1967 Plymouth Barracuda Formula S Contradicts Muscle Car’s Reputation of Poor Handlin

Car brands come and go, but one thing is for sure: they will be remembered thanks to their best products. In the case of Chrysler’s now defunct Plymouth brand, one of these products is definitely the Barracuda pony car.

Built from 1964 to 1974 over three generations, the Barracuda is a sought after vehicle today, especially immaculate examples like this 1967 Barracuda Formula S.

Formula S models were upgraded in-house by Plymouth with suspension and brakes that allowed it to keep up with European sports cars in curves.

Owner Bob Gough, who bought the car over 23 years ago, felt the need to add some upgrades himself. Under the long hood of the car a 340 cubic inch (5.6-liter) V8 has replaced the car’s original 273 cubic inch (4.5-liter) engine, while the standard transmission has been replaced with a Tremec 5-speed.

However, Plymouth’s upgrades on the suspension were pretty good, so the only modification Gough made was replacing the original shocks with nitrogen shocks that he says significantly improve the handling.

I know you’re curious to see what the car drives and sounds like, so check it out in this latestPetrolicious video.

Mercedes-Benz Displays Five Iconic Racing Cars at the Rétromobile 2014

This year, Mercedes-Benz celebrates 120 years of motor sport, which is the reason why the carmaker will display five original race cars and one Daimler engine at the Rétromobile 2014 (February 5-9) in Paris.

Focusing on the historic successes achieved by Mercedes-Benz in France, the carmaker’s booth will include iconic cars including the Mercedes Grand Prix racing car (1914), Mercedes-Benz W 196 R “Streamliner” (1954), Sauber-Mercedes C 9 (1989), McLaren Mercedes MP4-15 (2000) and Mercedes-Benz DTM C-Class (2009).

Besides these cars, Mercedes-Benz will also showcase the Daimler two-cylinder V-engine from 1894, which had a major role in motor sport’s first winning vehicles 120 years ago. Built under license in France, the “Moteur système Daimler” propelled cars from Peugeot and Panhard & Levassor to victory in the Paris–Rouen and Paris–Bordeaux–Paris motor races.

The Mercedes Grand Prix racing car from 1914 achieved the first one-two-three victory in the history of motor sport in the French Grand Prix in Lyon, while the W 196 R “Streamliner” marked the Silver Arrows’ return after the Second World War with a double victory in the 1954 French Grand Prix in Reims.

Following the horrific Le Mans crash in 1955, Mercedes-Benz withdrew from racing, but in 1989, it supplied engines to the Sauber-Mercedes C9 that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The fourth Mercedes exhibit at the Rétromobile 2014 is the McLaren Mercedes MP4-15, the Formula One car in which David Coulthard won the French Grand Prix in 2000. Finally, the Mercedes-Benz DTM C-Class was the winning vehicle in the 2009 DTM race at Dijon-Prenois in the hands of driver Gary Paffett.