18. Plymouth Barracuda 440
The biggest news for 1969 was the introduction of the Barracuda 440 V8. It was a monster pony car with the largest engine ever installed in that segment. Plymouth wanted to be a dominant force in the stock class of drag racing championships. They needed a big block and tons of torque. The Barracuda 440 was exactly that even if it was a handful to drive.

It required a complicated production process since the big 440 would not fit in the small Barracuda engine bay. The Barracuda 440 delivered 375 HP with a massive 480 lb-ft of torque. All that made it fast, but it was also hard to launch due to wheel spin. Because of the tight fit of the engine, there wasn’t enough space for a power steering pump. Drivers had to use their muscles to turn this compact but powerful car. Plymouth only made a handful of these models, which makes them highly desirable today.