Have You Ever Heard of – The Equus Bass 770?

7

Dale Vinten

We live and breathe cars here at Car & Classic but even we were a little hazy as to the existence and history of the Equus Bass 770. Then this one popped up for sale on our classifieds, sparking myriad discussions concerning muscle cars, as well as other such examples of modern tech ensconced in classic styling. A concept that embodies the ethos behind this car.

Equus, Bass 770, Equus Bass 770, American car, motoring, automotive, sports car, classic car, car and classic, carandclassic.co.uk, V8, muscle car, bespoke

A clear salute to those tyre-shredding, V8-engined cars of the late ’60s and early ’70s the Equus Bass certainly looks the part, drawing inspiration from those brutish machines and it wouldn’t look incongruous parked next to, say, a Ford Mustang or Chevrolet Camaro. It definitely fits the aesthetic. But to call this car a mere throwback would be doing it a disservice. This is more than just a nod to the past. Oh no. This is the ultimate modern interpretation of the American Muscle Car. And with a 6.2-litre, supercharged V8 delivering 640 horsepower it certainly dances to the right tune.

Equus, Bass 770, Equus Bass 770, American car, motoring, automotive, sports car, classic car, car and classic, carandclassic.co.uk, V8, muscle car, bespoke

The similarities to the ’60s Ford Mustang Fastback are evident, even down to the badging, and Equus is Latin for horse. But that all-aluminium body is where the casual comparisons end. In addition to the Corvette LS1-derived power plant the car also comes fitted with a six-speed, dual clutch gearbox driving the rear wheels as well as huge Brembo six-pot brake calipers at the front and four-piston calipers out back. The discs are carbon ceramic too. They have to be with such massive power on tap. Not only that but the magnetic suspension is fully adjustable, bringing the classic muscle car spirit kicking and screaming into the 21st century.

Equus itself is a new company, relatively speaking. Formed in the US in 2008 it takes everything great about those beloved muscle cars and basically turns everything up to 11 using modern technology, parts and engineering principles. The Bass 770 isn’t the only car on its books but it’s still a one-of-a-kind, bespoke affair. This is a new car, designed and built from the ground up that can be tailored to each customer to provide something truly special – something that has been largely missing from the roads for five decades. A bona fide muscle car.

Equus, Bass 770, Equus Bass 770, American car, motoring, automotive, sports car, classic car, car and classic, carandclassic.co.uk, V8, muscle car, bespoke

From a distance you could be forgiven for thinking that the Equus Bass 770 is a nicely restored classic pony car. It’s safe to say the styling is spot on. Get closer though and you’ll realise just how much has gone into bringing this car to bear. From the lightweight aluminium chassis and body with hints of carbon fibre to the monstrous modern V8 performance engine under the bonnet. All of this contemporary, hand-built goodness (the Equus web site mentions 5,000 man-hours are put into every car) comes at a price though. The whole point of the muscle car, back when it was conceived as a notion, was to be cheap and fast. Sadly the Equus Bass 770 retains only one of those initial characteristics. At around half a million US dollars it certainly ain’t cheap but boy is it fast. With a 0-60 time of 3.4 seconds and a 200mph top speed it’s firmly in supercar territory. But then so is the price.

So what do you actually get for such a hefty wedge? In addition to the spectacular performance and handsome looks the Equus Bass 770 is hand-crafted. From the bones of the thing, including the integrated roll cage, all the way down to the stitching on the all-leather upholstery. While the cabin may have that vintage feel, the influence of which can be seen in the split dials and ribbed bucket seats, it’s complimented by modern gauges, switchgear and safety features to bring it in line with more modern fare. And all of this present-day tech provides something of a trump card for the Equus. Reliability. And that’s a difficult commodity to put a price on.

Equus, Bass 770, Equus Bass 770, American car, motoring, automotive, sports car, classic car, car and classic, carandclassic.co.uk, V8, muscle car, bespoke

Doing something properly does cost money, that’s just the way of the world. You get what you pay for, and as mentioned earlier, those 5,000 man-hours don’t come cheap, but what you end up with is an exclusive, rare modern day muscle car that embodies everything that makes that class of vehicle so enduring. It’s one of the reasons a rear wheel-drive set up was adopted over the more modern trend of all wheel-drive. A V8 beast peeling out in a cloud of smoke with its rear tyres screaming will never not be cool. And that’s the thing with the Equus Bass 770 – it captures all that that image evokes perfectly, as well as the zeitgeist of a time whilst simultaneously providing a contemporary driving experience. We want one. We’re sure you do too. Just don’t confuse it with the Hyundai of the same name.

Enjoyed this article?

Sign up to our weekly newsletter to receive the latest articles, news, classic cars, auctions and events every Thursday - compiled expertly by the Car & Classic team