Nash may have called it the "Travel King", but little Johnny probably called it the "Prom Date King" seeing as how the 1957 Ambassador laid claim to the widest front seat ever built into an automobile. At least that was the claim made by the AMC ad guys.

Not only was the front seat big enough to warrant its own zip code, but the Ambassador Custom series, shown here, included what AMC called "Airliner reclining seats" which, according to the advertising copy writers, "adjust to five comfortable positions to let you relax or doze the miles away while someone else drives." Great for family vacations or ??? (I think we know what Johnny had in mind... and it wasn't "dozing".)

Vacationers could also opt for the Twin Travel Beds... a rear seat option that promised "no need to worry about reservations— no bother with tents or cots."

Nash touted Ambassador's comfort— a result of a long wheelbase (121.3 inches, a full six inches longer than a '57 Chevrolet Bel Air) and a "new kind of springing which floats you over the roughest roads for the finest shock-proof ride in the industry." Adding to creature comforts were options such as Weather-Eye heating and ventilating; All-Season a/c; Solex tinted glass; leather seat trim and 'dealer-installed' (lap) seat belts. For those romantic evening encounters down by the levee, Nash offered a new transistor-powered radio with twin-balanced "Hi-Fi" speakers, promising "clearer, concert-tone reception."

And, not-to-be-forgotten were the dress up options like the functional Continental tire mount (barely visible in this illustration) which added ten inches to Ambassador's already impressive 209 inch overall length. The package included a full-width bumper extension and dual exhaust with flashy, chrome tips. And of course what self-respecting new car buyer wouldn't want whitewalls and full wheel covers on his flashy new Ambassador coupe? Check that on the options list too.

The Nash Ambassador Custom Country Club Hardtop, illustrated here in Mardi Gras Red over Frost White, was powered by AMC's own, all-new 327 cubic inch V-8, the only engine offered in the Ambassador series. Producing 255 "blazing horsepower" Nash engineers said of the new power plant, "It delivers high torque at the widest speed range in the industry for lightning acceleration." Must have come in handy for Johnny when Betty's dad started flashing the front porch light! Silent-Synchromesh was the standard transmission, but most of AMC's new Ambassador V-8s were found bolted to the Flashaway Hydra-Matic tranny— supplied by General Motors.

Too little too late was the sad story of the 1957 Ambassador, however. Although it was the recipient of a major facelift, including the first quad headlamp system used on any U.S. car, 1957 would be the final year for the Ambassador as well as the Nash brand in general.

Other models would survive under AMC Rambler badging, a result of a continuing effort to merge former brands under the American Motors umbrella, an ongoing program spearheaded by George Romney. (Does that name ring any bells?)

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Trivia Answers: 1. Rambler.

2. Chrysler bought out AMC in 1987 and the last vehicle produced under the AMC brand was the 1992 Eagle Premier. 3. Released in 1958, Beep-Beep was ballad which described a duel between the drivers of a Cadillac and a Nash Rambler. It was recorded by The Playmates.

Check my web site (below) for more catalog pages from the 1957 Nash brochure and other information.