Plymouth Barracuda · 1970–1971

Gran Coupe

The luxury Barracuda of 1970 and 1971: leather seats, an overhead console with warning lights, and a hardtop or, for 1970, a convertible.

The story

Consumer Guide calls the Gran Coupe a twin of the Challenger SE. It was dropped after 1971; there was no 1972 Gran Coupe.12

How to spot a Gran Coupe

Leather seats

Leather bucket seats with vinyl bolsters, standard by Plymouth's catalogs; Over-Drive says the hardtop had knit-jersey cloth and only the convertible leather.345

Overhead consolette

A roof console with warning lights for low fuel, an open door and seat belts, and a map light. Standard on the 1970 Gran Coupe hardtop only; for 1971 Plymouth lists it as available on the Gran Coupe only.34one source

Production by year

How many Gran Coupes were built each model year.

1970
8,779open ruling
1971
1,615open ruling
As a table, with notes
YearBuiltNote
19708,779 (open ruling)167Our sum of Consumer Guide's 8,183 hardtops and 596 convertibles; plymouthbarracuda.net gives 7,886 (our sum). Ruling
19711,615 (open ruling)18Consumer Guide; plymouthbarracuda.net gives 1,331. A hardtop only. Ruling

Engines

The letter is the engine code in the VIN.

YearsCodeEngineRated
1970C225 cu in slant six (standard)145 hp59
1970G318 cu in V8, 2-barrel230 hp59
1971G318 cu in V8, 2-barrel (standard; no six)230 hp gross, 155 net48
1971L · N383 cu in V8, 2-barrel or 4-barrel (options)275 or 300 hp gross4one source

Where the sources disagree

Every conflict behind the figures on this page. All rulings.

Settled

A 1972 Gran Coupe

Our ruling: No separate 1972 Gran Coupe. Plymouth's 1972 catalog speaks of «two re-styled Barracuda models for '72», the Barracuda and the 'Cuda, and neither Consumer Guide's own table nor plymouthbarracuda.net counts a 1972 Gran Coupe; Consumer Guide's «1970-1972» in its text is not borne out by its figures.

What each source says (3)
  • the Gran Coupe was offered for 1970–19721one source
  • «two re-styled Barracuda models for '72»: «Number one is Barracuda», «Number two is 'Cuda»2one source
  • 1972 production for the Barracuda and 'Cuda only110

Open

1970 Barracuda production

Our ruling: Unresolved. We show Consumer Guide's rows, which add up. Over-Drive's table repeats them row for row and is not a second count; its 94,207 is its own column of totals added up with the 55,499 subtotal inside it (our arithmetic), and its rows plus the AAR make 58,223. Whether the 2,724 AARs are inside Consumer Guide's 18,880 'Cuda hardtops no source says; plymouthbarracuda.net counts them among its 'Cudas. plymouthbarracuda.net's 48,867 is lower in every series, and Wikipedia's table repeats it. The site names no source and calls its figures a guideline.

What each source says (3)

Open

1971 Barracuda production

Our ruling: Unresolved. Consumer Guide's rows add to 18,690 (our sum). Over-Drive's table repeats them row for row, so it is a copy, not a confirmation, and its 30,778 again adds its subtotals to the rows (our arithmetic). plymouthbarracuda.net gives 16,492 with no breakdown for the plain Barracuda; its Gran Coupe and 'Cuda figures (1,331 and 5,675, our sum) are lower than Consumer Guide's.

What each source says (3)

Sources

  1. 1970-1974 Plymouth Barracuda Coupes HowStuffWorks (Consumer Guide Automotive) · read 2026-10-11
  2. 1972 Plymouth Duster, Valiant and Barracuda catalog Chrysler-Plymouth Division, Chrysler Corporation · read 2026-10-11
  3. 1970 Plymouth Barracuda sales catalog Chrysler-Plymouth Division, Chrysler Corporation · read 2026-10-11
  4. 1971 Plymouth Barracuda sales catalog Chrysler-Plymouth Division, Chrysler Corporation · read 2026-10-11
  5. 1970 Plymouth Barracuda Fact Sheet Over-Drive Magazine · read 2026-10-11
  6. 1970-1971 Plymouth Barracuda Convertibles HowStuffWorks (Consumer Guide Automotive) · read 2026-10-11
  7. 1970 Barracuda production totals PlymouthBarracuda.net · read 2026-10-11
  8. 1971 Barracuda production totals PlymouthBarracuda.net · read 2026-10-11
  9. 1970 Plymouth Vehicle Identification Numbers The Plymouth Owners Club Registry (tpocr.com) · read 2026-10-11
  10. 1972 Barracuda production totals PlymouthBarracuda.net · read 2026-10-11
  11. Plymouth Barracuda Production, 1970 and 1971 (two tables) Over-Drive Magazine · read 2026-10-11
  12. Plymouth Barracuda: the production table Wikipedia · read 2026-10-11

Year by year

The Gran Coupe in each model year.

1970Plymouth BarracudaThe all-new E-body Barracuda: hardtop or convertible, as a Barracuda, a Gran Coupe or a 'Cuda, with engines from a 198 six to the 426 Hemi, and 55,499 built by Consumer Guide's count.55,499 built (disputed)1971Plymouth BarracudaThe second year: dual headlights, a new grille, gills on the 'Cuda's fenders, a low-priced coupe, and production down to 18,690 by Consumer Guide's count.18,690 built (disputed)