<PAGE>
 
     As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 1, 1999
                                             Registration No. ___________

                      SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            Washington, D.C. 20549


                                   FORM S-8
            REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933


                               AMERICREDIT CORP.
            (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

            Texas                                       75-2291093
(State or other jurisdiction of                     (I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization)                     Identification No.)

          200 Bailey Avenue
          Fort Worth, Texas                              76107
(Address of principal executive offices)              (Zip Code)



                AMERICREDIT CORP. EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
                           (Full title of the plan)



          Chris A. Choate                               Copy to:
          General Counsel                           L. Steven Leshin
          AmeriCredit Corp.                      Jenkens & Gilchrist, P.C.
         200 Bailey Avenue                           1445 Ross Avenue
      Fort Worth, Texas  76107                           Suite 3200
           (817) 332-7000                           Dallas, Texas  75202
 (Name, address and telephone number
including area code of agent for service)
<PAGE>
 
                        CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
 
                                   Proposed       Proposed
Title of                           maximum        maximum
securities      Amount to          offering       aggregate      Amount of
  to be       be registered       price per      offering       registration
registered       (1)(2)          share (3)(4)   price (3)(4)      fee (4)

Common          1,000,000          $11.625      $11,625,000      $3,232

      (1) Additional shares reserved for issuance under the AmeriCredit Corp.
Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the "Plan").  Amount to be registered reflects
two-for-one split of the registrant's Common Stock effective September 30, 1998.
      (2) Pursuant to Rule 416, additional shares of Common Stock issuable under
the Plan in order to prevent dilution resulting from any future stock split,
stock dividend or similar transaction are also being registered hereunder.
      (3) Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee.
      (4) Calculated pursuant to Rule 457(c) and (h).  Accordingly, the price
per share of the Common Stock offered hereunder pursuant to the Plan is based on
1,000,000 shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance under the Plan, but not
subject to outstanding stock options or other awards, at a price per share of
$11.625, which is the average of the highest and lowest selling price per share
of Common Stock on the New York Stock Exchange on February 24, 1999.

<PAGE>
 
                                    PART I
                                        
             INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(A) PROSPECTUS
                                        

Item 1.  Plan Information *

Item 2.  Registrant Information and Employee Plan Annual Information *



                                    PART II
                                        
                INFORMATION REQUIRED IN REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                        
     AmeriCredit Corp. (the "registrant") hereby incorporates by reference in
this Registration Statement its registration statement on Form S-8 previously
filed with the Commission (File No. 33-57517), which related to the Plan.
















____________________
*Information required by Part I to this registration statement on Form S-8 is
 contained in a Section 10(a) prospectus that will be delivered to Plan
 participants in accordance with Rule 428 under the Securities Act of 1933 and
 the Note to Part I of Form S-8. As a result, the information required by Part I
 to this registration statement has been omitted.

<PAGE>
 
Item 8.   Exhibits.

     (a)  Exhibits

          The following documents are filed as a part of this registration
          statement.

Exhibit                 Description of Exhibit
-------                 ----------------------

4.1   Articles of Incorporation of AmeriCredit Corp., as amended to date
      (incorporated by reference to Exhibits 3.1, 3.2 and 3.3 of the
      registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30,
      1998, filed with the Commission).

4.2   Bylaws of AmeriCredit Corp., as amended to date (incorporated by reference
      to Exhibit 3.4 of the registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
      fiscal year ended June 30, 1998, filed with the Commission).

4.3   Rights Agreement, dated August 28, 1997, between AmeriCredit Corp. and
      ChaseMellon Shareholder Services, L.L.C. (incorporated by reference to
      Exhibit 4.2 of the registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal
      year ended June 30, 1998, filed with the Commission).

4.4   AmeriCredit Corp. Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as amended (incorporated
      by reference to S-8 filed November 16, 1994 with the Commission).

4.4.1 Amendment No. 1 to AmeriCredit Corp. Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

5.1   Opinion of Jenkens & Gilchrist, a Professional Corporation

23.1  Consent of Jenkens & Gilchrist, a Professional Corporation (included in
      their opinion filed as Exhibit 5.1 hereto).

23.2  Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Independent Accountants

24.1  Power of Attorney (see signature page of this registration statement).

Item 9.   Undertakings.

     A.   The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

          (1)  to file, during any period in which offers or sales are being
     made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement to include
     any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not
     previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change
     to such information in the registration statement;



<PAGE>
 
          (2)  that, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
     Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a
     new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and
     the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the
     initial bona fide offering thereof; and

          (3)  to remove from registration by means of a post-effective
     amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
     termination of the offering.

     B.   The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the
registrant's annual report pursuant to section 13(a) or section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of any employee benefit plan's
annual report pursuant to section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is
incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a
new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

     C.   Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons
of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the
registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such
indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and
is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses
incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant
in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate
jurisdiction the question of whether such indemnification by it is against
public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the
final adjudication of such issue.
<PAGE>
 
                                  SIGNATURES
                                        
     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the
registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this registration
statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Fort Worth, Texas, on March 1, 1999.


                                  AMERICREDIT CORP.



                                  By: /s/ Clifton H. Morris, Jr.
                                      --------------------------  
                                      Clifton H. Morris, Jr., Chairman of
                                      the Board and Chief Executive Officer



                               POWER OF ATTORNEY
                                        
     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each individual whose signature
appears below designates and appoints Clifton H. Morris, Jr. and Chris A.
Choate, and each of  them, his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agents with
full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place
and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including
post-effective amendments) to this registration statement, and to file the same
with all exhibits thereto, and all documents in connection therewith, with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and
agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and
every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the
premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in
person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and
agents or either of them, or their or his substitute or substitutes, may
lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

      Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.


<PAGE>

 
Signature                     Capacity                    Date
 
                              Chairman of the Board and
/s/ Clifton H. Morris, Jr.    Chief Executive Officer          March 1, 1999
----------------------------
Clifton H. Morris, Jr.
 
                              Vice Chairman, President
                              and Chief Operating Officer
/s/ Michael R. Barrington     and Director                     March 1, 1999
----------------------------
Michael R. Barrington
 
                              Vice Chairman and Chief
                              Financial Officer and Director
                              (Principal Financial and
/s/ Daniel E. Berce           Officer)                         March 1, 1999
----------------------------
Daniel E. Berce


                              Executive Vice President - Auto
/s/ Edward H. Esstman         Finance Division and Director    March 1, 1999
---------------------                                                   
Edward H. Esstman
 
 
/s/ James H. Greer           Director                          March 1, 1999
---------------------------
James H. Greer

 
/s/ Kenneth H. Jones, Jr.    Director                          March 1, 1999
---------------------------
Kenneth H. Jones, Jr.
 

/s/ A. R. Dike               Director                          March 1, 1999
---------------------------
A. R. Dike
 

/s/ Douglas K. Higgins       Director                          March 1, 1999
---------------------------
Douglas K. Higgins

<PAGE>
 
                               INDEX TO EXHIBITS


Exhibit                                                         
  No.                 Description of Exhibit                     

4.1    Articles of Incorporation of AmeriCredit Corp., as
       amended to date (incorporated by reference to
       Exhibits 3.1, 3.2 and 3.3 of the registrant's
       Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year
       ended June 30, 1998, filed with the Commission).

4.2    Bylaws of AmeriCredit Corp., as amended to date
       (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.4 of the
       registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
       fiscal year ended June 30, 1998, filed with the
       Commission).

4.3    Rights Agreement, dated August 28, 1997, between
       AmeriCredit Corp. and ChaseMellon Shareholder
       Services, L.L.C. (incorporated by reference to
       Exhibit 4.2 of the registrant's Annual Report
       on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
       June 30, 1998, filed with the Commission).

4.4    AmeriCredit Corp. Employee Stock Purchase Plan,
       as amended (incorporated by reference to S-8 filed
       November 16, 1994 with the Commission).

4.4.1  Amendment No. 1 to AmerCredit Corp. Employee
       Stock Purchase Plan.

5.1    Opinion of Jenkens & Gilchrist, a Professional
       Corporation.

23.1   Consent of Jenkens & Gilchrist, a Professional 
       Corporation (included in their opinion filed as
       Exhibit 5.1).

23.2   Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Independent
       Accountants.

24.1   Power of Attorney (see signature page of this
       Registration Statement).
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "description": "FORM S-8", "secsgml_size_bytes": 13753}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "AMERICREDIT CORP", "cik": "0000804269", "assigned-sic": "6199", "irs-number": "752291093", "state-of-incorporation": "TX", "fiscal-year-end": "0630"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-73113", "film-number": "99553586"}, "business-address": {"street1": "200 BAILEY AVENUE", "city": "FORT WORTH", "state": "TX", "zip": "76107", "phone": "8173327000"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "200 BAILEY AVENUE", "city": "FORT WORTH", "state": "TX", "zip": "76107"}, "former-company": {"former-conformed-name": "URCARCO INC", "date-changed": "19920703"}}
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 1, 1999
                                             Registration No. ___________

                      SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            Washington, D.C. 20549

                                   FORM S-8
            REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                               AMERICREDIT CORP.
            (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

            Texas                                       75-2291093
(State or other jurisdiction of                     (I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization)                     Identification No.)

          200 Bailey Avenue
          Fort Worth, Texas                              76107
(Address of principal executive offices)              (Zip Code)

                AMERICREDIT CORP. EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
                           (Full title of the plan)

          Chris A. Choate                               Copy to:
          General Counsel                           L. Steven Leshin
          AmeriCredit Corp.                      Jenkens & Gilchrist, P.C.
         200 Bailey Avenue                           1445 Ross Avenue
      Fort Worth, Texas  76107                           Suite 3200
           (817) 332-7000                           Dallas, Texas  75202
 (Name, address and telephone number
including area code of agent for service)
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
 
                                   Proposed       Proposed
Title of                           maximum        maximum
securities      Amount to          offering       aggregate      Amount of
  to be       be registered       price per      offering       registration
registered       (1)(2)          share (3)(4)   price (3)(4)      fee (4)

Common          1,000,000          $11.625      $11,625,000      $3,232

      (1) Additional shares reserved for issuance under the AmeriCredit Corp.
Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the "Plan").  Amount to be registered reflects
two-for-one split of the registrant's Common Stock effective September 30, 1998.
      (2) Pursuant to Rule 416, additional shares of Common Stock issuable under
the Plan in order to prevent dilution resulting from any future stock split,
stock dividend or similar transaction are also being registered hereunder.
      (3) Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee.
      (4) Calculated pursuant to Rule 457(c) and (h).  Accordingly, the price
per share of the Common Stock offered hereunder pursuant to the Plan is based on
1,000,000 shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance under the Plan, but not
subject to outstanding stock options or other awards, at a price per share of
$11.625, which is the average of the highest and lowest selling price per share
of Common Stock on the New York Stock Exchange on February 24, 1999.
PART I
                                        
             INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(A) PROSPECTUS
                                        

Item 1.  Plan Information *

Item 2.  Registrant Information and Employee Plan Annual Information *

                                    PART II
                                        
                INFORMATION REQUIRED IN REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                        
     AmeriCredit Corp. (the "registrant") hereby incorporates by reference in
this Registration Statement its registration statement on Form S-8 previously
filed with the Commission (File No. 33-57517), which related to the Plan.

____________________
*Information required by Part I to this registration statement on Form S-8 is
 contained in a Section 10(a) prospectus that will be delivered to Plan
 participants in accordance with Rule 428 under the Securities Act of 1933 and
 the Note to Part I of Form S-8. As a result, the information required by Part I
 to this registration statement has been omitted.
Item 8.   Exhibits.

     (a)  Exhibits

          The following documents are filed as a part of this registration
          statement.

Exhibit                 Description of Exhibit
-------                 ----------------------

4.1   Articles of Incorporation of AmeriCredit Corp., as amended to date
      (incorporated by reference to Exhibits 3.1, 3.2 and 3.3 of the
      registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30,
      1998, filed with the Commission).

4.2   Bylaws of AmeriCredit Corp., as amended to date (incorporated by reference
      to Exhibit 3.4 of the registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
      fiscal year ended June 30, 1998, filed with the Commission).

4.3   Rights Agreement, dated August 28, 1997, between AmeriCredit Corp. and
      ChaseMellon Shareholder Services, L.L.C. (incorporated by reference to
      Exhibit 4.2 of the registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal
      year ended June 30, 1998, filed with the Commission).

4.4   AmeriCredit Corp. Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as amended (incorporated
      by reference to S-8 filed November 16, 1994 with the Commission).

4.4.1 Amendment No. 1 to AmeriCredit Corp. Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

5.1   Opinion of Jenkens & Gilchrist, a Professional Corporation

23.1  Consent of Jenkens & Gilchrist, a Professional Corporation (included in
      their opinion filed as Exhibit 5.1 hereto).

23.2  Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Independent Accountants

24.1  Power of Attorney (see signature page of this registration statement).

Item 9.   Undertakings.

     A.   The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

          (1)  to file, during any period in which offers or sales are being
     made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement to include
     any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not
     previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change
     to such information in the registration statement;
(2)  that, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
     Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a
     new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and
     the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the
     initial bona fide offering thereof; and

          (3)  to remove from registration by means of a post-effective
     amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
     termination of the offering.

     B.   The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the
registrant's annual report pursuant to section 13(a) or section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of any employee benefit plan's
annual report pursuant to section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is
incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a
new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

     C.   Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons
of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the
registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such
indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and
is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses
incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant
in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate
jurisdiction the question of whether such indemnification by it is against
public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the
final adjudication of such issue.
SIGNATURES
                                        
     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the
registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this registration
statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Fort Worth, Texas, on March 1, 1999.

                                  AMERICREDIT CORP.

                                  By: /s/ Clifton H. Morris, Jr.
                                      --------------------------  
                                      Clifton H. Morris, Jr., Chairman of
                                      the Board and Chief Executive Officer

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY
                                        
     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each individual whose signature
appears below designates and appoints Clifton H. Morris, Jr. and Chris A.
Choate, and each of  them, his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agents with
full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place
and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including
post-effective amendments) to this registration statement, and to file the same
with all exhibits thereto, and all documents in connection therewith, with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and
agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and
every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the
premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in
person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and
agents or either of them, or their or his substitute or substitutes, may
lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

      Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.
Signature                     Capacity                    Date
 
                              Chairman of the Board and
/s/ Clifton H. Morris, Jr.    Chief Executive Officer          March 1, 1999
----------------------------
Clifton H. Morris, Jr.
 
                              Vice Chairman, President
                              and Chief Operating Officer
/s/ Michael R. Barrington     and Director                     March 1, 1999
----------------------------
Michael R. Barrington
 
                              Vice Chairman and Chief
                              Financial Officer and Director
                              (Principal Financial and
/s/ Daniel E. Berce           Officer)                         March 1, 1999
----------------------------
Daniel E. Berce

                              Executive Vice President - Auto
/s/ Edward H. Esstman         Finance Division and Director    March 1, 1999
---------------------                                                   
Edward H. Esstman
 
 
/s/ James H. Greer           Director                          March 1, 1999
---------------------------
James H. Greer

 
/s/ Kenneth H. Jones, Jr.    Director                          March 1, 1999
---------------------------
Kenneth H. Jones, Jr.
 

/s/ A. R. Dike               Director                          March 1, 1999
---------------------------
A. R. Dike
 

/s/ Douglas K. Higgins       Director                          March 1, 1999
---------------------------
Douglas K. Higgins
INDEX TO EXHIBITS

Exhibit                                                         
  No.                 Description of Exhibit                     

4.1    Articles of Incorporation of AmeriCredit Corp., as
       amended to date (incorporated by reference to
       Exhibits 3.1, 3.2 and 3.3 of the registrant's
       Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year
       ended June 30, 1998, filed with the Commission).

4.2    Bylaws of AmeriCredit Corp., as amended to date
       (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.4 of the
       registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
       fiscal year ended June 30, 1998, filed with the
       Commission).

4.3    Rights Agreement, dated August 28, 1997, between
       AmeriCredit Corp. and ChaseMellon Shareholder
       Services, L.L.C. (incorporated by reference to
       Exhibit 4.2 of the registrant's Annual Report
       on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
       June 30, 1998, filed with the Commission).

4.4    AmeriCredit Corp. Employee Stock Purchase Plan,
       as amended (incorporated by reference to S-8 filed
       November 16, 1994 with the Commission).

4.4.1  Amendment No. 1 to AmerCredit Corp. Employee
       Stock Purchase Plan.

5.1    Opinion of Jenkens & Gilchrist, a Professional
       Corporation.

23.1   Consent of Jenkens & Gilchrist, a Professional 
       Corporation (included in their opinion filed as
       Exhibit 5.1).

23.2   Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Independent
       Accountants.

24.1   Power of Attorney (see signature page of this
       Registration Statement).