François J. Castaing was a French automotive executive with Renault, American Motors, and Chrysler. He was an engineering graduate from École Nationale Supérieure d'Arts et Métiers in Paris, and worked in Europe for Gordini and Renault before being named vice president for Product Engineering and Development at American Motors Corporation (AMC).

American Motors Corporation was an American automobile manufacturing company formed by the merger of Nash-Kelvinator Corporation and Hudson Motor Car Company on May 1, 1954. At the time, it was the largest corporate merger in U.S. history.