All About The Dodge Barracuda

The Plymouth Barracuda was a classic muscle car, sharing a lot of the same DNA as the Dodge Challenger. It was known for its hardtop and convertible variants and was often modified as a racing vehicle, but it hasn’t been manufactured since 1974. That is about to change with the introduction of the new Barracuda, now under the Dodge moniker. Though rumors of the Barracuda’s revival have circulated for over a decade, we can now safely say that this classic will be back in production within the next few years.

Engine and Performance

A muscle car lives or dies by its engine and performance, and there has been a great deal of speculation about just what will be under the new Barracuda’s hood. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, the parent company of Dodge, has begun utilizing its Alfa Romeo platform for many of its vehicles. We expect the Dodge Barracuda to follow suit, which means that it would have an all-aluminum design and feature rear-wheel drive.

The Barracuda would also be significantly lighter than the modern Challenger, weighing in at somewhere between 3,000 and 3,500 pounds. As for the engine itself, the Barracuda is expected to have a twin-turbo six-cylinder engine, which would be smaller than the 5.7-liter Hemi engine that the manufacturer is currently using. However, rumor indicates that a small electric motor may accompany the engine, providing near-instantaneous acceleration. This would make the smaller engine more palatable to pony car enthusiasts.

Design

Based on a limited preview, eyewitnesses report that the in-development Barracuda resembles a smaller Challenger. This means that it would possess flared wheel arches, a wide rear end, and an upright front. And while it would be smaller and lighter than the modern Challenger, the Barracuda is still expected to provide plenty of room for up to four people. The seats are expected to be mounted lower in the cabin, allowing for more room in the vehicle’s trunk.

Availability

In 2015, Dodge rolled out a prototype of its new Barracuda during its group meeting in Las Vegas. Early reports indicate that it could go into production quickly enough to meet the 2019 or 2020 model year, which means that customers may be able to purchase the vehicle between calendar years 2018 and 2019. Dodge has indicated that it will retire the current Challenger by the 2020 model year, so this certainly makes sense if the Barracuda is intended to be the Challenger’s replacement. We’re keeping an ear to the ground as news continues to develop on this front.

While there are a lot of tantalizing details about the upcoming Dodge Barracuda, it’s important to remember that the rumor mill has been buzzing about this redesigned muscle car for more than 10 years. Dodge has managed to keep a tight lid on just when this vehicle might be rolled out, and the information we have so far is certainly subject to change. But if the continued interest in the Barracuda is any indication, Dodge will soon have a very popular car on its hands.