In the '60s the muscle car era was in full swing, with most manufacturers getting in on the action. These American two-door sports coupes came with powerful engines and often used existing parts to keep costs down, with decent practicality thrown in, meaning that you could drive them every day and still lay down some rubber on the drag strip at the weekends.Many companies, such as Ford, Pontiac, Dodge, and Chevrolet, pretty much made their names in the muscle car segment and still trade off that success today. Dodge was still using the Challenger muscle car as its halo model, with versions such as the fire-breathing Demon 170, right up to the model's end in 2023, and Ford still makes headlines with its Mustang.One slightly forgotten car company came to the muscle car party a little later than others, and despite releasing a unique, quick, and good-looking model in the late '60s, was never really able to capitalize on it – by the mid-'80s the company itself had all but fizzled out. It will be remembered for some dorky cars but also for thinking outside the box more often than not – especially with its underrated muscle car offerings. Strap in to find out what the most underrated muscle car of the golden era was and still is today. The AMC AMX Was The Most Underrated Muscle Car Of The '60s Bring A Trailer The double acronym AMC AMX doesn't exactly roll off the tongue like the words Mustang or Barracuda, does it? Sure, anyone with a passing interest in the world of muscle cars will have heard of the AMC AMX, but for the average person in the street, this car probably sounds more like some sort of rock rap supergroup than an automobile. Fitting perhaps, as the AMX was certainly a bit of a rebel. AMC Decided To Arrive Fashionably Late To The Muscle Car Party Bring A Trailer American Motors Corporation had specialized in solid and slightly uninspiring models, rather than anything too wild, up until the late '60s, when the Javelin was introduced. Following the good-looking Javelin came the AMX, which was unveiled at Daytona International Speedway in February 1968. Curiously, the AMX was 12 inches shorter and also ushered in a completely new concept: the two-door muscle car. It sported a fastback roof line and long hood and there was nothing else out there quite like it. The closest was the Corvette, but it was marketed more as a sports car. The AMX Was A New Pocket-Sized Muscle Car Bring A Trailer To match the punchy-sounding name, which stood for "American Motors Experimental," the car had a short, stocky, and chunky appearance. Whereas some muscle cars had boat-like proportions, the AMX had a pocket-sized aggression to it – it was a bulldog among Rottweilers and targeted the younger generation of muscle car enthusiasts looking for something unique. The AMC AMX Didn't Really Work Bring A TrailerAMC AMX 390 Specs The AMX wasn't just a cut-and-paste model using bits from other cars – it had some out-of-the-box. The AMX was offered with different versions of the new 'Typhoon' engines from AMC, developed with a thin-wall casting process that saved weight over similar mills of the era. The AMX could only be ordered with a V8, and the options ranged from a 290 base to the 343 with larger valves, right up to a 390. There was also the super rare 1969 AMC Hurst Super Stock AMX version. The AMX Received Good Reviews At Launch Bring A TrailerThe most powerful 1968 AMC AMX, which retailed for $3,000, could hit 60 mph in 7.2 seconds, although it has been quoted between five and six seconds elsewhere since. The road test said that the AMC AMX drove as well as most other pony cars, concluding that it 'has no direct equivalent in the marketplace' and it will 'undoubtedly sell well'. But here's the thing. It didn't really sell that well, and many people have long forgotten the AMX. The same can't be said for the geeky AMC Pacer, especially the one that starred in Wayne's World.Brand loyalty has been selling cars for years, as well as the kudos of telling people you drive a 'Stang or 'Cuda, and AMC just didn't have that brand power in the performance car market. What is unfortunate for the AMX is that it was something genuinely different – and that had worked in the past. A reviewer said upon driving the car in 1968 that the AMX offered "a new image at a fairly popular price – and that is all the Mustang did." Here's How Many AMXs AMC Managed To Shift Bring A Trailer In isolation, the idea that AMC sold 6,725 AMXs in 1968, according to Hemmings, doesn't sound too bad. Then take into account that, says RM Sotheby's, 317,404 Mustangs were produced for the same year, and you realize that big car companies were shifting big numbers back in those days.If AMC had been a niche upstart, then a few thousand would be fine, but the company needed to pay the bills – it needed a smash hit. Meanwhile, the AMC Javelin sold 55,124 cars in 1968. Maybe the AMX took a decent swipe at the Corvette, its natural nemesis? Nope. The National Corvette Museum says that 28,566 Corvettes were built in 1968. The obvious assumption from this is, that the AMX sat uncomfortably in between the two markets. AMC Didn't Appear To Have The Best Timing Bring A Trailer Unfortunately, the AMX seemed to also be a victim of bad timing. It was conceived towards the end of the muscle car era, but when it was canned in 1970, a certain two-seat sports car called the Datsun 240Z helped to start a revolution for larger two-seaters. It followed a trend popularized by British carmakers, who were having success with two-seaters in the '50s and '60s, with the likes of the Jaguar XK150. AMC did sell 8,293 AMXs in 1969, but it wasn't enough to make the AMX a long-term prospect. One owner of a 1969 AMC AMX 390 summarized the car on Carsurvey.org as 'awesome', adding 'I've driven a few muscle cars before and nothing compares to my AMX...I seriously recommend owning one.' Buying An AMC AMX Today Bring A Trailer AMC AMX Used Prices Source: Hagerty Valuation Tool (Good Condition)When you look at the secondhand prices of the AMX, it's clear to see that this unique car doesn't have a huge following. Even a 195-horsepower Mustang from 1968 sells for $24,600, but the Ford outsold the AMC car by almost 50 to 1. What is clear, however, is that the AMX is a great '60s muscle car for anyone who wants to stand out from the crowd and not spend a huge amount of money.The AMX is also compact and therefore relatively easy to drive around. In short, it is a usable classic for not a lot of cash. This 1969 AMC AMX 390 sold for $18,250 in 2024, and while it has its fair share of dings and scratches, looks like it could be the perfect old-school runaround.