By the late 1950s, the physical size of the entry-level models offered by the Big Three American domestic auto manufacturers (General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler) had grown considerably; effectively abandoning the market for the smaller vehicles that had been available in the past. A successful modern "compact car" market segment was established in the U.S. by the 1950 Nash Rambler. Growing sales of imports from Europe, such as Volkswagen, Renault, Fiat and others, showed that demand existed in the U.S. market for small cars, often as a second car or an alternative for budget-minded consumers. While the "Big Three" continued to introduce ever-larger cars during the 1950s, the new American Motors Corporation (AMC) focused its business strategy on smaller-sized and fuel-efficient automobiles, years before a real need for them existed. AMC, a far smaller company than the "Big Three", positioned itself as a "dinosaur-fighter" (underdog); its compact Rambler models helped push AMC to third place in domestic automobile sales. American Motors also reincarnated its predecessor company's smallest Nash model as the "new" 1958 Rambler American for a second model run, an almost unheard-of phenomenon in automobile history. In 1959, Studebaker followed AMC's formula by restyling its mainstream economy-model sedan, calling it the Lark and billing it as a compact. The Lark success helped give Studebaker a respite for several years before the company ceased automobile production in 1966.