One of the most iconic American muscle cars ever made is up for tender in Auckland, at classic/enthusiast car-consignment service Sunday Drive.
An extremely rare example of the 1970 Plymouth Superbird is currently on display at Sunday Drive's Church Street, Penrose showroom. It's up for tender until tomorrow (Friday 12 May) and the company says it's "currently attracting enquiry from around the world".
Instantly recognisable thanks to the most outrageous rear wing in the muscle-car business (designed to clear the roofline for optimum aerodynamics), the Superbird was created as a homologation model for Nascar racing. It was also used to lure racing legend Richard Petty back to Plymouth from Ford, after he left in 1968. The two are synonymous in pop-culture - including a themed character called The King in the Pixar movie Cars, which Petty himself voiced.
It also famously wears Warner Brothers Road Runner decals, of course (it was based on the Plymouth Road Runner). It's one crazy-cartoon muscle machine.
Nascar rules for 1970 required Plymouth to build at least 1920 Superbirds for the road, so at least that many were produced (the precise number remains unknown), with the 426 Hemi V8 and two versions of the 440 Super Commando V8 engine.
Sunday Drive says this Superbird is a "1 of 1" thanks to its rare specification/options, and its "incredible state of preservation".
It's equipped with the top 440-6 barrel engine: 716 units produced. Sunday Drive says every component is authentic and the car has only travelled 35,000 miles (56,000km), undergoing a "comprehensive and thoroughly documented restoration process" to bring it back to its pristine original condition.
This particular car has won the LA International Mopar Show and the Garden State Mopar Show twice in a row, and has been stored in a temperature-controlled garage for the last 20 years by the current owner.
Values of these vehicles in this configuration are commonly sold in excess of $400k. A similar 426 Hemi model was recently sold overseas for NZ$2.6m.
Check out the video above for a glimpse into the world of Sunday Drive and a walk-around of the Superbird.
