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An image of a Plymouth Hemi Cuda Convertible parked outdoors.

Ultra-Rare $6.5 Million Plymouth Hemi Cuda Convertible Is 1 of 12

To say that the collector muscle car market is on fire would be an understatement. Today we're looking at one of the rarest muscle cars of the 1970s with this Plymouth Hemi Cuda Convertible. Part of what makes this car special is that it is only one of 12 ever produced. It's going up for auction, and estimates say it could sell for over $6 million.

In the world of collector cars, ultra-rare and sometimes unusual models bring in the biggest dollars, despite their mileage. That’s exactly the case with the 1971 Plymouth Hemi Cuda Convertible we’ll be looking at today. While the Hemi Cuda Coupe is already a minimal machine with just over a hundred in existence, the convertible model is impossible to find.

This 1971 model is going to be auctioned off by Mecum Auctions later this month. The price? Mecum estimates it’s somewhere around the $6 million mark. For context, this car cost someone around $3,433 back in the 1970s.

How many Plymouth Hemi Cuda Convertibles are there?

An image of a Plymouth Hemi Cuda Convertible parked outdoors.
1971 Plymouth Hemi Cuda | Mecum Auctions

As its name suggests, part of what made the Plymouth Hemi Cuda Convertible so desirable was its engine. Under its hood lies a 7.0-liter 426 Hemi engine mated to a four-speed manual transmission. In terms of total output, we’re looking at 425 hp and 490 lb-ft of torque, says Gear Patrol.

According to Hemmings, a total of 6,228 Cuda coupes left the assembly line along with 374 convertible models. Of that total output, only 108 were Hemi coupes. While this already makes these muscle cars ultra-rare, the convertible is the hard one to come by. That’s because a total of 12 convertible models exist.

As you might imagine, this Plymouth Hemi Cuda Convertible is even rarer than that. That’s because it’s one of only three convertibles ever to feature the four-speed manual transmission from the factory.

In total, seven of these convertibles stayed in the U.S. The remaining five were sold overseas. Oddly enough, this one made its way to France.

This example has just under 100,000 kilometers

An image of a Plymouth Hemi Cuda Convertible parked outdoors.
1971 Plymouth Hemi Cuda Convertible | Mecum Auctions

This Plymouth Hemi Cuda Convertible’s dash features an odometer reading in kilometers. According to Mecum, that’s because Plymouth exported this car to France for its original owner. In total, this muscle car has covered 98,553 kilometers, or about 60,000 miles.

After two decades of ownership, the original owner listed the car up for sale on an American car club newsletter. Oddly enough, the ad read “1971 Grey Cuda,” completely leaving out all of the details that make it special. As a result, an American buyer caught on to this and went to France to check the car out. Upon confirming its legitimacy, they purchased it and imported it into the U.S. in 1993.

Since then, this muscle car has remained in the same car collection for over two extra decades. However, now seems like the right time to cash in.

How much is a Plymouth Hemi Cuda Convertible worth?

An image of a Plymouth Hemi Cuda Convertible parked outdoors.
1971 Plymouth Hemi Cuda Convertible | Mecum Auctions

Given this Plymouth Hemi Cuda Convertible’s rarity, it’s estimated to bring in huge numbers. In fact, Mecum estimates this single car will sell for anywhere between $5,750,000 to $6,500,000. For context, Hemmings estimates that comparable cars would’ve brought in $3 million a little over 10 years ago.

However, given how crazy the used car market has been lately, an ultra-high bid on this car wouldn’t be surprising. We might see it break $6.5 million.

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