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Small Ahead of Big? Only General Motors remained mum, but the silence concealed a lot of activity. Farther ahead than either of its Big Three competitors toward mass-producing a small car, G.M. will have ready for introduction in the fall a compact, six-cylinder auto with a part-aluminum engine in the rear. Last week the trade magazine Motor Life reported that G.M. is also considering manufacturing several models (e.g., Pontiac, Buick) using one basic body shell, will sell them through its separate dealers.
Such activity brought I-told-you-so nods at American Motors, which has climbed into fifth place in sales with its compact Rambler. American Motors betrayed no concern about the Big Three's entrance into its field. Said President George Romney: "We expect the Big Three to follow Rambler into the field of compact cars for the simple reason that this is the real growth part of the market. If they do, compact-car sales should reach an annual rate of 3,000,000 units by 1963. The upheaval that is in evidence in the automobile market is the signal for the end of big-car sales dominance in the U.S. The compact car will soon take over the leadership."