1973 Plymouth 'Cuda 340 Hardtop (LHD)

The E-body Mopars were the last - and some argue best looking - of the Ponycars on the scene, with the Plymouth 'Cuda and sister Dodge Challenger making their debut for the 1970 model year. With styling that managed to be at once both aggressive and very attractive, the 'Cuda was low and wide, with a full-width grille opening, coke-bottle profile and raised rear deck. In keeping with typical Ponycar practice, the 'Cuda could be ordered with a wide range of options, and was sold in hardtop, hardtop S.E. and convertible form. Engines ranged from a 225-cid six through to V8s of varying capacity, from the 318-cid right through to the fire breathing 426-cid Hemis. A floor-mounted three-speed manual was standard, but four-speed manuals or TorqueFlite automatic transmissions were popular options, the latter with a new Slap-Stik shift-gate when mounted on the centre console. Safety was becoming more of an issue and the 'Cuda featured a collapsible steering column, side-impact bars and integral roll-over bar. In 1972, the E-bodies underwent some minor styling revisions, with a new grille design and twin headlamp arrangement plus a new rear deck panel. For 1973, disc brakes up front became standard, along with electronic ignition and hardened valve seats for unleaded fuel. Just two engine options were available, the 318 (standard in the Barracuda) while the more upmarket 'Cuda came with the option of a 340-cid V8 with a four-barrel carburettor - acknowledged by many Mopar enthusiasts as being a great all round package and a better drive than the nose-heavy big-blocks. In total, just 6,583 'Cudas were manufactured in 1973 with the 340-cid four-barrel motor, making this one of the scarcest of all Mopar muscle cars. The 'Cuda is an underrated and desirable alternative to the more common Mustangs or Camaros, with a strong following in Australia.