Filed under: Concept Cars, Coupes, Chrysler, LLC., Dodge
Photoshop fun: Plymouth Chrysler Barracuda concept
Click either image for a high-res gallery.
When Chrysler trotted out the 'Cuda concept this past November at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, our first thought, after wanting to give it our lunch money, was that it might be one of the few examples in recent memory where Chrysler's badge engineering boffins couldn't drop the ball. A Photoshop wizard from Sao Paulo, Brazil by the name of Rafael Reston figured that Chrysler wasn't working fast enough (if at all) and decided to mock up his own interpretation of a Barracuda revival. While we're not entirely sold on the styling cues he chose, which straddle the line between concept car gauche and an art student's waste basket, we still like the idea. But it's highly doubtful that Chrysler has the time or resources to pour into a low-volume seller that has the possibility of cannibalizing sales from the Challenger.[Source: Serious Wheels via Carscoop]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Esprit bird 5:37PM (1/30/2008)
Nice, needs a shaker...but Chrysler wont make it. =(
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Tricky dicky 5:39PM (1/30/2008)
looks like a gay transformer. this coming from someone who loves mopar.
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C.W. 8:36AM (1/31/2008)
agreed.
he took the camaro body and changed the front end.
un-original. ugly. gay.
take your pick.
Chad 5:43PM (1/30/2008)
Chrysler Barracuda?? Just let things die as a classic please.
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Eljay 5:52PM (1/30/2008)
I rather like it!
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psarhjinian 5:55PM (1/30/2008)
I like this much better than the Challenger. The tippy-toe ride height and front overhang that afflict the Challenger aren't present here.
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jrejre 6:00PM (1/30/2008)
It looks more like a "best parts of current muscle cars" composite than a barracuda concept. I mean it has air vents straight from a mustang. Still looks good though.
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Jonny 6:15PM (1/30/2008)
My thoughts exactly.. front end looks like a Mustang, C pillar is reminiscent of the Charger, and the back is....just.....blaugh
Mr. Blake 6:11PM (1/30/2008)
Those headlights make it look like an eager dog, eyes wide open, waiting for its meal.
Take that as you wish.
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drunkenpublicness 6:11PM (1/30/2008)
This is why we leave auto design to the pros. An ALIAS wizard does not a designer make.
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TriShield 6:33PM (1/30/2008)
]http://www.hxcperformance.com/
These guys are working on Plymouth 'Cuda bodyparts and badges for the new Challenger.
You can see artists impressions of what their parts will look like installed.
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SPG 7:01PM (1/30/2008)
Thank you for sharing that.
If I was getting a Challenger I'd definatly spring for this package.
Dan 6:42PM (1/30/2008)
Nooooo!!! It's been mustangified!!!
The only way I'd like a new Cuda is if it looked exactly as the old one did.
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Dave 7:08PM (1/30/2008)
worst. photochop. evar.
please don't ruin the 'cuda name with this abortion of a car design.
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RLQ 7:16PM (1/30/2008)
As funky as this may look, this Pshop looks better than the SEMA Cuda concept.
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Seanhh 10:01PM (1/30/2008)
This thing is an abomination. He took the Italian Mustang concept and made it worse.
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almost Dr. G.. 10:17PM (1/30/2008)
no no no. please no. im tired of these "new" muscle cars. i have enough with the stang, camaro, and charger. leave it at those three.
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vicious 10:28PM (1/30/2008)
They better not revive the Barracuda. I LOVE the old Barracudas as they are, and quite frankly, I want to shell out the extreme amount of money required to buy one.
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TwinTurbo3000GT 11:10PM (1/30/2008)
went from hate to love in about 10 seconds. It has much more character than the challenger. The challenger is just too close to the original, where as this seems more like it's own car, yet still reminiscent and still deserving of the barracuda namesake. I really like it, but one thing i would change is the headlights. It needs some smaller, dual projector HID style headlights rather than the single larger ones. Also, some sort of splitter on/under the front bumper.
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mk 1:52AM (1/31/2008)
NO.
Barracuda will probably end up being a trim level name for the Challenger, like Daytona is for Charger. That isn't great either, though.
I am kind of surprised that the SRT8 version of the Challenger wasn't presented as a Barracuda, with single round headlights per side, a D-grille, and triple bar tail lights a the rear corners. That is about all it needs.
But this chop is bad. Both in premise and execution.
The Chrysler variant should be the Firepower, or something. Something new, modern, and completely devoid of retro anything.
The same can be said about the Pontiac Firebird/TA variant of the Camaro/Zeta chassis, and a Mercury Cougar/Eliminator version of the Mustang on an IRS equipped S197 chassis. All modern design alternatives to the retro stable-mates.
Having a Dodge retro coupe, AND a Chrysler retro coupe a the same time is stupid, and far too reminiscent of the K-car and Neon re-badging the same exact cars under different brand names.
Badge engineering two distinct looking cars from the same chassis is one thing, but blatant duplication is another.
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