The 1971 AMC Javelin AMX — a bold underdog that crashed the muscle car party and demanded respect.

In ’71, AMC knew it needed more than quirky economy cars to win over gearheads, so they unleashed the Javelin AMX: a road-ready street machine with racing pedigree baked in. With its stretched fenders, aggressive split grille, and that unmistakable long hood, the Javelin AMX looked mean standing still — but it was all muscle when you hit the gas.

Under the hood, buyers could get the beefy 401 cubic inch V8 pumping out a legit 330 horsepower — enough to scare plenty of Mustangs, Camaros, and ‘Cudas back to the dealership. But AMC didn’t stop there: they backed the Javelin AMX with a Trans-Am racing program, taking on the big names in SCCA competition and winning the championship in ’71.

Today, the Javelin AMX is a symbol of AMC’s guts and creativity — a muscle car that proves the underdogs can run with the big dogs when given the chance.

If you live for the oddballs and factory freaks of the muscle car era, smash subscribe, check out the CarSwagger Garage for exclusive gear, and help us keep these overlooked legends roaring.

Stay loud, stay proud — this is CarSwagger.