The 1971-1975 Plymouth GTX & Road Runner was a continuation of Plymouth's muscle cars, now with brand-new, handsome styling shared with the ordinary family models (the 115-inch-wheelbase Sebring/Sebring Plus coupes and the 117-inch-wheelbase Satellite sedans and wagons).

Convertibles were dropped with the switch in platform, but there was still some semblance of performance for 1971. That year's Road Runner came with a 300-bhp 383 V-8 that ran on regular gas. The GTX was powered by a four-barrel 440 V-8 with 370 bhp. The 425-bhp Hemi and the 440 Six-Pack were optional for both.

For 1972, the Hemi was made a dealer option, a victim of tightening emissions controls and -- as the production figures suggest -- a dramatic drop in demand for high-performance intermediates. The GTX was cancelled, but the Runner lived on, offering a standard 400-cid V-8, with the 440 optional.

The Road Runner was continued with progressively less power through 1975, after which the concept was applied to the compact Volare as an option package.

Pluses of the 1971-1975 Plymouth GTX & Road Runner:

  • Decent performance for the period
  • Fairly rare, yet still reasonably available today
  • Handsome looks

Minuses of the 1971-1975 Plymouth GTX & Road Runner:

  • Collectibility not yet firmly established
  • Performance falls off greatly after 1971
  • Rust-prone

Production of the 1971 Plymouth GTX & Road Runner:

  • Road Runner 2-door hardtop: 14,218
  • GTX 2-door hardtop: 2,942

Production of the 1972 Plymouth GTX & Road Runner:

  • Road Runner 2-door hardtop: 7,682

Production of the 1973 Plymouth GTX & Road Runner:

  • Road Runner 2-door coupe: 19,056

Production of the 1974 Plymouth GTX & Road Runner:

  • Road Runner 2-door coupe: 11,555

Production of the 1975 Plymouth GTX & Road Runner:

  • Road Runner 2-door coupe: 7,183

Specifications of the 1971-1975 Plymouth GTX & Road Runner:
Wheelbase, inches: 115.0
Length, inches: 203.5
Weight, pounds: approximately 3,300
Price, new: $3,120-$3,973 (U.S.)

Engines for the 1971-1975 Plymouth GTX & Road Runner:

TypeSize
Horsepower
Years
ohv V-8
318 cid
150/1701973-1975
ohv V-8
340 cid
275/240*1971-1973
ohv V-8
360 cid
180/2451973-1975
ohv V-8
383 cid
3001971
ohv V-8
400 cid
165/260*1972-1975
ohv V-8
426 cid
425
1971
ohv V-8
440 cid
370/385**1971-1975

* SAE gross/net bhp
** 1971 SAE gross bhp; 260-280 bhp SAE net 1972-75

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