1971 Chevrolet Nova: SS narrows to the L48, Rally Nova arrives

Same model year

Also in 1971

• AMC AMX The AMX name moves onto the redesigned Javelin as its top model. It is a derivative badge, not a continuation of the two-seater. 2,054 were built, all with the 360 or 401.
• AMC Hornet SC/360 AMC's one-year compact muscle car pitched as an insurance-friendly alternative. AMC reportedly planned 10,000, but 784 were built.
• AMC Javelin A new, flared-fender Javelin, with the AMX name as its top model. Javelin won AMC the 1971 Trans-Am manufacturers' championship.
• AMC Matador Machine The Rebel Machine's unadvertised successor, a 'Machine Go' option package for the Matador hardtop. Production is unknown; published guesses run from 43 to 68.
• Buick Riviera The boattail Riviera: 455 rated 315 gross / 255 net, GS 330 / 265; 3,175 of 33,810 were GS.
• Buick Skylark Gran Sport, GS and GSX Compression fell to 8.5:1, the GS 350 and GS 455 were merged into one GS series of 9,170 cars, and the GSX became an appearance package on any GS.
• Chevrolet Chevelle and Malibu SS A single RPO Z15 SS package now spanned small- and big-block V8s; 9,502 of 19,293 SS cars carried the LS5 454, and Chevrolet began printing net ratings beside gross.
• Chevrolet El Camino SS A single RPO Z15 SS package on the Malibu/Custom El Camino; the El Camino share of 19,293 SS cars is not separately published.
• Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS The last SS 454 year: RPO Z20 on 1,919 of 128,600 Monte Carlos.
• Dodge Challenger Challenger's second year lost the SE, the R/T convertible, and the T/A; a new pillared coupe joined the hardtop and convertible, and production fell to roughly a third of 1970's.
• Dodge Charger A new, shorter third-generation body absorbed the Coronet two-doors and the Super Bee; it was the last year for the R/T and for a factory Hemi Charger.
• Dodge Coronet R/T and Super Bee The end of the line for Coronet performance: the two-door Coronets were replaced by the Charger, taking the Super Bee with them.
• Dodge Dart GTS, Swinger and Demon Dodge's version of the Duster fastback arrived as the Demon, and the Demon 340 became the performance Dart: 10,098 built, plus 85 Canadian Swinger 340 Specials.
• Ford Maverick Grabber The Grabber became its own model with a dual-scoop hood, and the 210 hp 302 V8 arrived; Classic Industries counts 38,963 Grabbers.
• Ford Ranchero GT The second Torino-based Ranchero year; reference counts give 3,632 GTs, while Barn Finds rounds the GT figure to about 3,900 of 24,946 Rancheros.
• Ford Thunderbird The last fifth-generation year kept the 360-hp 429 as standard; production fell to 36,055.
• Ford Torino A carryover year for the 1970 body; the Torino Cobra now came standard with a 351 four-barrel and offered the 429 Cobra Jet-R, but only 3,054 Cobras were built.
• Mercury Comet and Cyclone The final Cyclone year: production fell to a few thousand across Cyclone, Cyclone GT and Cyclone Spoiler.
• Mercury Cougar A larger second-generation Cougar, new body codes, and the one-year 429 Cobra Jet option, fitted to 448 cars.
• Oldsmobile Cutlass, 4-4-2 and Hurst/Olds Compression fell to 8.5:1 for regular fuel, the W-31 was dropped, the sports coupe was gone, and 4-4-2 production fell to 7,589.
• Plymouth Barracuda and 'Cuda Four headlamps and a new grille marked the second E-body year; the Hemi and 440 Six Barrel stayed on the 'Cuda order form, but Barracuda-line production fell to about a third of 1970's.
• Plymouth Duster 340 and 360 The Duster 340's second year brought a new grille, a Thermo-Quad 340 rated 275 gross and 235 net hp, and a $2,703 list price, while output fell to about 12,900.
• Plymouth GTX, Belvedere and Satellite On the redesigned 1971 Satellite body the GTX fell to 2,942 cars, only 30 of them with the Hemi.
• Plymouth Road Runner Redesigned on the new Satellite body as a hardtop only, the Road Runner fell to 14,218 cars, and a 340 joined the 383, 440, and Hemi.
• Pontiac Firebird and Trans Am The 455 HO year: the Trans Am's biggest engine, 2,116 cars, and a Formula line split across three V-8s.
• Pontiac GTO Lower compression, dual gross and net ratings, the 455 HO as the top engine, and production down to 10,532.
• Pontiac Grand Prix Boat-tail styling, lower compression, and the manual transmission gone by March: 116 of 58,325 had one.
• Pontiac Tempest and LeMans The Tempest name gives way to T-37; the GT-37 option carries on and the 455 HO is available in two-door LeMans models.