1971 Plymouth Road Runner

This 1971 Plymouth Road Runner was among the rare models equipped with a Hemi engine. Explore additional images of Plymouth vehicles.

Devoted Elvis enthusiasts and fans of the 1971 Road Runner hardtop coupe share a common experience: watching their beloved icon transform from sleek and muscular to flashy and bulky over time.

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Plymouth launched the Road Runner in 1968 as a no-frills, budget-friendly option compared to its more upscale yet less popular GTX. With its impressive performance and a starting price of $2,896, the model attracted 44,599 buyers in its debut year, far surpassing the initial sales forecast of 2,500 units.

The robust 426-cid "Hemi" V-8 engine in this 1971 Road Runner was officially rated at 425 bhp.

The standard engine was a 383-cid V-8 engine, delivering 335 bhp, enhanced by the 440 V-8's improved cylinder heads, valvetrain, and manifolds. For greater power, the formidable 426-cid "Hemi" V-8 was an option, nominally rated at 425 bhp but realistically exceeding 500 bhp. However, the Hemi increased the base price by about 30 percent and was hardly practical for everyday driving, resulting in only a few hundred orders annually. A more favored upgrade was the 390-bhp 440, introduced in 1969.

As the 1970s dawned, escalating insurance costs and shifting preferences began to dampen the demand for high-performance cars

. In this changing landscape, Plymouth unveiled a redesigned mid-size lineup for 1971.

The rear perspective of the 1971 Plymouth Road Runner highlights its athletic and sleek design.

The new model featured a wheelbase shortened by one inch, while its overall width expanded by approximately three inches, and curb weight rose by around 170 pounds. This added bulk marked a shift away from the Road Runner's original focus on raw performance, further emphasized by new options like a color-matched "elastomeric" front bumper, a rear spoiler, and backlight louvers.

Simultaneously, the standard 383 engine saw a reduction of 35 bhp, dropping to 300, while a mid-year introduction brought a smaller 340-cid V-8 with 275 bhp. The Hemi remained an option, retaining its formidable power, but this marked its final year of availability.

The Warner Brothers Road Runner emblem was complemented by a horn that emitted a distinctive "beep beep" sound, reminiscent of the cartoon character.

By this time, overall sales were plummeting. After selling 43,404 units in 1970, the 1971 Road Runner managed to attract only 14,218 buyers. Sales remained stagnant for a few more years until Plymouth's iconic model was downgraded in 1976 to a rebadged Volare compact, adorned with decal stripes.

The interior gauges featured a design that was considered stylish and modern for the era.

Much like Elvis, the Hemi had already "left the building." However, at least one of the rumored sightings is accurate; Phil Newcomb's Sassy Grass Green 1971 Road Runner, showcased here, perfectly captures the transition from the model's peak performance era.

This 1971 model is one of only 55 equipped with the Hemi engine, and just 28 of those featured a four-speed transmission, like this one. The low-mileage California vehicle has undergone a thorough restoration, with modern radial tires being the sole departure from its original, date-code-accurate specifications.

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