First Pony Car

 

From the 4th Annual BUG Firefighters Car and Motor Show there is a 1966 Plymouth Barracuda - easily identified by the distinctive fastback wraparound rear glass.

Based on the Valiant the Barracuda launched on April 1, 1964. The new model used the Valiant's wheelbase, hood, headlamp bezels, windshield, vent windows, quarter panels, doors, A-pillar, and bumpers; the trunk and some of the glass was new.  The greatest effort was put into creating its ginormous rear window, a collaboration between Pittsburgh Plate Glass (PPG) and Chrysler designers that created the largest ever installed on a standard production car to that time.  The fold-down rear seat was a novelty at the time.

The power train was identical to the Valiant's, including two versions of Chrysler's slant-6 engine.  The highest-power option for 1964 was Chrysler's all-new 273 cu in (4.5 L) V8 equipped with a two-barrel carburetor producing 180 HP.  1964 was the first for the Barracuda and also the last year for push-button control of the optional Torqueflite automatic transmission.

Later generations, like the third generation introduced in 1970, moved to the Chrysler E-body platform and featured more aggressive styling and muscle.

Fun Fact - The Barracuda launch beat the Ford Mustang by two weeks; it's the first

Pony Car.