Avid car collectors have a tried-and-true hierarchy of importance as far as picking cars is concerned, especially if they’re in it to make money. Personal preference is generally pretty low on the list if they’re looking for an investment, as the market doesn’t cater to individual feelings. History and pedigree are much more important metrics, as the value of a car can hinge on its accomplishments, whether that be on the track or its influence on the community. Rarity is often the most important factor in determining a car’s value because everyone wants something that they can’t have.
The 1971 HEMI ‘Cuda Convertible is one of a few cars that caters to all of those criteria simultaneously. Not only was it one of the most iconic cars of the pony car era, but it also has a NASCAR-dominating power plant under the hood and is rarer than a four-leaf clover in the Sahara. All of those factors combine to make the few ’71 HEMI ‘Cuda Convertibles that do pop up for sale some of the most expensive American cars ever sold at auction.
In 2014, a pearlescent blue, 4-speed, numbers-matching 1971 Plymouth HEMI ‘Cuda Convertible rolled onto the carpet at the Seattle Mecum Auction and was quickly sold to a collector for a then record-breaking $3.5 million. In 2021, another 1971 HEMI ‘Cuda Convertible was brought to auction —this one a rare A33 Track Pak-equipped French export — with bids rising to $4.8 million. While that sale would have comfortably been the highest price ever paid for a golden-age American pony car, the reserve wasn’t met.
