The Equus Bass 770 is an Old Dog with New Tricks

In the past decade, the American automotive market has experienced an incredulous amount of backlash from the general public. GM alone had to recall 30 million vehicles, throwing itself into a murky swamp complete with the unrelenting quicksand of countless lawsuits and appeals. Combine these issues with the recent bail out of the auto giant, and you ended up with a recipe for disaster that made the GM name seem all but doomed to the history books. It seemed this, in combination with its HQ being located in one of the poorest cities in the nation, over run with corruption, poverty and crime, was the end of the motor city as we knew it. That is, until we looked closer, and saw a small glimmer of hope, from a city called Rochester Hills: The Equus Bass 770.

Image: Equus Automotive

The Bass 770 was seen by the designers as the revival to the Motor City; a shining light in a sea of darkness. Above all else, this car is something quite special. Though most might consider it what most in the industry consider to be a "Resto-Mod" -- a classic car that has been restored with some unique twists, the Bass 770 is its own animal that takes its looks and performance from the pages of American History.

Upon first impressions of this magnificent piece of modern mopar metal, you wouldn't be far off in assuming that it takes most of its styling cues from that of a 70's era fastback Mustang. Look closer, however, and you'll also see that it takes cues from just about every classic Mopar from the original muscle car era. The tail lights replicate those found on the classic Challenger, while the nose evokes the appearance of the equally potent Charger blended with the iconic fog lights from the Boss 302. The interior is a melting pot of classic Mopar parts, with a mix of cues from the original Mustang, and some that remind us of an early Camaro. First impressions on the more oriented car enthusiast would inundate their eyes with a tear-jerking sense of nostalgia. However, under the classically appointed sheet metal and body work lies the skeleton and beating heart of an entirely new animal.

Image: Equus Automotive

Starting from the center, the Bass 770's chassis is a blend of Carbon and aluminum elements designed to make the car as light weight as possible. A reinforced sub-frame and racing cage give the Bass 770 the stiffness it needs to take its weight around corners without having to worry about the treacherous understeer that plagued the muscle cars of old. High performance brakes bring the car to a stop as quickly as it starts. The 6.2 Liter V8 engine is a tuned version taken from the latest Corvette, and its sound alone is a triumph of American spirit.

Its 647 horsepower engine, mated to a 6-speed manual transmission means 0-60 is dealt with in a mere 3.4 seconds; and on a long enough straight at your nearest runway, you can expect the 770 to top out at a very un-classic 200 miles per hour, and still look good in your nearest A&W parking lot on a warm Summer Saturday night next to its American classic ancestors, and be ensured that like most classic cars, it won't arrive in a pile of steam, thanks to 6 years of relentless testing and development, including a 150,000 mile term test to ensure that every nut and bolt that holds the 770 together won't come loose.

Image: Equus Automotive

Inside, the dash and center console are adorned with modern instruments with design inspiration taken from the classic Mustang and Camaro, and a navigation screen ensures that you can see the bends up ahead when the view out the windshield is clouded out by trees, fog, or the blur of speed. Power options give the driver a refined sense of modernity in a otherwise classically and flawlessly appointed cabin.

All of the elements in the Bass 770 are designed to evoke a sense of nostalgia for the refined enthusiast, and a sense of confidence for the driver that wants to fly through the bends on a Sunday afternoon. From the classic look of the metal body, to the stiffness and integrity of the well-thought out chassis, the Bass 770 is as American as Apple Pie, but every bit as advanced as today's top European contenders. It's a Weber Grill on Pirellis. It's exquisite. in every way; and if you have $250,000 to spend, I'd like to think that you should be greeted by fanfare and pomp when you get to the dealer; as the price tag is probably the only non-classic thing about it.

Image: Equus Automotive