1970 AMC AMX III

Why did AMC, a long producer of solid, dependable, family cars begin producing fast-moving, expensive sporty cars? Image. In the late 1960s, Richard Teague, AMC's vice president in charge of styling, decided to aggressively court the youth market. Various automobiles came out of their push including the Mustang-inspired Javelin, and two-seat AMX and the SC/Rambler, the most unusual car produced during this time was the AMX/3.

Based on the Javelin, but patterned after European exotic cars like the Lamborghini Miura and the Lotus Europa, the AMX/3 was one of the most unusual cars to come out of Detroit in the late 1960s. The Italian firm of Giotto Bizzarrini handled the chassis development, and BMW assisted with testing. With styling by Richard Teague, the mid-engined car's equipment included an Italian transaxle, cast magnesium wheels by Campagnolo and four-wheel disc vented brakes by the German company Ate. With a 390 cubic inch engine, the AMX/3 could glide along at a whopping 160 miles per hour. The AMX/3's major competition would have been the Ford Pantera, a similar vehicle also targeted at the youth market. But this was never to be.

AMC's continuing sales problems, projected engineering costs for meeting new federal safety standards, and concern that the selling price might double the original projections of $10,000, conspired to put the AMX/3 on the shelf after just six examples were built. All six of the prototype cars still exist, and this AMX/3 was one of Richard Teague's personal cars.