Once a cartoon, always a cartoon.
The story of the Plymouth Road Runner.
In the late 1960s, car manufacturer Plymouth made the decision: we will enter the ultimate American car race: the NASCAR race.
But with which car?
At the time, the Plymouth Road Runner has the best papers.
The name Road Runner was inspired by a character from the Looney Tunes series. Also known as Beep Beep. The cuckoo who honks his horn and scurries away when he sees a coyote.
‘Miep miep, pfff joooo weeff’.
To compete in NASCAR racing, the Road Runner does need some modifications. For that, Plymouth uses computer technology. This is new. So new, that they are the first in America.
In 1969, the Superbird is born. With proportions you only see in cartoons: a 7-litre engine, long, pointed nose and immense rear spoiler. It is not only a technically improved version of the Road Runner. But mostly a faster version.
The Superbird drizzles with three engines. The fastest, with the V8 Hemi block, sits at 100 km/h in 5.5 seconds. That bodes well for racing.
And there she goes: the Superbird.
But as in cartoons, there is an unexpected twist in the Superbird’s story. In 1970, NASCAR banned Aero cars, including the Superbird.
Plymouth stops production. That’s all folks.
Or not?
Well, no, the Superbird drives on. Maybe no longer on the tarmac, but as a cartoon. Or even as a Disney character.
For instance, Superbird picks up a nice role in Cars as The King. Based on the blue Superbird in which Richard Petty (a.k.a. The King) raced.
To be continued.
