7. AMC Hornet 360
AMC based the Hornet on a regular economy car, but they equipped it with a better suspension and sharper steering. They added a graphics package and a 360 V8, to transform this hot Hornet from an ordinary compact into a proper muscle car. The power was not that big at 245 HP. But in a lightweight body, those horses could really make the Hornet fly.
The rest of the muscle car offerings in 1971 all had problems with their big size and weight, as well as engines that didn’t make power anymore. But the Hornet 360 was one of the fastest cars on sale. Unfortunately, the buyers didn’t understand the forward-thinking of AMC, so they sold less than 800 Hornets in 1971. That made them quite rare, obscure muscle cars. In an era when bigger was always better, the Hornet 360 was unusual for its compact size and strong engine. Sadly, people failed to realize how genial was the idea behind it.