Top Cars

Maybe the 'Cuda is alive after all. While we have speculated about the existence of one ever since we first heard a hint of the SEMA show car from last year, all we've had to work with since are rumors and sketches of what might be. Well, today at the weekly Cars and Coffee show in Irvine, a genuine 'Cuda Concept was parked right in the midst of everything. A convertible nonetheless. It just sat there with only a few people really spotting it for what it was. Considering that real original '70s 'Cudas are plentiful at this show and that several Challenger SRT-8s have already made appearances, it doesn't seem surprising that people might not spot this concept immediately. The surprising part is that it is painted purple with a white convertible top that can't be ignored no matter how hard you try. While the car sported no badges, it wore a mock "NEWCUDA" Colorado plate and had a seemingly stock Challenger-like interior, complete with a Hurst pistol-grip shifter for the automatic trans. While many of the details emulate the 70-74 cars, the bulk says Challenger. Particularly fun is the grill and headlight setup and the Shaker hood scoop. Very nicely done. The only badge we spotted was a big G on the front fenders, the mark of Metalcrafter's Gaffoglio boys. Looks like we have a SEMA '08 preview on our hands.