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1971 Plymouth Cuda Appearing In John Wick 4, Continues Tradition Of Epic Muscle Cars (Video)

Usually, I hate talking about cars appearing in blockbusters, especially if it’s about Audis and Marvel movies. And that’s saying something, considering I’m an Audi fan. However, there’s a 1971 Plymouth Cuda in the John Wick: Chapter 4 teaser trailer that just got released, and this may be the best muscle car news ever, since an Olds 442 may be involved too.

First, the facts. A new teaser trailer has dropped, and it’s the first of a long hype process, considering the movie isn’t coming out until March 24th, 2023. There’s plenty to love in there, from bulletproof suits to some of the most famous faces in the action flick world, Donnie Yen, Lance Reddick, and especially Laurence Fishburne.

It’s only a fraction of a second, showing Keanu on the hood of a black muscle car, shooting his pistol at the bad guys through the windshield. The location: a classic European city, most likely Berlin, Germany.

Even though the car can only be seen for a split second, it’s pretty easy to tell what that is, the unmistakable Plymouth Cuda. This could be considered the best-looking muscle car of all time and is certainly among the most valuable. Based on the chrome gills on the side of the fender, that’s a 1971 model Cuda with the four headlights, one model year wonder that’s most likely powered by the iconic big-block motor.

I’ve managed to track down a couple of photos of what looks like the actual car in the scene, shot by Richard Bonga, who was on set in September 2021. Without these photos, I’d presume we’re dealing with a HEMI 426. However, it doesn’t have a shaker hood.

The shaker is cool, but it would be dangerous during the action scenes. No problem, this is probably the next best thing, a 440 6-pack with lots of power… or a 440 clone. There’s another car in the shot from Richard, the one under the tarp. This appears to be the 1970-1971 Oldsmobile 442.

And if you’re bummed out that the Cuda isn’t a HEMI, know that the Porsche 911 you see in the trailer isn’t a Turbo either. The model is informally called the “G-Body” 911, made between 1974 and 1989. But the designation is actually wrong since only the 1974 model year is a G-series car.

I’d say the 71 Cuda was my favorite muscle car… if the other John Wick movies didn’t feature others that are equally good. It all started in 2014, when Keanu Reeves put on the suit of John Wick, a highly trained assassin seeking revenge for the murder of his beloved dog Daisy, a puppy left by his wife Helen after her death.

The actual target of the dog killers was John’s car, which was described in the movie as a 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429. In reality, the film producers used the Mustang Mach 1. But I’m not complaining, as those are both some of the best-looking Mustangs ever.

During the second film, John Wick’s Ford gets stolen, and so he picks up another classic, the 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 396. I prefer the front end design of the 68 Chevelle, but there’s no arguing with the power and character of the SS model’s Turbo-Jet 396 big-block V8.

As a fan of modern Mopar, I also appreciated the use of an all-black 2011 Dodge Charger. Wick really shows us what a 10-year-old sports sedan can do in a car chase. However, it does get destroyed at the bottom of a dock. Hopefully, no HEMI Cudas were hurt in the making of Chapter 4.

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