What American Motors lacked in scale and financial depth, it made up for in pluck and creativity. The Kenosha, Wisconsin based carmaker seemed to always be on the brink of crisis, yet somehow managed to keep things interesting in the market place.
1972 AMC Javelin Pierre Cardin
One dollar-efficient maneuver employed by the AMC marketing team was a series of licensed “designer” packages offered on certain models. Among them:
- Gucci Hornet Runabout (1972-1973)
- Oleg Cassini Matador Coupe (1974-1975)
And a number of Levi’s Edition vehicles replete with, in some cases, real-denim upholstery.
Also offered, and seen in the ad below, was the Pierre Cardin Javelin. Available for the 1972 and 1973 years, the $84.95 (1972) package brought with it specific interior colors and patterns, and a limited exterior color pallet.
Cardin Javelins could be had in Snow White, Stardust Silver, Trans Am Red, Wild Plum, and Diamond Blue.
While AMC was never known as an industry style leader, the designer-series cars were actually well received, though sales were pretty slow. All told, the carmaker cranked out roughly 60,000 Javelins in 1972 and 1973, though only 4100 or so came equipped with the Pierre Cardin package. That’s about a 6.5-percent take rate.
The designer-series effort made sense in 1972, as the muscle-car era—thanks to low-lead gas and rising insurance costs—had come to a close, and carmakers were scrambling to find ways to sell sporty cars without advertising horsepower or drag-strip-performance figures.
For more co-branded and designer fun, check out these classic designer Lincolns, and these mostly forgotten licensed-vehicle trim levels.
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Javelin Pierre Cardin Pictures
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