While often outshone by 1969-1970, 1968 was perhaps the most pivotal year in the American performance market. Every manufacturer offered a new mid-size performance car, and AMC entered the pony car market to boot. Over at Plymouth, the Road Runner shook up the establishment and demonstrated that there was a segment that was clamoring for cheap performance.
That Road Runner ended up overshadowing Plymouth’s original performance car, the GTX. The GTX sold well, but it didn’t challenge the GTO’s top sales spot like the Road Runner did a year later. The main difference between the two was that the GTX was trimmed like a Sport Satellite, including bucket seats and woodgrain dashboard trim, but it included a standard 375-horse 440 Super Commando. The Road Runner, in contrast, was based on the Belvedere and came standard with a bench seat, rubber floor mats, and a 335-horse 383. Both were available with the 426 Hemi.
Dodge had a similar deal: the Coronet R/T was a sister car to the GTX, offering much of the same equipment, while the Super Bee was akin to the Road Runner.
Which one would you prefer, 1968 GTX or Coronet R/T? Merit Pennington doesn’t have to decide because he owns one of each! To boot, they’re both Hemi four-speed cars. Muscle Car Campy profiles and compares each one so you too can decide.
Enjoy this video? Be sure to check out other Muscle Car Campy segments on the ClassicCars.com Journal.
Great cars, Diego. For me, I was ruined when I read the Car & Driver test of the ’69 Dodge SuperBee 6Pak 440. It’s a landmark of automotive journalism and still quotable. I’d go for a ’68 383/4spd SuperBee in GoMango with the fibreglass 6Pack hood. Matte black, of course.