The Equus Bass Is A Sixties Muscle Car For The 21st Century

The Equus Bass 770 is a fascinating vehicle. We're naturally sceptical of any start-up manufacturer that comes bounding onto the scene with big-time promises, but this muscle car seems legit.

On display at the Detroit motor show, the Bass looks the part. It evokes images of a classic Mustang fastback, and tips its hat to a number of other iconic American motors. The interior has all the modern accessories you could ever need, yet it wouldn't look out of place beside vehicles half a century older.

Now, this isn't the first time we've talked about the Bass, but this is the first time we've started to believe it could actually see the light of day. There are three on display in Detroit, with a further 20 in production.

So why do we feel like it's the real deal? The engine is a 640hp LS9 - the supercharged 6.2-litre V8 found in the Corvette. So it has a legitimate engine that could be serviced almost anywhere - unlike that Devel Sixteen with its 5000bhp space shuttle engine.

As a side note, the 770 part of the name refers to the displacement of each cylinder in cubic centimetres. The more you know...

Great care has also been taken to address weight distribution. The Bass has its engine placed in a front-mid-engined configuration, and a rear-mounted transaxle.

There are a few items plucked from the GM parts bin, such as Camaro headlights and some of the subtler switchgear, so no fiddly bespoke bits that will fall off after a few weeks in the real world.

The body and chassis are all-aluminium, built by Equus specifically for the Bass. Again, no space-age materials or outlandish claims. It also meets federal motor vehicle safety certification standards, with crumple zones incorporated into the design.

So it looks like the chap behind Equus, whoever this mysterious 'European businessman' may be, is taking the Bass' development seriously. And buyers better hope so - the Equus Bass is on sale for a whopping $250,000. If you're spending that kind of money, you want to know you're getting a car that will stand up to the established luxury manufacturers.

Still not convinced? The Bass' promotional video is like something out of a classic Hollywood action movie. Drifting, burnouts and loud noises. We approve.

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