Mopar has been long associated with high performance muscle cars and the Plymouth GTX is no exception to that reputation - in a new Hotcars exclusive render, this classic Plymouth nameplate gets re-imagined as a modern muscle car, courtesy of HotCars digital artist Timothy Adry Emmanuel.
The GTX first made an appearance around 1967 as a trim for the Plymouth Belvedere, before becoming its own model the following year; the Plymouth GTX model bowed out after 1971.
Check out the custom car render to see both past and present become one for this iconic muscle car and why it should make a comeback.
UPDATED MARCH 2023: Revisiting the Plymouth GTX render, we dive back into the original car in a little more detail, checking in on current values for the classic Chrysler muscle car.
The Modern Plymouth GTX Custom Render
In the rendering, the GTX is an offering under the current Mopar SRT sub-brand using the final generation of GTX as a baseline: in the same fashion as the current Dodge Challenger and Dodge Charger muscle car, the GTX combines modern technology with design cues that are a nod to the history of the car at the height of the muscle car era in America.
The design's intention is to stand on its own as a muscle car without relying too heavily on the car on which it's based.
Styling on the front of the car stays in line with other vehicles in Dodge's soon-to-be-defunct SRT portfolio - the muscle car design incorporates radiator cooling intakes and a large air dam.
Its bumper draws inspiration from the look of the Road Runner of the 1970s, and, like the Challenger, the HID headlights have a round LED design; the hood pins are a nod to classics of the era, too.
Inspiration from Mopar predecessors drives the design of this car that could easily make its way onto a road or track in modern times.
The Future Of The Muscle Car And Plymouth Making A Comeback
HotCars Photo © 2023 Valnet
While Dodge plans to move to an electric-focused lineup in the future, for now, the brand prioritizes performance and is the leading brand in modern muscle cars in the United States aside from Ford.
Despite being the muscle car-focused-brand of Stellantis, virtually every other brand in the automaker's portfolio has something performance oriented like the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio, and recently-announced Chrysler 300C with the 6.4L HEMI V8 engine, as well as the Jeep Trackhawk.
If Stellantis were to revive the Plymouth brand, it could get integrated into the automaker's lineup, but the GTX could also sit under SRT and live as a high-performance Dodge model.
One big question is what would power the GTX to keep it in line with the rest of the muscle cars available today - a logical choice seems to be the 6.2 liter Hemi V8 engine that powers the Challenger Hellcat.
However, given Dodge's move towards electrified vehicles, some type of hybrid powertrain or a fully electric motor would be the most plausible candidate.
While internal combustion engines may be facing their curtain call over the next decade, Dodge has made it clear that the future of muscle cars is looking bright.
How Much Is A Plymouth GTX Worth In 2023?
As of 2023, the Plymouth brand is still defunct alongside many other icons and names from the past such as Mercury, Eagle, and more. Cadillac, Buick, Ford and many others are moving to SUVs and crossovers to stay profitable, even Dodge, the creators of the extreme Hellcat Charger and Challenger.
There will be no GTX model resurfacing any time soon, but like most nameplates, the 'GTX' could get reused as a trim level on an electric car in the future, just as the Daytona badge returned for the upcoming Dodge Charger SRT Daytona EV.
In March of this year, the third-gen Plymouth GTX, produced in 1971 is worth around $90,000, making the vintage muscle car a valuable asset, there are also relatively-few recorded on the Classic.com auction database - only 21 auctions over 5 years. GTX stands for Grand Touring Extra, and the similar Plymouth Road Runner, like the GTX, was also based on the Belvedere but marketed differently.