A Plymouth Classic: the 1970 Barracuda
The Plymouth Barracuda is one of the best muscle cars of the 70s—and it remains immensely popular to this day.
Written by Tom Hindle
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
With borrowed design features from the fearsome predatory fish, the 1970 Plymouth Barracuda was one of the best
classic cars
to ever come out of the US. It was designed with luxury in mind and, back then, was a gold standard for racing cars thanks to its sleek appearance. So, what do you need to know about the Plymouth Barracuda?The Plymouth Barracuda’s small beginnings
The Plymouth saga began with the introduction of the fastback coupe. It had a distinctive wraparound rear glass and was nicknamed "Pony Car" for being the first sports car from Plymouth. However, the car wasn't much of a match for the immensely popular Ford Mustang.
The Mustang range was full of stronger and sportier 2-door cars, according to
Mustang Specs
. It was better designed, too. Featuring V8 engines, and more horsepower, the Mustang was both cooler and quicker than any other muscle car on the market. And although Plymouth made some strides, it never quite matched the engineering prowess of Ford—at least, not in the early days.
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The Plymouth Barracuda’s evolution
Chrysler responded to the competition by updating its second-generation models, adding a convertible and more futuristic tech to the line.
But the biggest modifications were mechanical. Plymouth started with a sturdy and light chassis, making the Barracuda quicker off the mark. Then, they added larger engines, including a 7 liter V8 that pumped out north of 400 horsepower.
Such heavy modifications catapulted Plymouth to the peak of popularity in the early '70s, as it crept up to the Mustang in yearly sales.
But the problems started again shortly after. The third-generation Barracuda was markedly less successful—thanks to another design issue. It took on a new E-body shape; its width was widened to 74.4 inches and length shortened to 186.6 inches—which, in turn, affected performance.
Things only got worse a few years later when the 1973 oil crisis struck. Short on materials, Plymouth had to stop production altogether.
The 1970 Plymouth Barracuda parking alongside Camaros and Challengers
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While we can attribute the fall of Barracudas to international trade issues, the car’s legacy will continue to live on among staunch car lovers.
Today, a Barracuda can set you back over $90,000, according to
Motor Authority
. More rare Barracudas are highly sought after by car collectors, and their prices are in millions.During the Barracuda's sunset years, Plymouth released 652 Hemi Cudas, and 14 of them were rare convertibles. In 2014, one of the two four-speed convertibles produced in 1971 was auctioned off at a staggering $3.5 million, officially making it the most expensive Barracuda ever.
Can I insure my Barracuda?
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