Back in 1970, Plymouth released the first Barracuda pony car dubbed ‘Hemi Cuda’ thanks to an eight-cylinder engine. The example with the chassis number 100003 is currently on sale in Indiana, USA for an asking price of $2.2 million.
The two-door car was the third vehicle the company ever built on the E-Body platform after two prototypes. It also came third in the Barracuda lineup after the standard model with a smaller engine and the particularly comfortable Barracuda Gran Coupe.
Unlike those two, the Hemi Cuda packed a 426ci (7-liter) V8 engine that went on to become iconic. Originally a racing block, it was adapted for road use and usually hit the wheels with far more than the OEM-rated 425 PS (419 hp / 313 kW) and 700 Nm (516 lb-ft) of torque.
Plymouth was originally reluctant to sell the first production example of Hemi Cuda, leaving it at the factory premises for mechanics and maintenance workers to disassemble and reassemble as part of their training. Ultimately, though, the car was sold into private hands. Its current owner and seller says he had it for 40 years, keeping it as the museum piece it was.
The total mileage since new is around 17,700 mi (28,500 km). There have been no restorations and only one paint refresh.
