The Plymouth ‘Cuda was essentially the high-performance version of the Barracuda, a name that lasted exactly ten years (April 1, 1964 – April 1, 1974). The redesigned third-generation model, known as the E-body, was highly sought after by Mopar enthusiasts because it could accommodate any Chrysler motor for passenger cars.
When it was introduced in 1964, the Barracuda unknowingly created a new trend in the automotive industry. It wasn’t until the rival Ford Mustang, announced on April 14, 1964, two weeks after the Chrysler, that this new style of car would be called a pony car, due to the emblem of a stallion on the grille.
Although the ‘Cuda is no longer in production, one can only speculate what it would have become if it had continued to exist today. We have seen the Challenger undergo some significant changes since its comeback in 2008, so it wouldn’t be far-fetched to think the same would have happened to its twin brother from 1970 to 1974. However, car manufacturers sometimes deviate from their usual practices, as demonstrated by the Charger.
Let’s not dismiss the possibility of an electric version of the ‘Cuda, as that seems to be a popular topic nowadays. Even the next-generation Charger will have batteries and will compete to become the most electric vehicle on the market (currently held by Tesla, in case anyone was wondering).
However, with the legendary Plymouth brand long gone, enthusiasts are left to retrofit E-body vehicles with modern powertrains, combining the timeless looks of classic cars with the performance of modern muscle cars. In the early 1970s, the top-of-the-line ‘Cuda was powered by a HEMI engine, but that only lasted for two years (1970, 1971). The HEMI made a comeback in 2003 and was recently discontinued in January of this year.
Coincidentally, it was during this time that a 1971 Plymouth ‘Cuda, equipped with a modern-day Hellcat HEMI engine, went head-to-head with a Tesla Plaid in a drag race at Showtime Speedway Pinellas Park in Clearwater, Florida. The race was held in frigid weather, with the Tesla Plaid Channel YouTuber and dragstrip regular Andrew Lutz challenging the beautifully restored ‘Cuda with its Hellcat engine swap.
The experienced drag racer, Andrew, who has been in the industry since the 1980s, faced unfavorable conditions with a temperature of 52°F and the Tesla’s battery at 68% state of charge. However, he was prepared for peak performance when he unleashed the power of the Hellcat. The Tesla easily won the race, its only victory for the night, while the ‘Cuda struggled to gain traction on the icy track. Additionally, the driver of the ‘Cuda committed a minor error at the start, but even without that, the Tesla would have quickly pulled ahead.
The electric vehicle (EV), which has been on the market since 2019 and has completed over 900 runs, either 1,300 or 660 feet in length, achieved an impressive time of 6.2297 seconds in the eighth-mile, reaching a speed of 118.51 mph (190.682 kph). It completed the sixty-foot sprint in 1.5508 seconds. In comparison, the Hellcat managed to overcome the challenges of the prepared surface and the driver’s expectations, finishing in 6.6177 seconds at a more modest speed of 109.68 mph (176.475 kph).
While we are aware that the retrofitted rear-wheel drive Plymouth generates 707 horsepower (717 PS) and 650 lb-ft (881 Nm) of torque, the tri-motor AWD Plaid surpasses that with its impressive figures of 1,020 horsepower (1,033 PS) and 1,047 lb-ft (1,420 Nm) of torque. However, the YouTuber mentions some modifications made to the 6.2-liter supercharged engine, making it difficult to make an accurate comparison. Even if we had all the necessary data, the Plymouth would still face the apparent disadvantage of traction, but its lighter weight could potentially compensate for it.
In addition to the races against the Hellcat, the electric sedan also competed against a fourth-generation Camaro equipped with a 427-cubic-inch, big-block 7.0-liter V8 engine. Unfortunately, the Tesla owner’s actions resulted in disqualification, as they jumped the starts in both races. Despite this, the Camaro driver was not entirely satisfied with their second run, as the electric sedan actually achieved a slightly faster time of 6.2467 seconds compared to the Camaro’s 6.2416 seconds.
According to the Source autoevolution.com