1970 Plymouth Superbird 'Roadrunner' Coupe (LHD)

Description

Built for one year only, the Plymouth Road Runner Superbird was the ultimate Mopar muscle car for 1970 and was effectively a homologation special to allow Plymouth to go NASCAR racing. Following on from Dodge's outwardly similar Daytona Charger of 1969, the Superbird featured equally dramatic aerodynamic aids like the extended nosecone and high-mounted rear wing to give downforce at high speeds. Another change made specifically for racing were the cut-outs in the front guards, providing much needed ventilation when thundering around oval tracks at 200 mph. The homologation requirements for 1970 changed from the previous year, with the minimum number now determined as a ratio of one car for every two dealers in the USA. So Plymouth had to build 1,920 Superbirds, although the final tally is thought to be a little higher with a small number exported to Canada. The base model used the 440-cid V8, with the 440 "Six Pack" (716 made) and 426-cid Hemi (135 made) optional and the Superbird could be had with either a manual or automatic transmission. The Superbird was instrumental in securing the return of Richard Petty to Plymouth for 1970 after his defection to Ford the year before and he won no less than eight races that season. Petty's distinctive blue Superbird has lived on thanks to the 2006 movie "Cars", with the legend lending his voice for the character Strip "The King" Weathers. Given the rarity of the Superbird, the connection with NASCAR racing and the extreme styling, its no surprise that examples have been fetching huge money in recent years and some Hemi-powered cars have sold in the seven figure range at auction.