Brand spankin' new retro muscle car.

[JohnnyRingo]

The Equus Bass 770 is a throwback to the age of the pony car. It's ideal for someone who loved that genre, but can't decide between a Ford, Chevy, or a Chrysler. The Equus hits on the styling cues from all three.

To make the car appeal to the modern buyer, this Detroit-built iron is beefed up to supercar status. The only thing truly vintage about this $250k personal luxury hot rod are the lines that follow the "long hood, short rear deck" formula that was so popular in the late '60s.

&feature=player_embedded

Personally, I think it's grossly overpriced, but I'm not a wealthy divorced money market manager going through a mid-life crisis. Still, that kind of cash can buy a nice Ferrari or two, and the Big Three now offer their own updated versions at a fraction of the cost.

http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1087175_equus-bass-770-muscle-car-chimera

[Auggie]

1. Likely to appeal to the 1% morons that like toys with big carbon footprints

[Scuba]

2. The condoms in the glove compartment are size Xtra Small.

[jmowreader]

26. There are no condoms in the glovebox

The target market for this car is a 52-year-old hedge fund manager with two kids and a house in the Hamptons...knowing that detectable infidelity would look bad at the divorce hearing, they have their mistresses bring condoms in their purses.

[They_Live]

3. Does it come with an 8-Track tape deck

with KISS: Destroyer permanently imbeded in it?

[JohnnyRingo]

10. That'd be silly.

but when you hit the horn it plays the opening riffs of "Satisfaction".

[jmowreader]

27. This car is high tech and modern

It comes with an iPod Touch...that has Kiss Destroyer permanently etched into it.

[rickford66]

4. expensive

There are companies that rebuild old muscle cars for a lot less.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

18. I can rebuild one for a lot less AND make it electric AND give it more power.

[OverBurn]

5. So people that like or own muscle cars are morons, really?

Most muscle cars use a lot of gas obviously, the difference is they are hardly ever daily drivers. The percentage of muscle cars out there is so small it's not a real factor in carbon foot print. The people that think muscle cars old or new area a real problem are the real "morons", or a nicer way maybe to just say some of you are grossly uninformed. To the OP, that car IS a Mustang or Mustang clone.

I happen to own several muscle cars. They are pampered, keep in perfect tune and are driven less than a 1000 miles per year.

[JohnnyRingo]

8. I disagree.

I assume the bulk of your post was directed to the reply that condemned anything that emits more than a soulless Prius, and somehow equated cubic inches with diminished manhood, but I still see the car as a Detroit amalgam of the early '70s.

I agree the The Bass 770 sure does cut the side profile of a Mustang Fastback, but the image looming in your rear view mirror is all Hemi 'Cuda in my opinion. Albeit that would likely be a rare sight.

I have a '71 TR6 myself. I probably drive my old car more than you, but I'm retired and have time to maintain it as a hobby. From April to November it's my primary driver, but I don't have a daily commute.

I had to cut this season short this year as I pulled the engine for a complete overhaul this week. The mill is now in my basement awaiting a long winter of rebuild. This way I can spread the payments over several months and I can get a fresh respray under the hood. Then I'm good for another 100k.

[ut oh]

22. I had a 1969 TR6!!

I miss that car a lot... One of the few vehicles I regret selling.

[jlayson]

33. This TR is ready for some shine, I sure like yours

[BobbyBoring]

36. Ah The TR3!

A good coat of British Racing Green and off ya go!

[JohnnyRingo]

39. Very early TR...

The grille looks like a "small mouth" so it's either a TR2 or a first year TR3. that awesome!

I had a '60 TR3 in 1972. I lied to people and told them it was a '59 so it would sound as old as it looked. Mine had a replacement plywood floor and paint that looked like Amish barn painters did it, but it was my first Brit car. There was no globe medallion on the hood and the rear bumpers were missing. When it finally quit running at the end of summer, I looked under the hood and shrugged my 19 year old shoulders. Sold it the next day for $600, doubling my money.

40 years and several Triumphs later, I've learned a lot. All I enjoy doing is spending my final retired years working on and driving Triumphs. Bury me in a TR7. It'll be cheaper than a casket and more stylish.

The love of my life also has a TR. She sold her Jag XJ6 about ten years ago and found this '64 TR4. She lets me work on it:

[secondvariety]

6. Wow.

I'd kill myself driving that. Looks a lot like a Mustang.

[Rain Mcloud]

7. My Browenlaw just bought a ZR1 Corvette last week,thought about sending this

to help him get over the buyer's remorse.
I had helped him recover a 67 Mustang GT from a pasture with a tree growing between the fenders about 20 years back.
He was pretty ate up with Steve McQueen and Bullit,but he painted his Saturn Gold with the twin black rally stripes.
After several drivetrain swaps he ended up with a late model 5.0 from the last of those Mustangs but totally gone through with parts from the FOMOCO performance catalog,gear drive everything and a Tremec T-5600 5-speed.

By the time it was done the noise inside was like the original Dearborn Assembly line,you literally had to shout over the gear drives and the diffy gears(Nascar Cut) and the pumps and the carburetor noise.

He ended up selling it on e-bay to a guy from New York City,he flew down,handed the check over and drove it back.
What a trip that must have been with all the racket and the ride on low profile rally tires,subframes with poly-urethane bushings,tubular control arms and gas charged coil-over shocks.

I know my Bro lost money on the deal but he went down and bought his first brand new Vette off the showroom floor,which he traded for a Z-06 when they came out in 2002.

The first love though is always special and that Equus looks like love at first sight.

[JohnnyRingo]

9. There's a reason...

..the factory muscle cars like 'Vettes come equipped with hydraulic lifters, timing chains or belts, and massive sealed air cleaners.

I had a friend who wanted an early Viper in the worse way. He changed his mind when he found out why he couldn't get one with a radio.

[alfredo]

11. I don't like the front end.

[OxQQme]

12. Only thing missing

Steve McQueen.

Shades of Bullitt.

[toby jo]

13. I want it. $240k too much.

[dreamerBoy]

14. Gas cars are so 20th century

An electric car would smoke this thing.

[Mopar151]

46. Get over yourself, fanboi.

Electric cars are gonna be great, as soon as we make the next breakthrough in battery technology. Trouble is, that's been true for 75 years. If you'd like to discuss the science behind this statement, please proceed.

[Snake Plissken]

15. Who is that video supposed to be targeting?

I was expecting one of the three to pull out a bottle of a fragrance they were selling

They certainly aren't targeting gearheads who actually want to know what the car to offer

[JohnnyRingo]

16. I wondered about that too.

It's like an excerpt from a longer clip.

It doesn't explain why the driver was apparently arrested, why the cop stole the car, and who the hell that woman is. In the end she "got away" by... driving the car as the cop stood flummoxed at the Hawker stairway. Huh?

That's the (only) official promo at their website though. Maybe the manufacturer's kid is an aspiring film maker, and dad gave him/her their big break.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

19. Target audience is the people who think Starsky and Hutch were the height of "cool".

[Brigid]

34. Hey, I thought "Starsky & Hutch" were cool.

Of course, I was in high school back then.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

35. They were in private school,...so they never actually saw "cool". Just pomposity

[MrMickeysMom]

17. Two thumbs down...

... in the, "My dick's so small, I'll use my wealth to inflate it with this waste of fuel." category.

[JohnnyRingo]

21. You're thinking of a red Corvette.

Not everyone considers a mechanical marvel as compensation for penile shortcomings.

Indeed, I see this as a great example of new technology on an old platform, and in that regard it's a fascinating automobile. Unfortunately for the manufacturer, many customizers these days take antique muscle cars and add modern drive trains and updated interiors to build "retro-rods" at a fraction of the cost. Retro-rods are low emission vehicles that get 30+ mpg when driven sensibly, while retaining the form of a classic car.

My criticism of the Bass 770 is that it's too expensive, too late, and too common. The golden age of '60s muscle car collecting peaked in 2006, when the Equus was probably in the genesis of its design.

The retro Detroit muscle car boom began when Boomers began inheriting their fortunes from The Greatest Generation about 15 years ago. During that short time many cars were restored that would normally be sent to the scrap pile. There are now many more Chevy SS Chevelles and Hemi Cudas than the factories ever turned out, but many people of that age wanted the car that the coolest kid drove to their senior prom.

When the financial bust occurred in the late 2000s these owners had a choice between selling their toy or losing their McMansion. The ensuing glut caused a lot of nostalgic owners left holding the bag as prices on all but the very best documented examples fell faster than Ted Cruz's poll numbers.

Or, I guess you can sum it up with a bumper sticker slogan that simply paints every motorhead with the same ignorantly broad brush. Oh, wait! You did that... twice for some reason.

I guess by that logic one's computer, smart phone, home, and even choice of refrigerator is an extension of ones sexual potency, dependent upon how glitzy they are, how much they cost and rate of energy consumption.

[MrMickeysMom]

23. Gee.. you mean that was actually a bumper sticker?

Wow... I'm a real whiz to have somehow known that.

1) You didn't really think this commercial was anything BUT an penis extender, now, did you?

2) What did the the over-extending boomers give up in the end, JR? It was the McMansion? I think so, as that's a REAL genital inflator (both sexes, nah!)

Blissfully and ignorantly yours...

MMM

[JohnnyRingo]

28. Since you directed your comment at me...

I'm taking it personal.

If you don't know much about muscle cars, I wonder why else you bothered to add your two cents to this thread, unless it was to demean and degrade me personally for posting it. You could have added constructive criticism as others did, but instead you decided to attack the messenger with a cheap shot about machismo. I'd like to know, in your vast experience, what the well endowed male is indeed driving these days.

This Equus is a newly manufactured car, therefore it meets 21st century emissions standards and likely gets better fuel economy than a hi-po car made even ten years ago.

Something I'm sure you don't know is that when the EPA tests a new model, they put it in an air tight chamber and test for emissions from the entire vehicle. This has led to sealed fuel systems, enclosed intakes, and greatly improved gasket technology. In the '60s an engine became a greasy mess after 30k miles. Now you'll notice, they just get dusty. This is because the old gaskets leaked emissions, something that doesn't happen today. Entire engines are now shrouded and sealed to keep emissions low, including the one in this car. 98% lower than cars made 30 years ago, as a matter of fact.

It's also a fact that this Bass 770- and other modern performance cars like it- emits less pollution at idle than a 1968 Mustang did with the ignition off.

Now...what is it that you really don't like about this car? Is there anything other than some armchair psychologist's opinion about the people who would own one? Try to contribute intelligently to the thread instead of tossing in a bomb and running away like some hi-jacking troll... and try not to make assumptions about my or anyone else's manhood.

[MrMickeysMom]

30. Sorry, JohnnyRingo.... this wasn't about you...

Perhaps you may not believe me, so I apologize. But know this... my disgust is with the commercial, which should not be confused with you liking the commercial. For example, I think the commercial about that Fiat with the Italian sex pot and the little whimpy guy overtaken with her (his fantasy of the car) is seriously messed up. About the best you can say about my take on this is that I'm still amazed by how anything is sold with sex.

So, why do cars, which I admire when it comes to performance (show you some pictures to prove it) have to include the libido anyway?

Please don't think I lobbied this against you. I DO think the only way people in marketing think they can sell anything like a car is by showing the prowess said "cars" (read penis) can put out. The same can be said on how Americans from the 1950's through the 80's somehow had to have it "bigger" to be better, and McMansions (read genitals), size matters.

I got NOTHIN against muscle cars!

My brother had a superbee in the late 60's a mustang before that, and I happen to think cars are cool, but the commercials to sell the are penis extenders.

Best Wishes, but if you still can't accept that, I'll just leave it there.

[JohnnyRingo]

37. OK... Forget it

I just snapped because I thought the Automobile Group was the last place where someone would make me wish I hadn't contributed an original post. I stopped making OPs in GD because there's always someone who feels obligated to either imply that I'm stupid, or points out how stupid my post is.

I figured many would not like the car I featured, but I didn't see your kind of opinion coming, and I overly reacted. Another person made a reply straight out of the Environment Forum by complaining that the car pollutes more than a freakin' wristwatch, but I let that go. I figured this group would be free of controversial issues and focus on the car as a common interest, but perhaps I was naive.

I would not however, expect to reply in GD using a phrase that includes "you know how women are that time of month" without getting spanked for it. It would likely go to a jury. I suppose commenting that men overcompensate for sexual shortcomings is just as sexist but I shouldn't let it bother me. There's no chance that I'll be buying a Bass 770 anyway.

I'm not at all mad at you though. I got over it, and I'm really sorry I overreacted.

[MrMickeysMom]

38. NP, JohnnyRingo...

I for one, have a broad sense of toleration (jury duty's an example...) and yearn to visit the cooking and baking group for the same Oasis reasons you mention. I'm really out of my category by stopping into the auto enthusiast group.
)
Know what you mean by OP in general... Ah, fuck it... I was probably hormonal (ONLY KIDDING... I turn 60 tomorrow!!! )

[JohnnyRingo]

40. Happy Birthday!

I just turned 60 this past July, and I assure you it's pretty painless.

I see now why you know old cars, you grew up scooting all over the rear seat as you pleased, and remember when door locks were activated by pushing the handle forward. My Triumph does that, and it amazes many younger passengers. They always reach for a shoulder harness and appear quizzed when I pull out the choke for a cold start.

I remember when cars didn't have FM radios. We had to buy our own and install them to listen to the underground stations. My '62 Comet had vacuum wipers. The more I pushed on the gas, the slower they went. I was on a freeway in a driving rain once. I ended up going 30mph just so I could see.

I hope your birthdays past are just as filled with wistful memories, and I hope this celebration brings you wishes come true for the future. -JohnnyRingo

[MrMickeysMom]

42. Thanks!

Yeah, so far, the pain for me has been my 59th year, so I expect MUCH more from this next decade (heh!)

Interesting story on the Triumph, which made me think of the Karmann Ghia in our garage (circa 1973) which had "factory air and AM/FM" added to it, but it was the old style heater, which just vented the engine, probably adding CO to already addled drivers listening to, "Inna-gah-dah-dah-vita"!

[OnyxCollie]

20. Looks like a Mustang crossed with a Barracuda.

[RoccoR5955]

24. If you are gonna spend that much money on a car

you might as well get a Tesla. They are very fast, and silent! Not to mention, they don't pollute like the gas guzzlers of the past.
Don't get me wrong, those cars are legends, but we have to start thinking about the future, even when it comes to hot rods!

[jmowreader]

25. You must be joking

Forget the weird promo video...and exactly how many laws were broken by the cop in that thing?

Muscle cars are supposed to be stealthy...they're fast but they're also supposed to look not-fast so the cops don't keep pulling you over on general principles. The other atrocity is the Paul Teutul/Jesse James bolt-aftermarket-shit-on-your-motorcycle "chopper." The term chopper was invented by the Hells Angels and refers to their process of taking a stock bike and removing everything not necessary for forward locomotion. It never meant "take a 600-lb motorcycle and turn it into a 1200-lb one."

For the same money this car costs, buy a Mustang made in Obama's first term, take it to Roush Performance, and tell them to make it bad-ass.

[JohnnyRingo]

29. I tend to agree with you...

I'm not necessarily endorsing the Bass 700, I just thought it interesting that someone is trying to hitch onto the rising star of the muscle car boom by introducing a brand new model. Indeed, most would just take an existing model and upgrade to a higher performance option at a fraction of the cost.

Certainly the Equus would appeal to one who has more expendable income that most African nations and wants to be noticed. I doubt it will have much if any appreciation as a collectible, but I'm not so sure. Depends on how it's received by the public (now and 20 years from now), and how many are made. Judging by the comments here, it'll be mostly the latter.

Personally, I think it's too late for the Equus. The Pony Car boom peaked in the late 2000s and fell off dramatically after the economic crash. Hemi 'Cudas that once sold for a cool million, now net just over half that much at auction. The Bass will likely be a victim of bad timing in an unpredictable market. If only a few are manufactured, it could well be a collectible curiosity in the somewhat distant future.

I wasn't joking though. hahaha

[jmowreader]

32. I don't know if there ever was a time for the Equus

A quarter-million is Lamborghini Gallardo or Ferrari California money, not "it looks like someone put the front clip off a Camaro onto a Mustang" territory, no matter how fast the little mongrel car is.

[baldguy]

31. And you could get a dozen '69-'70 302 Boss Mustangs for the same price.

And have a lot more fun with them, too.

[Heathen57]

41. The new Camero

destroyed the previous records made by the Italian and German auto makers on the Stuttgart Germany track. I'd take that over this one any time.

[flvegan]

43. I like the idea, but this one isn't for me.

For one, I like retro, but the front on this is too...Dodge. I like the power, the interior and the made-in-the-USA bit of it. The price is just silly (to me), but for a car of which they'll probably only build a dozen, because bearing in mind a dozen folks with the means WILL buy one, it's probably not priced out of it's own questionable price point (it's the same thing behind Spyker...why would you? because). Sort of like the DB5 and E-Type Top Gear showed on one episode that had been modernized for six figures. Sure, you've completely reworked the car, made it of no value as a collectible trailer queen anymore, and bastardized the whole idea of being left on the side of the road in a cloud of smoke hoping your AAA membership is still active. But it's what you want, and if you have the money, someone will do it for you.

I see that this thread has garnered the usual/expected number of nannies waxing philosophical on the penis size of anyone interested in something unique and/or powerful. I'm sure they truly love their Camry/beige transport as much as the rest of us love our cars. No idea why they post in a automotive forum.

[JohnnyRingo]

44. I saw that episode of Top Gear too.

I wasn't sure what to think at first about someone retro-rodding a classic like an Aston Martin, but I decided it's better to do that to a secondary collectible. I understand some people really like the design of a handbuilt DB5 and want trouble free motoring and modern emissions, but I think that's like updating the American Gothic painting with a weed whacker in the farmer's hands.

Chopping up an old mass produced Detroit classic seems less of a crime against the art. I'm not talking about hacking an historic L6 Corvette, but turning a garden variety grocery getter Malibu into a fire breathing monster SS Chevelle is an upgrade, not vandalism.

Personally, I'll take that kind of penis extension anyday. It's just blowing smoke though, I learned young that chicks dig guys in cool cars.



hahaha

[flvegan]

45. I don't think anyone with a museum quality DB5 will do that.

It's like, you have a 1967 Corvette. It's not a 427/435. It's a driver, numbers likely don't match. She's nice, but no Bloomington Gold candidate. Ever. It's about taking *that* car and making it into something that you can enjoy everyday and not worry about...and you have the cash to do it. Short of automotive blasphemy. It's enjoying the car.

[Mopar151]

47. Enjoying the car is the whole point!

Things like the Eques (sp) come along regularly. Essentially, they are for the customer with excess money, who has developed a passing interest/infatuation with cool cars, but has not developed a detailed vision of their ideal, or have a clue how they might acheive same.

Guys like flvegan and I would rather end up, for that money, with several "drivers" - and a lot of the mods have to do with making the car live up to the idealised memory of "the day", on today's roads and traffic. For me, if the plans include serious "motor", they'll also include sufficent safety equipment to go to the track and use it. Blasphemy to the "matching numbers" crowd - but, if I do the work and pay the money, a couple furtive little "squirts" at 2 am ain't gonna get it.