AMC (American Motors) AMX History

Introduced for 1968, the AMX was a two-seat GT built on a shortened Javelin platform — a rarity in the American market, where Chevrolet's two-seat Corvette was its only real domestic peer. AMC offered it to shed its economy-car image and pull younger, performance-minded buyers into showrooms. The top engine was a 390-cubic-inch V8 making 315 hp (325 hp for 1970).

Before it even reached dealers, two specially prepared AMXs set 106 world speed and endurance records at Goodyear's Texas proving ground in early 1968, with Craig Breedlove behind the wheel of the record runs — a marketing coup for the small automaker.

Just 19,134 two-seat AMXs were built across three model years (6,725 in 1968, 8,293 in 1969, 4,116 in 1970). Slow sales ended the standalone car after 1970, and the AMX name moved to a performance package on the four-seat Javelin. The original two-seater is now among the most collectible AMCs.