Autoblog

Barrett-Jackson OC '10: 1970 Plymouth Roadrunner "Hammer" has fame, nets fortune

Frank Filipponio — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 09:25:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Auctions, Chrysler, Dodge, Celebrities, Specialty

1970 Plymouth Road Runner "Hammer" - Click above for high-res image gallery

This big-block '70 Plymouth Roadrunner was at SEMA last year, but many readers may better remember it from its appearance as a feature car in Hot Rod magazine, a spot on the television show RIDES, and its big-screen debut in The Fast and the Furious franchise. Vin Diesel's character, Dom Toretto, showed up in the closing minutes of Tokyo Drift behind the wheel of this malevolent Mopar, and it made enough of an impact that it returned in the 2009 follow-up as well.

Underhood, there's a supercharged 500-cubic-inch Mopar wedge pumping out 750 horsepower. To those familiar with the car, it's known simply as Hammer. The bidder who brought home this Plymouth also got a GMP limited edition 1:18-scale die-cast model of the car. Its closing bid of $175,000 made Hammer one of the top sellers at the 2010 Barrett-Jackson Orange County auction. Check out our mini-gallery below.

Gallery: Barrett-Jackson OC '10: Hammer '70 Plymouth Roadrunner

Barrett-Jackson OC '10: 1970 Plymouth Roadrunner "Hammer" has fame, nets fortune originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 27 Jun 2010 09:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Rendered Speculation: 2010 Plymouth Road Runner Concept

Drew Phillips — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 08:14:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Rendered Speculation

Yes, we know the Plymouth brand went extinct a few years ago, and Mopar Enthusiast magazine obviously knows that as well, but that didn't stop them from taking part in some wishful thinking. Their August/September issue features their vision of a 2010 Plymouth Road Runner concept car that takes styling cues from the '71-'72 model years. Features include 21-inch front and 22-inch rear magnesium 5-spoke wheels, LED taillights, and 14-inch Brembo brakes. Under the hood is HEMI power, with the 5.7L V8 coming as standard, and 6.1L and 7.0L available as options mated to either a 6-speed manual transmission or a 6-speed automatic with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters. While we doubt the Plymouth brand will be making a comeback just to resurrect the Road Runner name, we could definitely see another 2-door LX car with Chrysler badging. Thanks for the tip, Tim!

[Source: Mopar Enthusiast via Charger Forumz]

Rendered Speculation: 2010 Plymouth Road Runner Concept originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 13 Jul 2008 08:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

John Herlitz, designer of '70 Barracuda, '71 GTX, dead at 65

Chris Tutor — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 10:32:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Dodge

John Herlitz packed a lot of memorable MOPAR into his 35 years with Chrysler. He graduated from college and started with the company as a designer in 1965. In just three years, Herlitz became manager of the Plymouth Intermediate Car Studio and didn't waste much time making his mark on the lineup.

Best known for his redesign of the 1970 Barracuda and 1971 GTX, Herlitz went on to work on several well-known concept cars, including the '97 Copperhead (above right).

Upon the announcement of Herlitz's retirement in 2001, Tom Gale, then executive vice president of Chrysler Product Development, said, "John Herlitz has made a tremendous contribution to DaimlerChrysler, and we will miss him personally and professionally. John's design signature has been seen on Chrysler branded vehicles from 1968. He has a true passion for cars and vehicle design that is unparalleled in the industry."

Herlitz died Wednesday at 65.

[Source: Automotive News (subscription required)]

John Herlitz, designer of '70 Barracuda, '71 GTX, dead at 65 originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 30 Mar 2008 10:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments