Vic Raviolo, previously responsible for the Lincolns that raced in the Carrera Panamericana during the 1950s was involved with engineering AMC's new sports-car-type coupe.[14] The AMX was the first steel-bodied, two-seat American performance car since the 1957 Thunderbird, Ford's original two-seater having long since evolved into a four-seat personal luxury car. The AMX was also the only mass-produced, domestic two-seater to share the market with Chevrolet's Corvette since the 1957 Thunderbird.[15][16] With a short, 97 in (2,464 mm), wheelbase, the AMX's direct competition was the one-inch longer (98 in (2,489 mm) Chevrolet Corvette. The AMX's manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) was US$3,245 (US$23,858 in 2019 dollars [17]), nearly 25% below and over $1,000 less than the Corvette's price tag.[4]