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HomeJoe Ligo

Joe Ligo

Literature

Why did American Motors fire Wells Rich and Greene in 1972?

March 6, 2026 Steve 6

(EXPANDED FROM 5/14/2024) American Motors and the ad agency Wells Rich and Greene would seem to have been a match made in heaven when they started to work together in 1967. After all, both had […]

1975 AMC Pacer
The Best of Indie Auto

Seven mistakes that killed the AMC Pacer — and American Motors

January 9, 2026 Steve 45

(EXPANDED FROM 9/8/2023) The 1975-80 AMC Pacer may have been a memorable car, but it was also a key factor in American Motors’ demise as an independent automaker. What’s particularly tragic is that the Pacer’s […]

1986 Jeep Grand Wagoneer
Media Analysis

Could American Motors have survived if it ditched passenger cars for Jeeps?

July 18, 2025 Steve 8

In conjunction with his recent Public Broadcasting series on American Motors, Joe Ligo (2025) wrote a provocative article for Hagerty. He wondered whether AMC might have survived for at least a while longer if it […]

Multimedia

Do vloggers represent the future of automotive history?

July 4, 2025 Steve 4

I must admit to spending almost as much time lately with video-based auto histories as their “print” siblings such as websites or magazines. That’s partly because of the spillover effect of working on some non-automotive […]

AMC Pacer clay model
Multimedia

Why does Joe Ligo’s PBS series sanewash AMC’s mid-70s recklessness?

May 28, 2025 Steve 7

I have mixed reactions to Joe Ligo’s (2025) fourth episode of his six-part television series on American Motors. This 30-minute program focuses on the automaker’s two final big-ticket redesigns before losing its independence: the 1974 […]

Media Analysis

Do car ads need to talk down to people in order to be engaging?

May 22, 2025 Steve 6

One of the laziest kinds of clickbait in the auto history media are posts of old advertisements, commercials and various types of marketing videos. All too often the text that accompanies the ads could be […]

Roy Chapin Jr. and William Luneberg
Multimedia

Joe Ligo’s third AMC episode suffers from analytical weaknesses

May 20, 2025 Steve 3

One downside of partnering with another automotive historian on a media project is that you inevitably have to negotiate editorial details. That can be particularly challenging if one of the partners has considerably more stature. […]

Circa 1958 Rambler American 2-door sedan
Multimedia

Could Joe Ligo’s American Motors TV series expand the audience for auto history?

May 5, 2025 Steve 10

I first wrote about Joe Ligo’s idea of making an American Motors film in early 2020. Two years later he announced that he was retooling the project and would do a six-part series for the […]

Current Events

Joe Ligo sheds light on why small cars have disappeared in the United States

April 5, 2024 Steve 4

Joe Ligo has written one of the most interesting automotive articles I have come across in quite some time. Over at The Autopian website he analyzes why the small car died in the United States. […]

Ed's Auto Reviews 1959 GM car
Multimedia

Ed’s Auto Reviews offers a lite but fun take on automotive history

October 10, 2022 Steve 8

A kind reader recently informed me about Ed’s Auto Reviews. These are relatively short videos on YouTube that cover a broad range of auto history topics. For example, a recently posted episode called “Mistake of […]

Posts pagination

1 2 »
  • 1965 Studebaker Cruiser proposal
    Car Life speculates about why Studebaker shut down its South Bend plant
    July 17, 2026 8
  • 1956 Lincoln
    The 1956 Lincoln’s styling proved to be a one-year wonder
    July 17, 2026 18
  • 1975 Mercedes-Benz 450 SL
    1975 Mercedes-Benz 450 SL lacked the taut brilliance of its predecessor
    July 14, 2026 6
  • 1988 Oldsmobile Toronado
    Did GM go too far in downsizing the 1986 Riviera, Toronado and Eldorado?
    July 10, 2026 16
  • J. 'Kelly' Flory Jr.
    J. ‘Kelly’ Flory Jr.’s American Cars series is pricey but valuable
    July 10, 2026 4
  • 1968 Pontiac Firebird green convertible
    1967-72 Pontiac Firebird shows limits of ad illustrations
    July 7, 2026 10
  • Miscellaneous ramblings about being on the road
    June 25, 2026 5
  • Internet problems reminded me of U.S. automakers in the 1970s
    May 2, 2026 1
  • 1956 Buick hood scoop
    Readers brainstorm ideas for future Indie Auto stories
    October 14, 2022 141
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