With very few exceptions, every car line had different models that were catered to different target audiences. In some cases, entire brand names were developed and marketed toward a distinct group of drivers with various price points. General Motors is perhaps the most prominent example of this in how they marketed the Chevy line to one group and other brands, such as the Cadillac, to a totally different demographic.
Even the smaller, now extinct, marques did the same thing. When former GM president founded Nash Motors in 1916, he did the same thing. As early as 1927 Nash established their top of the line car as the Ambassador. And over the years, as Nash grew and merged with different automotive companies, this top tier car represented the cream of the Nash crop. Though the Nash name officially disappeared in 1957 as a result of the merger three years prior of Nash-Kelvinator Corporation and the Hudson Motor Car Company which formed American Motors, the Ambassador always represented the best of the line.
The 1956 Nash Ambassador pictured here is an example of the last generation of this car. Powered by a Packard supplied 352 cubic inch V8 pushing 275 horse power, this Nash and its earlier cousins were actually active in NASCAR racing at the time. In fact, Nash was one of the first manufacturers to actively support this brand of racing, actually fielding their own team.
Though Nash had its share of innovations, one that showed up in 1956 was a highly advanced air conditioning unit. Much smaller and more efficient than other existing units, this one fit under the hood (rather than in the trunk) and offered the ability to cool either fresh or recycled air. Plus it cost over $200 less than the optional air conditioning on rival cars.
The cars were popular at the time but began to lag as Nash, and then American Motors, made the decision in the mid-1950s to move more toward smaller cars under a single banner. This meant that both Nash and Hudson were phased out.
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