Plymouth Superbird crosses auction block for record price

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A 1970 Plymouth Superbird led nearly two dozen other vehicles in nabbing auction records at Barrett-Jackson’s Las Vegas sale in early July, with its new owner forking over US$1.65 million for the Hemi-equipped “aero warrior.”

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The Tor Red-painted wing car’s numbers-matching “Elephant” motor was its big draw – only 135 of the roughly 1,723 built were so equipped – but its professional restoration certainly sweetened the deal, too. The 426 was backed by a Torqueflite automatic, and that “high-impact” code-EV2 paint outside was complemented by black vinyl guts.

The prior record for a Superbird sale was set this past January, when one example, also EV2 Tor Red, cleared US$990,000 at Barrett-Jackson’s signature Scottsdale auction. In late May, a Dodge Charger Daytona, sibling to the Superbird, also broke a record for that model when it traded hands for US$1.32 million at a Mecum Auctions sale.

Other auction records broken during the event included the sale of a 1981 DeLorean DMC-12 “Mr. Fusion Time Machine” replica for US$170,500; and that of a new 2022 GMC Hummer EV Edition 1 pickup, for some $324,500.

“In total, 663 vehicles sold with No Reserve for over US$48.2 million,” the auction house said in a statement. Two other classic Plymouths, a ’70 and a ’71 Hemi ‘Cuda, also made the top five sales of the event, each selling for just over US$500,000.