American
Motors AMX
Although
there is some debate about whether or not the AMX is actually a pony car or a
sports car, the bottom line is that it was definitely fast and powerful enough
to get the attention of many drivers during its production period. Not only did
the car break records but are now some of the most highly sought after
collectible muscle cars around.
Their
Inception
The name
of this particular car was actually an acronym standing for American Motors
Experimental (the “X” comes from experimental). This was a code name the
company had given to earlier prototypes during a 1966 auto tour. The whole goal
of these prototypes was to attract a different type of consumer. Previously,
American Motors had been known for affordable vehicles and now they wanted the
muscle cars market.
The real
development work started back in 1965 with the styling being handled by Charles
Mashigan and the body of the concept car version being handled by Vince Gardner
in 1966. A version known as the Vignale was shown that same year at the New
York International Auto Show.
When the
car was shown to the press in 1968 at the Daytona International Speedway, it
was one of only two cars on the market which were two-seaters. The other was
the Corvette. However, the AMX muscle cars had a big advantage over the
Corvette: it cost about $1000 less with a base price of just over $3,200. The
car also benefited from some helpful marketing by Playboy which was shared some
of the same consumer base.
A Short
but Remarkable Run
The AMX
was only produced for three years: 1968 to 1970. That didn’t stop the car from
making a huge splash in the industry. Just after being released, two of the
cars broke the 106 mph world speed records. However, the cars were modified in
many ways to reach that accomplishment.
In the
last two production yeas, the car was also named Best Engineered Car of the
Year by the American Society of Automotive Engineers. Part of the car’s claim
to fame was its improved safety thanks to the single piece dashboard. It was
the first model in the industry to create the dashboard as one piece.
When
compared with other muscle cars, the AMX has always done very well. In 2005,
comparison testing done by the Speed Channel ranked it above many of the best
known cars despite it being technically less powerful. However, the car could
accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just 6.5 seconds.
Enhanced
Collectability
One of
the reasons why the AMX is such a popular find among muscle cars enthusiasts is
the limited number of models made. Between 1968 and 1970, a total of 19,134
cars were produced in the United States. Even when collectors do find these
models available, they are difficult to restore because of the limited number
of American Motors’ parts that are available for purchase today.