Plymouth Hemi 'Cuda
Photo: Sicnag, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Vehicles · Vintage American Muscle
Plymouth Hemi 'Cuda · 1970–1971
The Hemi 'Cuda is the apex of the 1970–1971 E-body Barracuda: a 425-hp dual-quad 426 Hemi V8 stuffed into Plymouth's restyled pony car, distinguished by the shaker hood, hockey-stick stripes and elastomeric bumpers. It is the most valuable mainstream muscle car — coupes trade in the mid-six figures while the vanishingly rare convertibles have reached seven figures at auction.
The one to have: A documented, numbers-matching 426 Hemi 'Cuda hardtop with fender tag, broadcast sheet and Galen Govier certification — ideally a 4-speed (1 of 284 in 1970). Convertibles are the seven-figure halo tier and a different market; the attainable blue-chip is the coupe.
Specification
Engine
426 Hemi V8
7.0L naturally aspirated hemi-head, twin Carter AFB four-barrels (2x4bbl), shaker hood
Output
425 hp
425 hp @ 5,000 rpm, 490 lb-ft @ 4,000 rpm (gross; widely held conservative)
0-60 mph
~5.6 s
quarter mile ~13.5 s at ~105 mph in period road tests
Built
652 (1970)
652 Hemi 'Cudas in 1970 (284 four-speeds), 374 in 1971; only 14 convertibles total across both years
The market
Verified sales on file
5
Aug 2024 – Jan 2026
Median sale
$2.53M
all tracked results
★ Govier-certified Hemi coupe
$363k
median of 1 target-spec sales
Top result
$3.30M
Mecum · Jan 2026
Benchmarks: documented Hemi hardtops $350k–$650k · exceptional low-mile/4-speed coupes to ~$1M · genuine Hemi convertibles $2.5M–$3.5M (a separate stratum) · Trend: firm; coupes steady, convertibles at record highs
Know the real one
VIN 5th character 'R' denotes the factory 426 Hemi; verify with the fender tag, broadcast sheet and Galen Govier certification — clone and re-VIN fraud is rampant on this car.
1970 built 652 Hemi 'Cudas (284 four-speed / 368 automatic); 1971 built 374 (108 four-speed). Convertibles are the crown jewels: 5 Hemi convertibles in 1970, 11 in 1971 — the cars that break records.
Identity tells: shaker hood scoop bolted to the air cleaner, 'Hemicuda' billboard side stripes (1971), dual exhaust with chrome tips, Rallye dash and pistol-grip shifter on 4-speeds.
Value hierarchy: convertible >> 4-speed hardtop > automatic hardtop; original drivetrain and documentation swing the number by hundreds of thousands. A warranty-replaced block or missing broadcast sheet hammers a genuine car.
Verified sales · ★ = target spec · foreign results converted to USD as noted
| Date | Venue | Year | Spec | Miles | Price | Loc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2026 | Mecum | 1971 | 426 Hemi convertible | — | $3,300,000 | FL | Kissimmee; 1 of 11 '71 Hemi convertibles — seven-figure halo tier, distinct from the coupe target |
| Jan 2025 | Mecum | 1970 | 426 Hemi convertible, 4-speed, Super Track Pack | — | $2,675,000 | FL | Kissimmee; 1 of 5 '70 Hemi convertibles — convertible halo, not the coupe market |
| Jan 2025 | Mecum | 1970 | 426 Hemi hardtop, 4-speed, In-Violet FC7 ★ | — | $363,000 | FL | Kissimmee; restored numbers-matching 4-speed coupe (1 of 284), reported ~$363k — top-tier hardtop, the target spec |
| Jan 2025 | Barrett-Jackson | 1970 | 426 Hemi, triple-black, ex-Nicolas Cage | — | $605,000 | AZ | Scottsdale; celebrity provenance. Body style (coupe vs convertible) not confirmed in sources — verify before use |
| Aug 2024 | Mecum | 1970 | 426 Hemi convertible | — | $2,530,000 | CA | Monterey; record-tier '70 convertible result — halo tier |
Where to hunt
Bring a Trailer — Hemi 'Cuda resultsUS auction history and live listings
Classic.com — Hemi 'Cuda marketAggregated sold prices and trend
Mecum — 'Cuda lotsUpcoming and past auction lots
Research file — market data verified through July 18, 2026.
Sources: individually observed results via Classic.com feeds, BaT, Cars & Bids, Mecum, RM Sotheby's,
Broad Arrow, Gooding, Collecting Cars, PCARMARKET and venue coverage, plus marque registries and factory press material.