The Golden Age of American Muscle produced some of the most iconic performance rides ever, many of which made it to the modern age, like the Chevrolet Camaro, Dodge Charger, and Ford Mustang. The classic era also featured some legendary cars that may have faded away but are no less remembered, most notably the Pontiac GTO, but also the Plymouth Hemi ‘Cuda. Then, there is a segment of classic muscle cars that have, despite being totally killer, simply been forgotten, such as AMC’s entire lineup, as well as GM A-bodies like the Buick GS and Olds 442.
Falling in with that last category is the Plymouth GTX, which was poised for greatness and then abruptly disappeared, never to be heard from again. The GTX was Mopar’s first dedicated muscle car model and created quite a buzz with enthusiasts as a track-ready bruiser, straight from the factory. Almost as soon as it was released, however, it was eclipsed by other street machines and relegated to the dustbin of history. Here’s the story of an incredible muscle car that made an initial splash in the late 1960s, only to flat-line before the 1970s hit.
To give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from various manufacturers and other authoritative sources, including RM Sotheby’s and Classic.com.
1967 Plymouth GTX: The Gentleman’s Muscle Car
The very first muscle cars, including the 1964 GTO that launched the craze, were existing models fitted with high-performance V-8s. They were built on platforms that had four-door and wagon versions, so there was no pure muscle car model initially. Dodge attempted to capitalize on the muscle and pony car markets in the same vehicle with the first-gen 1966 Charger, but it wasn’t particularly successful or even cool, for that matter.
A year later, Plymouth released the GTX, which was based on the Belvedere, but had its own sheet metal tweaks and was effectively a new nameplate. Technically, it was the performance trim of the top-tier Belvedere Satellite, which was only available as a two-door hard top, so the GTX is arguably the first Mopar specifically designed as a muscle car.
Since the GTX was an upscale version of the already luxe Satellite, it was loaded with all the bells and whistles Plymouth had to offer. It was marketed as the “Gentleman’s Muscle Car”, which was an attempt to attract a more sophisticated buyer. The original mission statement for the American muscle car was to provide a cool-looking ride that went fast and didn’t cost a lot of money. Plymouth was banking on the idea that there were deep-pocket horsepower junkies who wanted a little more style and comfort. At first, it seemed like a great idea, as there was a lot of enthusiasm for this luxury performance vehicle and sales were strong, with Plymouth hoping it was on an upward trajectory.
Hemi-Powered Elegance
One of the things that helped generate interest in GTX, and honestly, the coolest thing about it, was that it came standard with a 375-horsepower 440-cubic-inch V-8. That was the least powerful engine available, meaning it was ready to rock at the base. Of course, anyone with the means for such a magnificent ride could cough up a couple of extra bucks for the 426 Street Hemi upgrade, which was $564 in 1967. That’s over $5,000 in today’s dollars, but more powerful engine options in 2025 can add tens of thousands of dollars to the price of a car, so it seems like chicken feed. Besides, getting a car that could run in the low-13s directly from the dealer lot was kind of priceless in the Golden Age.
Fully Loaded Muscle
The ’67 GTX, which retailed for $3,178 or around $30,000 adjusted for inflation, justified its cost with luxury and features galore. Its deluxe interior came with bucket seats, padded dash, center console, three-spoke steering wheel, and performance gauges, including a tach. The ride was also greatly improved with heavy-duty shocks, springs, torsion bars, and front sway bar, as well as heavy-duty brakes. I
t got a style upgrade, with chrome exhaust tips, chrome rocker panel molding, hood scoops, “Power Bulge” hood, Redline tires, and mag-style hubcaps. It came standard with almost every Plymouth option and, if you think about how basic a $30,000 ride is today, the GTX comes like the biggest bargain of the classic era.
Outsmarted By The Road Runner
While the ’67 GTX sales were encouraging, and the ’68 numbers even stronger, a sibling rivalry was about to bury it. In 1968, all Chrysler B-Body cars got a refresh, and Plymouth decided they needed a polar opposite of the GTX, which gave birth to the Road Runner. Rather than a decked-out Gentleman’s muscle car, the Road Runner was a stripped-down ride for rogues and scoundrels. Well, not quite, but it was at least geared towards people who wanted performance but didn’t have a lot of discretionary income. It turned out there was a much bigger market for no-frills speed machines than luxury muscle, and the GTX started a spiral into oblivion.
Like the GTX, the ’68 Road Runner had a powerful base engine, in this case the 330-horsepower 383-cubic-inch V-8, but was eligible for a 426 Street Hemi upgrade. A ’68 GTX Hemi was almost $4,000, while a Road Runner Hemi came in around $500 cheaper. Again, these prices seem minuscule to us today, but back then, people were a lot more fiscally uptight, so that kind of money was a big deal.
While the GTX came standard with every Plymouth option, the Road Runner could be ordered devoid of almost everything, including back seats and carpets, to save even more money. Just a bench seat and 425 horsepower was all a lot of muscle car fans needed, with the raging success of the Road Runner putting the upscale GTX on notice.
Shocked By The Charger
The GTX’s growth potential was further stunted because 1968 also happened to be the year that Dodge unleashed the second-gen Charger, which was the defining car of the Golden Age. With radical Coke bottle styling that was both sexy and aggressive, the 1968 Charger is considered one of the most beautiful automotive designs of all time. Buyers had the choice between the upscale yet boxy GTX or the slightly more affordable Charger, which was literally a classical art masterpiece. The Charger was also available with the 440 and 426 Hemi, but looked so much cooler, which really did cast a shadow on the GTX. Also, the Charger obtained a much higher profile when a ’68 R/T starred as the bad guy car in the Steve McQueen action/thriller Bullitt.
Stung By The Super Bee
In reality, the market was flooded with B-Body cars that all siphoned sales off of the GTX. There was, obviously, the Road Runner and Charger, but also the Dodge Coronet R/T, which could be ordered just as loaded as the GTX but with more appealing curves and a friendlier price. Then, there was the Super Bee, which was Dodge’s version of the bare-bones Road Runner. Even though the GTX was a legitimate street brawler, it came off as kind of stuffy, while Road Runner and Super Bee had an air of freewheeling fun that had buyers flocking to them. There were simply too many popular Mopar muscle cars for the GTX to compete with, and after 1968, its sales drove off a cliff.
The GTX Reappears As A Collector Car
The once-promising Plymouth GTX had an initial flash of brilliance, only to be extinguished and almost immediately forgotten. A half a century later, however, it’s starting to shine again as a coveted collector’s car. It is still, after all, a classic Mopar muscle car that was available with the 426 Street Hemi, and that alone makes for a six-figure auction darling. Only 1,477 GTX models were ordered with a 426-cubic-inch Hemi V-8, and there’s a pretty good chance that most of those cars no longer exist, making it a rarity. The GTX isn’t quite on par with Mopars like the Dodge Challenger or Hemi ‘Cuda, which can and do go for millions, but it’s up there with 426-equipped Chargers and Road Runners.
The thing is, the GTX could very well be a million-dollar Mopar, as there are some unicorn cars out there that just haven’t come up for auction yet. There were 701 convertibles made in 1969, of which only 11 were equipped with a 426 Hemi, and a mere four with a manual transmission. A one-of-99 ’69 hardtop Hemi four-speed sold at an RM Sotheby’s auction earlier this year for over $200,000, so it’s not hard to imagine a one-of-four drop top flirting with the million-dollar mark. Hemis for the 1971 GTX were limited to 30 units with just 11 four-speeds, so that’s another potential big-money ride, should one ever cross the auction block.
Mopar’s Hidden Muscle Car Gem
The GTX was discontinued after 1971 due to poor sales, but became a trim on the 1972-1974 Road Runners equipped with the 440-cubic-inch V-8. The 440 6BBL engine with three two-barrel carbs was also discontinued in ’71, but there are rumors that five or six Road Runner GTXs actually slipped out of the factory equipped with them, with one possibly still existing. That would definitely be a holy grail Mopar, which would command a multi-million-dollar auction price. Regardless, the GTX is a kickass classic Mopar that doesn’t quite have the name recognition as other, more famous models, but with just as much potential value.
The thing is, back in the day, it was cool to have a stripped-down street machine, with maybe some milk crates for back seats, but collectors today quite enjoy the luxury touches of a GTX. The top-selling first-gen (1968-1970) Road Runners go for around $275,000, while the same-era GTXs average about $100,000 less. The GTX cars, however, are better equipped and more comfortable to drive, so they really are a much better deal. Hemi cars are rare, with a total production of 9,778 units from both Dodge and Plymouth, so a GTX is really the cheapest way to get one of these hot collectibles.