The American Motors Company (AMC) was formed in 1954 from a merger between the Hudson Motor Car Company and Nash-Kelvinator Corporation. At the time, it set a record for the largest corporate merger in U.S history. At its prime, the company was one of the biggest automobile companies in North America, only behind America’s ‘Big Three’ of Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler.
In the late 70s, the company underwent a series of changes that saw it enter a partnership with Renault before being ultimately taken over by Chrysler in 1987. Several muscle cars were produced by the AMC brand.
And while they are not as famous as Mustangs and Camaros, some AMC muscle cars were actually quite capable, especially when it came to speed. Here's how this defunct brand's quickest muscle cars rank when it comes to 0-60 mph times.
10 AMC Gremlin 401-XR: 8.5 Seconds
AMC produced almost 360,000 Gremlin units between 1972 and 1974 however, only 21 units were upgraded to the 401-XR spec. This makes it one of the most exclusive AMC models ever made. The car was conceived when an Arizona-based AMC dealer, with AMC’s blessing, planted a 255hp V8 engine in the car to replace the original 150hp powerplant. The reported 8.5 seconds sprint to 60mph seemed to be overly conservative, considering the fact that the car only needed less than 14 seconds to run the quarter-mile.
9 1957 AMC Rambler Rebel: 7.5 Seconds
This was one of the earliest cars to arrive on the muscle car scene in the American market and it did boast some impressive numbers. A sub-eight second sprint to 60mph in the late 50s was not insignificant by any means. In 1957, that performance was only second to the mighty Chevrolet Corvette. The Rambler Rebel was powered by a 255hp V8 engine that had no problem hauling the car’s relatively lightweight frame. Only 1,500 units of this car were produced, making it sort of a collectible if you are able to find one today.
8 AMC Marlin 343: 7.0 Seconds
The 1967 AMC Marlin was based on the bigger Ambassador and for that year, which also happened to be its last year of production, less than 3,000 units rolled off the production line. Of that number, it is reported that only 32 units were fitted with the combination of a 4-speed manual transmission and a V8 under the hood that had 280hp and 365 pound-feet of torque. That power was good for a quarter-mile run in less than 16 seconds before maxing out at top speed in excess of 120 mph.
7 1970 AMC Rebel Machine: 6.8 Seconds
The Rebel Machine is one of the more well-known AMC models and for good reason too. The car had the build of a proper muscle car and when it came to its performance, it did not disappoint despite weighing over 1,500kg. The cars were powered by the same engines as the AMX but in this case, horsepower had received a boost to 340hp. There was also a big hood scoop that helped suck air into the engine via a vacuum controlled butterfly valve.
6 1968 AMC Javelin SST V8: 6.6 Seconds
The Javelin was initially conceived as the company’s response to the sensational Mustang and Camaro who ruled the muscle car roost at the time. As a muscle car, the Javelin excelled in certain areas too; offering more rear compartment legroom than its competitors and a price that made it affordable to a wider consumer base. It was no slouch when it came to performance too, especially with the SST models that packed a potent V8 powerplant under the hood.
5 1979 AMC Spirit AMX: 6.6 Seconds
In 1979, AMC introduced a muscle car that was named the spirit AMX; a direct reference to the AMX models that had existed a few years earlier. The car was fitted with a 5.0-liter V8 engine that generated less than 150hp. This was a result of the 1970s government regulations that affected all muscle cars and effectively curtailed power output of their engines. The cars were however fitted with a sports exhaust that gave the Spirit AMX a proper muscle car rumble when fired up.
4 1969 AMC AMX 390: 6.56 Seconds
It was the AMX that really announced American Motors’ in a big way when it came to high-performance vehicles. It offered a unique build with a wheelbase that was shorter than most of the other muscle cars on the market at the time. In stock form, this muscle car could hit 60mph in less than 7 seconds before powering on to a top speed of 120mph. The AMX 390 had a V8 engine that generated 315hp at 4,600rpm and over 400 pound-feet of torque.
3 AMC Matador: 6.5 Seconds
The Matador was marketed as a luxury coupe and ended up being one of the most successful AMC models, with a production run that spanned 9 years, from 1970 to 1978. It shared the same basic platform as the Ambassador and was available with a variety of engines that included a 5.9-liter V8 or a top-trim 6.6-liter V8 engine. The Matador was launched as a replacement for the AMC Rebel and it did post slightly improved performance when it came to speed; able to sprint to 60mph in 6.5 seconds before a top speed run to 144mph.
2 1969 AMC Hurst SC/Rambler: 6.3 Seconds
The AMC Hurst SC/Rambler was as potent as any muscle car in its day. The car packed the largest AMC V8 powerplant that was available; a 315-hp 390-cid mated to a quick shifting Hurst transmission. The car was also fitted with features like special heavy-duty shocks, a functional hood scoop, and an anti-sway bar that all came together rather nicely in this machine. In total, 1,512 units of the car were built and a significant number were finished with the same bold color scheme featured in the above image.
1 Hurst AMC Super Stock AMX: 4.9 Seconds
This was an extreme version of the AMX 390 that ended up being the fastest AMC muscle car ever produced. It is not too surprising considering the car was mainly developed to conquer the drag strip. In the Super Stock AMX, power had been bumped up to over 400hp and there were other modifications such as an aluminum intake manifold and aftermarket headers and exhaust. Only 52 units of the car were produced, making this car a very special one indeed.