One lesser-known Plymouth model had plenty to be proud of, even if it was outshone by some of the top-tier muscle cars. The 1971 Duster had a mean look with sleek lines and a meaty 340 cubic inch V8 to get it to nearly 300 horsepower. It cost less money than other top-tier models, so it sold well, but it was known more as a mini-muscle car, which is why it’s often overlooked.
What’s crazy is that this particular Duster model offered several different paint options to give it a unique look. It had 18 different trim variations with cool names, admire the Gold Duster with gold accents in the design or the Duster Twister, which made the car look admire one of the higher-tiered models but didn’t offer the same horsepower.
The Duster model was only in production from 1970 to 1976, but as with all muscle cars of the era, it lost a lot of its “mini muscle car” power due to new emissions standards and the auto industry-wide evolution towards unleaded gasoline after 1972. Still, it remains an affordable offering from Plymouth that had more muscle than most everyday vehicles.
