd with a relatively clean and uncluttered body, giving little indication of its Rambler sedan origin. A double crease in the beltline suggested a family relationship to the contemporary styling of Rambler's large-sized cars.

The proposed model was a true 2+2 (two front bucket seats plus limited-use seats for two back passengers) sleek, steel-blue convertible with a long hood and a short, stubby rear deck. [2] The XR-400's long 108-inch (2,743 mm) Ambassador wheelbase and truncated overhangs gave it athletic proportions. At the same time, the top-up appearance suggested a close-coupled two-seater sports car. Classic sports car touches included a hood line that slopped lower than the front fenders, doors that had a dip in their top, and simulated air extractors behind the front wheels. [2]

Power for the XR-400 was supplied by a standard Ambassador two-barrel 250 hp (186 kW; 253 PS)327 cu in (5.4 L) AMC V8 engine. [19] The engine bay could accommodate any of AMC's I6 or V8 engines. The transmission was an automatic (not typical of sports cars for that time) controlled through a floor console-mounted shift lever. [15] Braking was provided by an experimental front disc brake system. [20]

The interior used AMC's front seats and many other hardware items. In classic sports car fashion, the driver had all controls and a complete set of instruments (speedometer, tachometer, as well as gauges for fuel, water temperature, amperes, and oil pressure) that mounted directly ahead of a three-spoke wood-rimmed Nardi (brand) steering wheel. [21]

Budd's sales pitch to AMC included pioneering a market "presently untapped by any other manufacturer" with a car that "unlike anything else on the road, it would attract widespread attention, provide your dealers with both a new profit area and morale-builder, and offer unusual advertising and sales promotion opportunities." [22]

Expectations

The experimental convertible was publicly exhibited at the 1964 meeting of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). [3] The press release stated that the concept shows how modifying Rambler Ambassadors results in:

"... A brand new type of car—one designed specifically to take over a healthy segment of the new car market presently untapped by any American manufacturer...." [15]

Automotive press reports stated that such a new model could have appeared in AMC dealer showrooms, thus establishing a market segment at least six months before Ford's similar Mustang started the "pony car" market. [6] Unfortunately, AMC turned down the idea. [23] There were several reasons for this decision, including: [24] [25]

Legacy

The Budd Company kept the only prototype model, but later renamed it "XR-Budd" and used it for marketing purposes. The Rambler lettering on the rear of the trunk lid was removed, while the stamped steel wheels with full wheel covers were upgraded to chrome-plated reverse wheels with exposed lug nuts. Budd sold the prototype to The Henry Ford Museum in 1997. [26] It is now at the museum and also displayed at major classic car shows. [27]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Convertible</span> Vehicle with a folding or removable roof

A convertible or cabriolet is a passenger car that can be driven with or without a roof in place. The methods of retracting and storing the roof vary across eras and manufacturers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ford Thunderbird</span> American car model

The Ford Thunderbird is a personal luxury car manufactured and marketed by Ford Motor Company from model years 1955 to 2005, across 11 generations. Introduced as a two-seat convertible, the Thunderbird was offered variously as a four-seat hardtop coupe, four-seat convertible, five-seat convertible and hardtop, four-door pillared hardtop sedan, six-passenger hardtop coupe, and five-passenger pillared coupe, with the final generation designed again as a two-seat convertible.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Personal luxury car</span> American car classification

Personal luxury car is a North American car classification describing somewhat sporty, sophisticated mass-market coupés that emphasized comfort over performance. The North American manufacturers most often combined engineering, design, and marketing to develop upscale, distinctive "platform sharing" models that became highly profitable.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Compact car</span> Cars that are larger than a subcompact car but smaller than a mid-size car

Compact car is a vehicle size class—predominantly used in North America—that sits between subcompact cars and mid-size cars. "Small family car" is a British term and a part of the C-segment in the European car classification. However, before the downsizing of the United States car industry in the 1970s and 1980s, larger vehicles with wheelbases up to 110 in (2.79 m) were considered "compact cars" in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mercury Cougar</span> Ford Motor Company car model

The Mercury Cougar is a series of automobiles that was sold by Mercury from 1967 to 2002. The model line is a diverse series of vehicles; though the Cougar nameplate is most commonly associated with two-door coupes, at various stages in its production, the model also was offered as a convertible and a hatchback. During its production as the mid-size Mercury line, the Cougar was also offered as a four-door sedan and five-door station wagon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AMC AMX</span> Two-seat sports car produced by American Motors Corporation

The AMC AMX is a two-seat GT-style muscle car produced by American Motors Corporation from 1968 through 1970. As one of just two American-built two-seaters, the AMX was in direct competition with the one-inch (2.5 cm) longer wheelbase Chevrolet Corvette, for substantially less money. It was based on the new-for-1968 Javelin, but with a shorter wheelbase and deletion of the rear seat. In addition, the AMX's rear quarter windows remained fixed, making it a coupe, while the Javelin was a true two-door hardtop.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pony car</span> American car classification

Pony car is an American car classification for affordable, compact, highly styled coupés or convertibles with a "sporty" or performance-oriented image. Common characteristics include rear-wheel drive, a long hood, a short decklid, a wide range of options to individualize each car and use of mass-produced parts shared with other models. The popularity of pony cars is largely due to the launch of the Ford Mustang in 1964.

The Landau began as a carriage design with a folding fabric top consisting of two sections supported by external elliptical springs. This landau roof design was adopted in early automobiles as a convertible top. The term, however, came to mean a simulated convertible. A landau bar is an ornamental feature located on a car's c-pillar derived from the roof form, primarily used on hearses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AMC Ambassador</span> Large-sized cars produced by American Motors Corporation

The Ambassador is an automobile manufactured and marketed by American Motors Corporation (AMC) from 1957 through 1974 over eight generations, available in two- and four-door sedan, two-door hardtop, four-door station wagon as well as two-door convertible body styles. It was classified as a full-size car from 1957 through 1961, mid-size from 1962 until 1966, and again full-size from 1967 through 1974 model years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AMC Rebel</span> Cars developed and produced by American Motors Corporation

The AMC Rebel is a midsized car produced by American Motors Corporation (AMC) from the 1967 until the 1970 model year. It replaced the Rambler Classic. The Rebel was replaced by the similar AMC Matador for the 1971 model year. The Rebel was positioned as the high-volume seller in the independent automaker's line of models.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rambler American</span> Compact car produced by American Motors Corporation

The Rambler American is a compact car that was manufactured by the American Motors Corporation (AMC) between 1958 and 1969. The American was the second incarnation of AMC forerunner Nash Motors' compact Rambler that was introduced in 1950 and marketed after the merger with Hudson Motors under both marques during the 1954 and 1955 model years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nash Ambassador</span> Large-sized cars produced by Nash Motors Corporation

The Nash Ambassador is a luxury automobile produced by Nash Motors from 1927 until 1957. It was a top trim level for the first five years, then from 1932 on a standalone model. Ambassadors were lavishly equipped and beautifully constructed, earning them the nickname "the Kenosha Duesenberg".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rambler Classic</span> Car model produced by American Motors Corporation

The Rambler Classic is an intermediate-sized automobile built and marketed by American Motors Corporation (AMC) from the 1961 through 1966 model years. The Classic replaced the Rambler Six and Rambler Rebel V8 names, which were retired at the end of the 1960 model year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nash Rambler</span> Compact-sized cars produced by Nash Motors

The Nash Rambler is a North American automobile that was produced by the Nash Motors division of Nash-Kelvinator Corporation from 1950 until 1954 in sedan, wagon, and fixed-profile convertible body styles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rambler Rebel</span> Cars developed and produced by American Motors Corporation

The Rambler Rebel is an automobile that was produced by the American Motors Corporation (AMC) of Kenosha, Wisconsin for the 1957 through 1960 model years, as well as again for 1966 and 1967.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George W. Mason</span>

George Walter Mason was an American industrialist. During his career Mason served as the Chairman and CEO of the Kelvinator Corporation (1928-1937), Chairman and CEO of the Nash-Kelvinator Corporation (1937-1954), and Chairman and CEO of American Motors Corporation (1954).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roy Abernethy</span>

Roy Abernethy was an executive in the American automobile industry, serving as CEO of American Motors Corporation (AMC) from February 1962 to January 1967. Before his tenure at AMC, Abernethy had been with Packard Motors and Willys-Overland. Abernethy replaced George W. Romney, who resigned from AMC to become Governor of Michigan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rambler Marlin</span> Two-door car featuring a fastback by American Motors

The Rambler Marlin is a two-door fastback automobile produced in the United States by American Motors Corporation from 1965 to 1967. A halo car for the company, it was marketed as a personal luxury car.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AMC Rambler Tarpon</span> Concept car designed by American Motors Corporation

The Rambler Tarpon was a concept car, a compact-sized sporty youth-oriented 2+2 hardtop coupé developed in 1963 by American Motors Corporation (AMC). The bright red with black roof design study made its public debut at the 1964 Chicago Auto Show. The car served to foretell the fastback design elements of the larger Rambler Marlin that was introduced in 1965.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ford Thunderbird (eleventh generation)</span> American sports car

The eleventh generation of the Ford Thunderbird—a series of personal luxury cars—was produced between 2001 and 2005 by the American automaker Ford Motor Company. The Thunderbird debuted at the 1999 edition of the North American International Auto Show. Designed by Jack Telnack and manufactured in Wixom, Michigan, the car was available as both a convertible and a hardtop convertible. It is the indirect successor to the tenth generation of the Thunderbird, and 68,098 units were produced before its discontinuation in July 2005.

References

  1. "Prototypes and Show Cars: XR-400". amxfiles.com. Archived from the original on 27 March 1997. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Janicki, Ed (April 1965). "Budd's Mustang – a prototype "family sports car" by an independent body builder" (PDF). Car Life. Vol. 12. pp. 60–61. Retrieved 26 March 2022 via wildaboutcarsonline.
  3. 1 2 "Budd-Built Beauty". Automotive Industries. 130 (12). Chilton: 47. 15 June 1964. Retrieved 26 March 2022 via Google Books.
  4. 1 2 3 Vaughan, Daniel (August 2010). "1962 AMC Rambler Budd XR-400" . Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  5. "1962 Budd XR-400 Sports Convertible". How Stuff Works. 6 November 2007. Archived from the original on 22 January 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  6. 1 2 Strohl, Daniel (9 January 2008). "Rambler's Mustang? the Budd XR-400". Hemmings. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  7. "Chrysler moves to Unibody (unit-body construction): 1960". allpar.com. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  8. Carpenter, Lauren (18 June 2013), "The Budd Manufacturing Company", transcendinginbw, In 1954, the company introduced the first all-plastic bodied automobile for Studebaker. (Retrieved 26 March 2022. from transcendinginbwdotcom.wordpress.com/2013/06/17/the-budd-manufacturing-company/ )
  9. 1 2 "Suppliers on a Roll". Automotive Industries. 176. Chilton: 77. 1996. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  10. Long, Brian (2016). The Book of the Ford Thunderbird from 1954. Veloce Publishing. ISBN   978-1-84584-700-5 . Retrieved 26 March 2022 via Google Books.
  11. 1 2 Andreina, Don (20 October 2020). "Automotive History: The Short Life And Personal Times Of The 1955-1957 Thunderbird". curbsideclassic.com. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  12. "Test Driving a One-of-a-Kind '60s Concept Car". The Henry Ford. 14 June 2019. Retrieved 26 March 2022 via YouTube.
  13. "1962 Budd XT-Bird Concept Car – The Henry Ford". The Henry Ford. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  14. Wright, Richard A. (10 January 2000). "Rare special cars highlight Ford collection". The Detroit News. Archived from the original on 3 March 2012. Retrieved 26 March 2022. ...two purposes in mind: to demonstrate Budd's capabilities and as a proposal for manufacture of a small, sporty personal car.
  15. 1 2 3 "Ready for Motor Muster: Budd XR-400 Concept Car". The Henry Ford. 14 June 2019. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  16. Wright, Richard A. (21 April 2003). "Ford museum preserves greatest moments in automotive history". The Detroit News. Archived from the original on 19 February 2012. Retrieved 26 March 2022. ...the Budd XR-400 could have gone into production six months ahead of Ford's Mustang...
  17. "XT-Bird Becomes XR-400". How Stuff Works. 6 November 2007. Archived from the original on 25 September 2019. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  18. The Henry Ford (19 June 2009). "The Henry Ford conservation specialists preparing the Budd XR-400 for Motor Muster". Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2022 via YouTube.
  19. Strohl, Daniel (22 February 2013). "Never-was Rambler-based pony car headed to Keels and Wheels". Hemmings. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  20. "The Henry Ford preps pony cars for Motor Muster". The Henry Ford Museum. 19 June 2009. Archived from the original on 7 August 2011. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  21. Shea, Terry (October 2016). "Nardi". Hemmings Sports & Exotic Car. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  22. "Budd Company's Pitch to AMC". How Stuff Works. 6 November 2007. Archived from the original on 12 December 2017. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  23. Theobald, Mark (2004). "Edward G. Budd Mfg. Co. – 1912-1946 – Budd Co. 1946-present". Coachbuilt.com. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  24. "Why AMC Passed on the 1962 Budd XR-400". How Stuff Works. 6 November 2007. Archived from the original on 26 December 2017. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  25. "The XR-400 wouldn't have saved AMC, but it pointed in a useful direction". indieauto.org. 7 July 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  26. Strohl, Daniel (22 February 2011). "Never-was Rambler-based pony car headed to Keels and Wheels". retrohotrod.com. Archived from the original on 9 November 2014. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  27. "18th Annual Keels & Wheels Concours d'Elegance to Showcase Concept Car". Michigan Meetings & Events. 8 March 2013. Retrieved 26 March 2022.