Autoblog

click above image for more pics of the Concept 'Cuda

It appears that whoever took the trouble to have Metalcrafters build the one-off Concept 'Cuda got tired of it pretty quickly. Just a month after the 'Cuda made its first appearance at the SEMA show, Barrett-Jackson has announced that the car will be offered to the highest bidder come January. The winner will essentially be getting a modified Dodge Charger chassis with custom 2-door carbon fiber bodywork covered in Lamborghini Pearl Orange paint, a functional shaker hood feeding air to a 6.1-liter Hemi V8 and 22-inch Zenetti wheels wrapped with Pirelli P Zero tires. Before potential buyers plunk down hundreds of thousands of dollars for the car, they might want to see if Metalcrafters would build a second, and if so, how much it would cost.

[Source: Barrett-Jackson via Motortrend]

Gallery: Chrysler Cuda Concept

PRESS RELEASE

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - November 29, 2007 - The drive toward the 37th Annual Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Event on Jan. 12-20, 2008, in Scottsdale, Ariz., continues to accelerate as company officials prepare the most impressive offering in the auction's storied history. Recent additions to the world-class lineup include a pristine 1933 Duesenberg J Dual Cowl Phaeton (Lot #1311) and a street-ripping 2008 Concept 'Cuda (Lot #1323.1). Both will cross the block during SPEED's live primetime coverage on Saturday. Hailed as "The World's Greatest Collector Car Events™," the Scottsdale auction will feature over 1000 of the world's finest collector vehicles and lavish lifestyle events. As always, SPEED will broadcast live-coverage of all six auction days.

"Our original plan was to consign fewer cars than last year," said Craig Jackson, Chairman/CEO of the Barrett-Jackson Auction Company. "But with the opportunity to auction once-in-a-lifetime automobiles, our plans changed. The '33 Duesenberg J Dual Cowl Phaeton is a legendary classic that adds to our impressive offering of pre-war classics slated for Scottsdale. One of the most stunning recent additions is the 2008 Concept 'Cuda, a custom built classic that could be the foundation for a new crop of muscle cars. These late consignments, along with the diverse selection already scheduled for Scottsdale, confirm our status as the premier auction in the world and the place to be this January."

With coachwork by LeGrande, the 1933 Duesenberg J Dual Cowl Phaeton features the beautiful Swept-Panel body design that places this historic marque in a class of its own. The tan on tan giant has a 3-speed manual transmission and houses an enormous 420cid Straight 8 engine that produces 265 horsepower. Its 100 point restoration has garnered it an ACD Club certification and a Best of Class award in August 2007 at the renowned Meadowbrook Concours d'Elegance.

Hailing from the opposite end of the collector car spectrum is the 2008 Concept 'Cuda, which was designed and built to encourage the Chrysler Corporation to bring back the celebrated 'Cuda model. Although loaded with design and performance cues from various 1970-74 "E" body predecessors, it was constructed to look and drive like a car off of the assembly line. The Concept 'Cuda was handcrafted by the famed Metalcrafters, the builders behind Dodge's Concept Challenger.

To construct this modern 'Cuda, they began with a 2007 Charger SRT8 and proceeded to remove the body and completely disassemble the car down to its chassis. The chassis was then modified and fit with a custom carbon fiber body and the interior adjusted from a 4-door sedan to a 2-door coupe. Stock wheels and tires were replaced with chrome 22-inch Zenetti "Fives" wrapped with Pirelli P Zero tires.

The 'Cuda was finished with a functional Shaker Hood scoop, Flowmaster mufflers and a Lamborghini Pearl Orange and black paint scheme. The contemporary muscle car matches the power of its predecessor with 6.1 liter Hemi that pumps out 425 horsepower. The '08 Concept 'Cuda recently made its official debut inside the Mopar booth at the 2007 SEMA show in Las Vegas, where it received rave reviews from the automotive community.

"These exceptional cars represent the unrivaled diversity that our bidders have come to expect in Scottsdale," added Steve Davis, President of Barrett-Jackson. "We've once again reinforced our leadership position in the collector car market by continuing to attract and consign the world's finest collector cars, both classic and contemporary."