Some of these Plymouth muscle cars are worth a fortune today. Even though the brand was discontinued, we still have the vehicles to remind us. Cars like the AAR Cuda and the HEMI Cuda still have very respectable 60 mph time. Many Plymouths are heavily modified for drag racing, but the fastest production Plymouths are the 2000 Hennessey GTX Prowler and the 1967 Plymouth R023 GTX. The 1970 Chevelle SS454 was arguably the fastest muscle car of the 1970s, a direct competitor to Plymouth.
After Plymouth’s demise in 2001, some models were rebranded as Chryslers (like the Prowler). The brand enjoyed some time in the spotlight, but it seemed that they became outdated. The last model to roll off the assembly line was the Plymouth Neon. It’s not the muscle car that Plymouth was known for, but it does mark the end of an era. Here are the ten fastest Plymouths, ranked from slowest to fastest.
10 1974 Plymouth Cuda – 0-60 Mph: 6.8 Seconds
The 1974 Plymouth Cuda is not the same as the Plymouth Barracuda, but it’s another of Plymouth’s great muscle cars. Instead of giving the car a new name, they shortened the existing one. These smaller muscle cars were more performance-oriented, but only in production for a few years. The 1974 Cudas came with a hood scoop, better suspension, and a 5.8-liter V8 from Mopar. The ’74 Cuda included some nice upgrades like white sidewall tires, wheel molding, and electronic ignition.
9 1970 Plymouth HEMI Cuda – 0-60 Mph: 6.3 Seconds
These gorgeous muscle cars have a bold and boxy shape and a low profile. Perhaps that’s what helps it reach 60 mph in 6.3 seconds, or perhaps it’s the massive 6.9-liter V8 engine under the hood. They turn up in barns across America, and used HEMI Cudas can fetch a high price. Don Johnson (from Miama Vice) got to use a HEMI Cuda in the TV series Nash Bridges, and it really added to the show.
8 1999 Plymouth Prowler – 0-60 Mph: 5.7 Seconds
The 1999 Plymouth Prowler has an aerodynamic look, so it’s no surprise it does zero to sixty in just 5.7 seconds. Prowlers from this year are selling for around $6,000. The car weighs around 2,800 pounds and had a 253 horsepower engine, almost the same as a 2022 Volkswagen Jetta. This hot-rod sports car was offered alongside the Dodge Viper, which did 0-60 mph in just 4.9 seconds (even back in 1992).
7 1970 Plymouth Duster – 0-60 Mph: 5.7 Seconds
The 1970 Plymouth Duster had a respectable 0-60 mph time of 5.7 seconds. When the Duster was brought to life in 1970, it had some elements from the Plymouth Valiant. There were even small Valiant badges included on the front fenders of early Dusters. These muscle cars incorporated a sleeker semi-fastback roof and a more slanted windshield. The engines inside ranged from between 3.2-liter all the way up to a 5.6-liter 340 V8. If you want to know more about this American muscle car, check out our Plymouth Duster article.
6 1970 Plymouth AAR Cuda – 0-60 Mph: 5.6 Seconds
AAR stands for All American Racers, which tells you a little about the 1970 Plymouth AAR Cuda. The hood was made of fiberglass to save weight and featured a functional hood scoop to cool the engine. Even though it’s not the fastest Plymouth, it did 0-60 mph in 5.6 seconds. The stripe and matte black hood were characteristic of the 1970 Plymouth AAR Cuda. These vehicles are usually seen in sporty and bright colors. 2724 were built during 1970.
5 1969 Plymouth Cuda 440 – 0-60 Mph: 5.5 Seconds
This is a very powerful Plymouth. The reason it can reach 60 mph in just 5.5 seconds probably has to do with the massive 7.2-liter V8 engine. The only downside to such a large engine (other than the high prices at the pump), was the imbalance it created. There’s approximately 57.2% of the 440 Cuda’s weight over the front axles, which affects cornering. 1969 was also the first year that Plymouth installed power steering in the Cuda 440.
4 1969 Plymouth Road Runner – 0-60 Mph: 5 Seconds
The 1969 Road Runner used its 6.3-liter V8 engine to reach 60 mph in 5 seconds flat. Plymouth paid $50,000 just to use the Road Runner for their muscle car. It’s not as rare as the 1970 Plymouth AAR Cuda that was earlier on the list, but they sell for a large amount. Hemmings has a few examples of the Road Runner for sale, there’s one listed there for $115,000 (with the same orange paint as the one in our photo). Some of these specialty colors are extremely rare, with only a few hundred ever produced.
3 1964 Plymouth Sport Fury – 0-60 Mph: 4.9 Seconds
Plymouth produced the Sport Fury between 1962 and 1964. It’s a rear-wheel drive coupe with some serious power, 425 hp to be exact. A 1964 Plymouth Sport Fury can do 0-60 mph in 4.9 seconds with the Chrysler RB 426 Wedge engine series, which is a 6.9-liter V8.
2 1967 Plymouth R023 GTX – 0-60 Mph: 4.8 Seconds
The 1967 Plymouth R023 GTX3 is very rare today. Only 55 were ever made, more than 7 times less than the Ferrari Enzos were produced. Plymouth didn’t advertise or market very much for this performance muscle car. The styling is very similar to the Plymouth Belvidere. There aren’t a lot of statistics for such a rare car, but the 1967 Plymouth R023 GTX can apparently do 0-60 mph in 4.8 seconds. The engines available were the 426 Hemi V8 and the 440 V8.
1 2000 Plymouth Hennessey Prowler GTX – 0-60 Mph: 4.5 Seconds
The 1999 Plymouth Prowler at the start of our list did 0–60 mph a whole 1.2 seconds slower than the 2000 Plymouth Hennessey Prowler GTX. Thanks to performance upgrades, the Prowler GTX does 0-60 mph in 4.5 seconds. A year later in 2001, the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 would achieve 4.2 seconds. The additional parts by Hennessey cost around $15,000 on top of the Prowler GTX’s base price of around $40,000. What do you think about it? The Prowler has a bad reputation for some, but it’s one of the fastest Plymouths ever built.
