Jump to content
Create New...
  • Blake Noble
    Blake Noble

    Is This the 2014 Barracuda Hiding Out in the Weeds?

    G. Noble

    Editor/Reporter

    CheersandGears.com

    March 28, 2012

    Recently, CBS’s staid block of news programming 60 Minutes sat down with Fiat/Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne and chatted about the roll coaster ride the company has been on for the last few years. Some of the topics discussed ranged from negotiating the controlled bankruptcy of Chrysler with the US government back in 2009, the horrible bureaucracy that plagued the company, to the recent introduction of the Dodge Dart. It’s all very interesting to listen to and, whether or not you care about Chrysler, you do gain a certain respect for Marchionne who, as it turns out, is one of the biggest workaholics in the automotive industry.

    As we’ve seen in the past, though, when 60 Minutes sits down with a notable auto exec and takes their cameras inside the halls and rooms around company headquarters, what’s usually out of focus in the background of certain shots can sometimes be more interesting than the story that’s being reported on. And it seems members of the Chrysler-centric website Allpar may have locked in on something.

    At around the 10 minute mark in the video, 60 Minutes correspondent Steve Kroft takes a break from chatting with Marchionne to talk to Chrysler’s SRT Division CEO and head of design Ralph Gilles. In the background of the footage of the talking Gilles, there appears to be a design for a coupe of some sort painted in red paint. Okay, so it isn’t hiding out in the weeds, but whatever it could be is hiding out behind Ralph Gilles. Chrysler has reportedly been working on the revival of Plymouth’s old Barracuda muscle car to be sold either as a Dodge or underneath the Viper as another SRT-branded model. Could this be it? What do you think?

    When Automotive News picked up on Allpar’s findings, they contacted Chrysler where a representative responded and said the design was “just one of the many concepts and projects in our studios. That one [was] a student model.” While I have no reason to doubt any of that, the rep also didn’t say it wasn't a student design for a new Barracuda.

    The 60 Minutes segment can be viewed here. Again, the car comes in around the 10 minute mark. It’s also worth watching, if you haven’t already.

    Sources: Automotive News (Sub. Req.), Allpar

    User Feedback

    Recommended Comments

    I'm with fullmoon here. If the Barracuda comes out, I think its going to either look very similar in shape to the Challenger or else the rear of the car will have a first/second gen roof/deckline... and the car pictured in the video is not striking me as either.

    I'll also go out on a limb and say the car in the video looks too small to be LX... perhaps a study for a possible Avenger-sized coupe?

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    I'm with fullmoon here. If the Barracuda comes out, I think its going to either look very similar in shape to the Challenger or else the rear of the car will have a first/second gen roof/deckline... and the car pictured in the video is not striking me as either.

    I'll also go out on a limb and say the car in the video looks too small to be LX... perhaps a study for a possible Avenger-sized coupe?

    The rumored new Barracuda is supposed to be a blend of contemporary styling and a few retro cues pulled from each generation of Barracuda. It won't just be a revival of the old E-Body Barracuda like the LC Challenger was a revival of the old E-Body Challenger. It's also hard to say if the roofline would be like a '68 or something completely different, too.

    It's interesting you mention the apparent size of the design study. There are rumors the new Barracuda may turn out to be Avenger-based, since the next Avenger may turn out to be rear-wheel drive and have a lot in common with a new rear-drive Alfa sedan. Chrysler is supposed to be working heavily in tandem with Fiat on a new "CUSW compliant" rear-drive architecture for a host of new mid-sized vehicles.

    There are also rumors that the revival of the Barracuda doesn't signal the end of the Challenger, either. The Belvedere plant is rumored to shut down for a period of time at the beginning of next year while a new car is also rumored to show up at the Brampton plant.

    If this new rear-drive architecture is supposed to be "CUSW compliant," then it makes sense Belvedere shuts down to tool up for two new models (the 'Cuda and new Alfa). Also the plant shutting down in early 2013 to tool up for a new vehicle or two could also mean it would've been shown to the public in the fall, which is when it's rumored Chrysler will show some sort of confirmation for the new Barracuda. If the 'Cuda is produced at Belvedere, then what will be the new car at the Brampton plant? It only makes sense the Challenger would be that car, since a larger Challenger would fill a different niche than the Barracuda. Also, if the Barracuda is branded as an SRT vehicle and not a Dodge, then it's completely logical to assume Dodge would want their sole coupe to continue on.

    The waters are certainly murky.

    Edited by black-knight
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    The rumored new Barracuda is supposed to be a blend of contemporary styling and a few retro cues pulled from each generation of Barracuda. It won't just be a revival of the old E-Body Barracuda like the LC Challenger was a revival of the old E-Body Challenger. It's also hard to say if the roofline would be like a '68 or something completely different, too.

    Yes, I've read that as well... what styling cues made the 1st/2nd gen Barracuda special?... the front end and the roofline/deck and taillights. The roofline in the video is clearly nothing like any previous 'Cuda roof/deck. Also, depending on how you look at the image in the video, there might be wraparound taillights (ala Altima Coupe)... which would also be not much like a 'Cuda. Hence, I do not feel this is the new Barracuda. After all, if the new Barracuda is nothing like the old one then, sure, the image in the video could be it... or it could just as likely be Jeep's not-so-upcoming new passenger coupe.

    To be honest, I don't like the car image in the video. I hope that any modern 'Cuda will have a healthy set of historic styling cues... at least something of a wraparound rear window... something that has been missing from the car industry for a decade.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites



    Join the conversation

    You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
    Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

    Guest
    Add a comment...

    ×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

      Only 75 emoji are allowed.

    ×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

    ×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

    ×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


  • google-news-icon.png



  • Community Hive Community Hive

    Community Hive allows you to follow your favorite communities all in one place.

    Follow on Community Hive
  • google-news-icon.png

  • Subscribe to Cheers & Gears

    Cheers and Gears Logo

    Since 2001 we've brought you real content and honest opinions, not AI-generated stuff with no feeling or opinions influenced by the manufacturers.

    Please consider subscribing. Subscriptions can be as little as $1.75 a month, and a paid subscription drops most ads.*
     

    You can view subscription options here.

    *a very limited number of ads contain special coupon deals for our members and will show

  • Posts

    • First seen at the Shanghai Auto Show (see article: Polestar 4 - The New Breed of Electric SUV Coupe), Polestar brought the Polestar 4 to the New York International Auto Show for North Americans to see in person. Polestar calls the Polestar 4 an "electric SUV 4-door coupe". Outside of that marketing speak, the Polestar 4 is a slightly lifted four-door hatchback about 190 inches in length, or roughly 2 inches shorter than a Toyota Camry.  Built without rear glass, the Polestar 4 makes use of a rear camera for visibility astern. Polestar 4 features a plethora of standard content, including 20-inch 5 V-spoke black diamond cut alloy wheels, panoramic glass roof, adaptive cruise control, 360 parking camera with 3D view, energy saving heat pump, front-illuminated Polestar logo, e-latch doors, power-operated tailgate with soft close, Polestar digital key, wireless phone charging, and 8-way electrical driver seat and 6-way electrical passenger seat. The fastest production car the brand has ever developed to date, Polestar 4 can accomplish a 0-60 mph sprint in 3.7 seconds and in top spec can produce 544 horsepower. Long-range single-motor variants have 272 horsepower and a targeted EPA range of over 300 miles. All long range variants have a 102 kWh battery capable of 200 kW charging on a DC Fast Charger and 11 kW on home level-2 charging. Google built-in is ... built in and includes Google Assistant, Google Maps and Google Play. Polestar continues to offer a leading connected in-car experience. As with all other Polestar cars, regular over-the-air updates allow for new features and improvements to be sent remotely to all vehicles. Pricing starts at $54,900, with orders opening in April for deliveries in the latter half of this year.   View full article
    • At the New York Auto Show this week, Hyundai unveiled the 2025 Hyundai Tuscon.  This mild refresh modernizes the Tuscon and brings it more into alignment with the rest of the Hyundai lineup, including their EVs. The exterior styling updates, largely consisting of a front fascia update, are subtle. Inside, Hyundai made the interior more open and airy with a new, lower-height dashboard featuring a panoramic gauge and infotainment screen. The screens consist of twin 12.3-inch displays with crisper colors and graphics, as well as faster processing speeds.  While the screens can control all functions of the car, Hyundai still included physical buttons for the most frequently used controls.  Wireless Android Auto and Apple Carplay are now standard across the line. A new steering wheel features a much more open design, and on premium trims, the gear selector is now an electronically controlled stalk on the right side of the wheel, much like in the Hyundai Ioniq 6. On some Tuscon models, a new 12-inch color heads-up display with premium graphics is available, and for the first time, navigation directions from Apple Carplay and Android Auto will appear in the display. Proximity key with push button start is now standard across the 2025 Hyundai Tuscon lineup, while an available Digital Key 2 allows for fob-free driving and access via the driver's mobile phone. For 2025, Tucson adds Forward Attention Warning, which utilizes an infrared camera mounted on the steering column to help track the driver’s eye gaze and monitor attention levels to help ensure safe driving. Available Smart Cruise Control 2 continually assesses driver alertness. If the driver is found to be unresponsive, the system can even help safely bring the vehicle to a stop, activating the hazard lights and the electronic parking brake once the vehicle is stopped. Additionally, rear outboard passenger seatbelts now feature standard pretensioners and load limiters. The powertrains largely carry over from the previous model with a standard 187-horsepower 2.5-liter 4-cylinder at the entry level end. Also available is a 1.6-liter turbocharged hybrid with 231 horsepower with a slightly more powerful electric drive unit (47.7-kW, up from 44.2-kW), and a 6-speed automatic transmission. The plug-in hybrid model features the same 1.6-liter unit, but now paired with a larger electric drive unit with 72.0-kW of output rather than the 66.9-kW motor from the prior year. The plug-in hybrid boasts 268-horspower total system power. With a 13.4-kWh lithium-ion battery pack, the 2025 Hyundai Tucson plug-in hybrid takes less than 2 hours to charge on a level 2 charger.  All hybrid models come standard with all-wheel drive. 2025 Tucson 2.5L models will arrive at U.S. dealerships in June, while 1.6L turbo hybrid and plug-in hybrid models will be available late summer. View full article
  • Who's Online (See full list)

    • There are no registered users currently online
  • My Clubs

×
×
  • Create New...

Hey there, we noticed you're using an ad-blocker. We're a small site that is supported by ads or subscriptions. We rely on these to pay for server costs and vehicle reviews.  Please consider whitelisting us in your ad-blocker, or if you really like what you see, you can pick up one of our subscriptions for just $1.75 a month or $15 a year. It may not seem like a lot, but it goes a long way to help support real, honest content, that isn't generated by an AI bot.

See you out there.

Drew
Editor-in-Chief

Write what you are looking for and press enter or click the search icon to begin your search

Change privacy settings