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AMC AMX 390 - the only American sports car alternative to the Corvette?

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Created on November 29, 2025

Text:

Bruno von Rotz

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Bruno von Rotz

52

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Bruno von Rotz

52

Archiv

49

AMC AMX 390 (1970) - two seats, two doors, short wheelbase and plenty of power

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AMC AMX 390 (1970) - the shape is clearly reminiscent of the experimental AMX car from 1966

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AMC AMX 390 (1970) - short glass house, fastback design

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AMC AMX 390 (1970) - the front design was changed for the 1970 model year

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AMC AMX 390 (1970) - wide wheels and light strip at the rear

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AMC AMX 390 (1970) - the light strip makes the rear look wider than it actually is at just over 1.8 meters

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AMC AMX 390 (1970) - over 200 km/h fast if necessary

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AMC AMX 390 (1970) - can keep up with any traffic at any time

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AMC AMX 390 (1970) - in the test, the manual 390 version accelerated from 0 to 96 km/h in under seven seconds

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AMC AMX 390 (1970) - only built for three years, this example is from the last year of construction

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AMC AMX 390 (1970) - from the front you can't see its special status at all

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AMC AMX 390 (1970) - from a standstill to 160 km/h in just over 18 seconds

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AMC AMX 390 (1970) - looks broad and muscular

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AMC AMX 390 (1970) - on the way to the next quarter-mile race?

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AMC AMX 390 (1970) - Dashboard in the style of European sports cars

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AMC AMX 390 (1970) - with two-spoke sports steering wheel

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AMC AMX 390 (1970) - Imitation wood was available from 1969 onwards

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AMC AMX 390 (1970) - the foamed dashboard was innovative at the time

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AMC AMX 390 (1970) - classic round instruments, 8000 rpm is perhaps a little optimistic

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AMC AMX 390 (1970) - can be pedaled safely

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AMC AMX 390 (1970) - AM-FM radio

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AMC AMX 390 (1970) - even inside, the driver always knows which car he is sitting in

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AMC AMX 390 (1970) - the air conditioning control unit

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AMC AMX 390 (1970) - three-speed Borg-Warner automatic transmission

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AMC AMX 390 (1970) - Door panels in black

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AMC AMX 390 (1970) - only a few cars had an internally adjustable exterior mirror at that time

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AMC AMX 390 (1970) - no rear seats

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AMC AMX 390 (1970) - the 6383 cm3 V8 engine

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AMC AMX 390 (1970) - with four-barrel carburetor around 330 SAE horsepower

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AMC AMX 390 (1970) - the engine compartment offers enough space for the large V8

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AMC AMX 390 (1970) - an attractively furnished engine compartment

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AMC AMX 390 (1970) - the air filter for the high-compression engine

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AMC AMX 390 (1970) - Information on emissions under the hood

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AMC AMX 390 (1970) - Maintenance instructions in the engine compartment

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AMC AMX 390 (1970) - Windshield wiper fluid in matching bag

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AMC AMX 390 (1970) - Warnings on the coolant cap

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AMC AMX 390 (1970) - Chassis number

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AMC AMX 390 (1970) - Sidemarkers and clearly visible air scoop

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AMC AMX 390 (1970) - the double hat is a characteristic of the last year of construction

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AMC AMX 390 (1970) - Halogen headlights

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AMC AMX 390 (1970) - Steel rims

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AMC AMX 390 (1970) - reference to the largest and most powerful engine

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AMC AMX 390 (1970) - lettering on the C-pillar

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AMC AMX 390 (1970) - originally the three letters stood for "American Motors Experimental"

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AMC AMX 390 (1970) - multi-curved rear window

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AMC AMX 390 (1970) - also clearly labeled on the rear, the center does not light up

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AMC AMX 390 (1970) - the light signature

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AMC AMX 390 (1970) - Additional luggage rack

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AMC AMX 390 (1970) - Rear lights

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AMC AMX 390 (1970) - the folding bike also takes up space in the trunk

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AMC AMX 390 (1970) - Instructions for jacking up

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AMC AMX (1966) - fully functional prototype

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AMC AMX (1966) - first prototype with hatchback

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AMC AMX (1966) - Prorotype with fold-out mother-in-law's seat

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AMC AMX (1966) - first AMX prototype, as shown at the 1966 New York Auto Show

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AMC AMX II (1967) - second AMX prototype with notchback

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AMC AMX GT (1968) - another prototype, still with a plastic body, but with particularly striking rear styling, a forerunner of the Gremlin

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AMC AMX (1968) - Advertisement with reference to the records set

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AMC AMX (1968) - the two-seater coupé

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AMC AMX (1968) - short wheelbase, hatchback

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AMC AMX (1968) - the stripes make the coupé even sportier

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AMC AMX (1968) - first year of construction, ynamic on the road

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AMC AMX (1969) - the coupé in its second year

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AMC AMX (1969) - the V8 engine in the 390 version with 315 SAE hp

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AMC AMX (1969) - four-barrel carburetor, as was optional on many models, here the version for the V8 390

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AMC AMX (1969) - second year of construction with minor improvements, mainly for comfort

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AMC AMX (1970) - third model year version with new front end

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AMC AMX (1970) - two doors and two seats make up the sports car, built in 1970

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AMC AMX (1970) - the hat on the hood

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AMC AMX (1970) - Cockpit

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AMC AMX (1970) - Comparison of the dimensions to the AMC Javelin

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AMC Javelin (1968) - the Americans call it a "Two Door Hardtop Coupe"

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AMC Javelin (1967) - first year of construction of the 2+2 coupé, silhouette of the SST version

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AMC Javelin (1967) - Cockpit with innovative dashboard for greater occupant safety

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AMC Javelin (1968) - also provided the technical platform for the AMX - view under the sheet metal of the SST version (see-through drawing)

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AMC Javelin (1968) - first year of construction of the 2+2 coupé

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AMC Javelin (1968) - first year of construction of the 2+2 coupé

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AMC Javelin (1968) - first year of construction of the 2+2 coupé, as SST

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AMC Javelin (1970) - SST variant, silhouette

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AMC Javelin (1971) - more safety for the coupé

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AMC Javelin (1971) - the coupé, here an SST, was also assembled at Karmann

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AMC Javelin (1971) - ready for action on the race track

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AMC Javelin (1971) - a completely new TransAm racing car for Roger Penske and Mark Donohue

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AMC Javelin (1971) - successful TransAm racing car, Sunoco as sponsor

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AMC Javelin (1971) - first SSCA win for the new AMX TransAM race car with Mark Donohue at the wheel at Lime Rock Parks

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AMC Javelin (1971) - first SSCA win for the new AMX TransAM race car with Mark Donohue at the wheel at Lime Rock Parks

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AMC Javelin (1971) - Mark Donohue drives the car

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AMC Javelin (1971) - Mark Donohue drives the car

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AMC Javelin (1971) - Roger Penske enters the car

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AMC Javelin (1971) - the production engine becomes a 450 hp racing engine in the hands of Jim Travers and Frank Coon

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AMC Javelin (1974) - in two different versions

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AMC Javelin (1974) - AMX version

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AMC Javelin (1974) - Coupé in the AMX version

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AMC Javelin (1974) - luxury version with vinyl roof

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AMC Javelin (1974) - luxury version with vinyl roof

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AMC Javelin (1974) - sporty coupé

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AMC Javelin SST 360 (1971) - Mustang competitor

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AMC Javelin SST 360 (1971) - Silhouette

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AMC Javelin SST 360 (1971) - Cockpit and dashboard

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AMC Javelin SST 360 (1971) - View of the 2+2-seater interior

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AMC AMX 390 (1970) - typical American design

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Summary

To score points with the young car buyers of the late sixties, American Motors launched the AMX in 1968, a two-seater sports car and thus the only alternative to the Corvette. Hardly any other series-produced car was able to make such an impression in the quarter mile and still offer sufficient everyday practicality. In any case, the AMX was a gain for AMC's image, but not so much for its business figures. This driving report is dedicated to the most powerful AMX version 390 and shows the car in historical and current pictures.

This article contains the following chapters

Difficult times for American Motors
Highly acclaimed AMX concept cars
The Javelin as a competitor to the Camaro, Mustang and 'Cuda
AMX as a shortened Javelin
Records at the start
Positive response in the press
Model maintenance "on a budget"
Options and more
The rare AMX Super Stock
Only for three years
On board a late model

Estimated reading time: 9min

Preview (beginning of the article)

It was once said to be a "Walter Mitty" Ferrari. By which was probably meant that its capabilities often went unnoticed and the market underestimated the car. But apart from the Corvette, it was also the only two-seater American production sports car at the end of the sixties. Today it has almost been forgotten, but back then the AMC AMX was the dream of many boys and girls. As an AMX 390 anyway. In the mid-sixties, American Motors, the fourth-largest car manufacturer in America, was in crisis. The earlier success with compact cars had been forgotten and sales were falling year on year, down 10% in 1965 compared to 1964. 1966 threatened to be even worse. American Motors needed a new image, because the new car buyers preferred sporty and powerful vehicles.

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