AMC

In September 1970, the AMC Matador was introduced as the successor to the Rebel. Amid the social upheaval in the United States during the late 1960s, AMC recognized that "Rebel" no longer aligned with the company's image into the 1970s. A rebranding effort involving market research led to the selection of "Matador," a name that resonated with consumers as exciting and powerful. With a facelift and a new name, the AMC Matadors were available in two-door hardtop, four-door sedan and station wagon body styles. The Matador received a redesign in 1974, in part to meet new U.S safety and crash requirements. During the late 1970s, the domestic automobile market moved to smaller cars. The large-sized Matador was no longer attractive to customers demanding more economical cars as fuel and money became increasingly worrisome problems after the 1973 oil crisis and the continuing double-digit domestic inflation. Lacking the financial resources for a complete redesign, AMC dropped the Matador after 1978.