Have you ever seen a barracuda? They’re lean, mean, and large enough to give you nightmares for the next two decades. The band Heart wrote about a human version of the barracuda, a dangerous, aggressive man looking to cause pain and deal out punishment. It doesn’t sound like a pleasant image, does it? And yet “Barracuda” was chosen as the moniker for a new vehicle. Perhaps it’s because the fish is long and narrow, fast and, forgive me, furious. Maybe it’s because the ideas of muscle cars and aggressive driving is appealing to a certain portion of the consumer market. Whatever the reason, Dodge’s new venture should be an interesting reveal.
At first glance, the Barracuda does indeed resemble a predatory fish. Its lines, particularly over the front wheels, give the impression of a grimace, a dare to cross its path. That being said, it’s also sleek and luxurious. An aerodynamic, practical design paired with carnivorous ferocity ensures that the Barracuda will be pulling in everyone’s attention, no matter where it goes. Though it does owe some of its shaping to the Dodge Challenger, it isn’t meant to be a replacement, but rather an ally, keeping Dodge near the top of the market with an array of sporty muscle cars.
What’s interesting to note here is that there was another Barracuda in the 1960’s – the Plymouth Barracuda, which met with stiff competition from Mustang, eventually succumbing to the stampede toward the “pony” type car. Dodge, however, retained the rights on the name as well as the shortened “Cuda” and eventually decided to try it again, announcing that we would see a new car showcased in 2018. This Barracuda, however, would not only be a powerful car, it would also be outfitted for the ultimate luxurious ride, with plenty of extra safety precautions added.
Rumored options for the vehicle include a choice of engine (either a Pentastar V6 or a Hemi V8, though it has been suggested that with the turbo-charged engine, the V8 will be replaced by either a four-cylinder or the V6 entirely) and a rear wheel drive platform rumored to be lifted from the Alfa Romeo Giulia. The new body for the Barracuda will be lighter, allowing for better gas mileage. There is also talk of the reveal being pushed back, even as far as 2020. Whenever it shows up, you can be sure that consumers from the muscle car, sports car, and luxury car markets will be crowding each other out in order to have a turn inside the stylish ‘Cuda. For my part, I’m interested to see how well it does this time around, and who the intended target market is.
Want to read up on the rumors surrounding the exciting new Barracuda? Want to see what all the fuss is about? I’d recommend checking out the articles at Auto World News and Muscle Car Zone. If you’d rather take a walk down memory lane, you can read up on the old Barracuda on Wikipedia.
