GEAR REVIEW: The 1,036 Horsepower, $500,000 Prestone AMC Javelin AMX Is An Absolute Beast

Larry Wright


Few street legal road cars actually intimidate me.

I mean, to the point where you get this gut-wrenching feeling of how menacing the thing is going to be before you ever get behind the wheel. But I got to admit, I did feel a slight sense of uneasiness the second I saw the Prestone AMC Javelin waiting for me to slide into the driver’s seat.

Maybe, it’s the fact that I knew the custom ’72 mod packed 1,036 horsepower under that long, bulging hood. Although, we’ve had a few months to let that settle in, following the highly-buzzed debut of the Prestone 90th Anniversary tribute car at SEMA in November. Then, it could be, that among all the muscle cars to come along in the sixties, the AMC Javelin AMX is one of the lesser known beast born during the era. The element of the unknown can certainly intensify one’s fear of taking the wheel of something like a 1,000-plus horsepower Javelin AMX, especially considering that there were only 3,220 models of the original car ever produced.

Oh, and then there’s that slight intimidation factor associated with the fact that the Prestone tribute car is worth a startling $500,000.

Prestone AMC Javelin AMX

Larry Wright


Either way, the second you turn that red eject button to fire up the Prestone AMC Javelin, that jittery feeling quickly gives way to something much more sinister. It’s akin to learning that you’ve been gifted with some kind of superhero powers, then finally landing the perfect suit that’s worthy of the newfound status. You can feel the adrenaline starting to build when simply sitting behind the wheel of the jaw-dropping Prestone tribute car.

Crafted by the Ringbrothers in honor of Prestone’s 90th Anniversary, the heart of the custom AMC Javelin lies in its Wegner Motorsports 6.2-liter Hemi Mopar Hellcat engine, fitted with a Whipple Supercharger. Just hearing the engine growl at a stop light has you itching to hammer down on the gas pedal at the first sign of an open straightaway. Though, there is a slight fear of how it might all turn out, considering that a lot of the raw brute of the muscle car have been kept intact. But that’s another one of the beauties of the Prestone Javelin AMX, which makes it such a drool-worthy tribute to antifreeze company’s ninety-year legacy of keeping so many high-powered cars cool over the years. Not to mention the fact that Ringbrothers has done an impressive job of keeping all that power in line with a set of six-piston caliber Baer brakes and a pair of massive 20-inch wheels.

Prestone AMC Javelin AMX

Larry Wright


Code named “Defiant,” the Prestone AMC Javelin also includes a custom four-link rear suspension system with a 12-bolt GM axle and modernized braking system. Inside, the Prestone AMC Javelin features throwback details like classic instrument gauges and chrome accents fused with a few modern touches like a Kicker audio sound system.

Prestone AMC Javelin AMX

Larry Wright


Still, nothing quite sticks out like that red start button planted smack on the center console, constantly reminding you of this beast’s rocket ship-like power.

Yep, that’s where all the madness starts.

Prestone AMC Javelin AMX

Larry Wright


Prestone AMC Javelin AMX

Larry Wright