The 1960s and early 1970s are widely recognized as the golden age of muscle cars, a time long gone. However, newcomers Equus Automotive have other ideas about V8-powered muscle car awesomeness, the Bass 770.
Founded in 2008, Equus Automotive takes everything that was great about American muscle, mixes it up a bit, adds modern engineering that makes the Bass 770 a contender for the best muscle car ever. The resurrection process doesn’t end there, with Equus not only churning out a 1/4 mile monster, but one that will also let supercars eat its dust at higher speeds. Staggering speed and composure are the result of a streamlined design using the finest materials, ensuring the Bass 770 is unlike any other V8-powered homegrown car on the market.
The era of muscle cars may be dead, but there’s a new player in town, who doesn’t have his heart and soul stuck in the past, the Bass 770 is a superb modern tribute to the muscle of old school with a business eye on the future.
9 Mixed identity, muscle car madness
At first glance, you’d be forgiven for thinking the Bass 770 is nothing more than a well-restored classic muscle car. It was the designers’ intention to conjure up images of classic American muscle of the past. Depending on the angle, hints of Ford’s Mustang, Dodge Challenger and even Camaro to some critics.
In reality, everything you see here is new, designed and built from the ground up, the ultimate in modern muscle car design built from a mix of lightweight aluminum and carbon fiber. Any gearheads at this point who are still hesitant about the Bass 770 pedigree should take a look at designer Tom Tjaarda’s catalog of gorgeous cars, littered with Ferraris, Corvettes and Shelbys.
8 Handcrafted to perfection
Any gearhead with deep enough pockets can surely place their Bass 770 order, even browsing through the myriad of finish options, from the paint scheme to the chrome details. Equus even has its own “Build Your Own” tool to relieve buyers of more hard-earned cash.
This is where the wait begins, with Equus citing a construction time of 4,500 to 5,000 man-hours. Each customer-specific Bass 770 is handcrafted from acres of aluminum and carbon fiber, automation for Equus’ small team of highly skilled craftsmen does not exist. Apart from its engine, everything is manufactured and assembled in-house.
seven Exclusively all about the bass
It’s rare too, despite initial hopes of selling 100 cars a year, Equus remains tight-lipped about actual production numbers, but a quick search for used examples proves short. At its unveiling, Equus offered starting prices of $250,000, with a range of custom options no doubt adding considerably to the final sticker price, currently you’d be looking at over $500,000.
One of the rarest names in the automotive industry, Equus Automotive adopted the “Bass” nametag in reference to the brand’s founder Bassam Abdallah. However, could there be more to it than mere recognition of the founder of Equus, the adoption of a horse logo and Bass perhaps a play on Ford’s Boss lineage?
6 Retro look, modern chassis
Removing the retro-inspired carbon fiber and aluminum body reveals that the Equus Bass 770 has nothing to do with its predecessors, but instead uses a custom chassis design for maximum strength and rigidity.
Seen from above, the Bass 770’s longer wheelbase and wide track layout become evident, designed by Equus to provide greater stability at higher speeds without hampering agility. However, Equus didn’t skimp on the safety equipment, adding a fully integrated steel roll cage for good measure.
5 Old-school forward-reverse driving pleasure
Avoiding the current trend of nifty all-wheel-drive platforms, Equus has stuck to a driver-focused setup. Up front, placing its engine behind the front axle for better weight distribution, the Equus, despite its traditional muscle car stance, falls into the front-mid engine category with rear-wheel drive.
Seeking the best possible handling, Equus adopts a rear-mounted 6-speed dual-clutch manual transmission setup, with power transmitted through a center-mounted carbon driveshaft. At every corner tasked with maintaining grip and composure, a set of 19-inch low-profile tires are controlled by a double-wishbone setup and magnetic damper arrangement.
4 What’s under the hood?
Inevitably, “what’s under the hood” will come up, at this point, the only excuse gearheads will need to show the Bass 770s the main selling point, its engine. Opening the hood reveals just how far the supercharged 6.2-liter V8 really is, with acres of space up front for a beefy “Equus” intake and cooling system.
Aside from the fact that the Bass 770 engine starts life in a more familiar environment, GM’s LS9, as found in the ZR-1, undergoes many tweaks, not all of them cosmetic. By the time Equus has finished its tuning and tweaking duties, the Bass 770 produces 640 hp and 605 lb-ft of torque, good for a top speed of 200 mph.
3 Luxury customizable GT interior
Externally, the Bass 770 is a muscle car in its own right, bulges, scoops and howling vents, made most apparent by its buzzy idle note of exhaust that rises with engine speed to a throaty bellow. Equus hasn’t lost sight of its original intentions though, it’s a modern muscle car for everyday use.
Open a door and the Bass 770 isn’t a scorching behemoth of stripped-down tarmac, its interior decked out in leather, carbon fiber and custom aluminum appointments that wouldn’t look out of place in a luxury sedan. A complete complement of creature comforts from air conditioning, GPS and in-car entertainment, all customizable to buyers needs.
2 But can you drive it one day?
Reliability, the bane of many high-performance cars, especially among smaller manufacturers. Equus spent six years in development and testing before gearheads got a taste of the ride, sound and excitement of the Bass 770.
Exposed to a rigorous real-world testing schedule, the Bass 700 reliably clocks over 150,000 miles with just routine maintenance, making it one of the most reliable performance cars available. to buy.
1 Value for money compared to the competition
Undeniably a breathtaking ride, evoking memories of the golden age of muscle cars, a time when big cars went head-to-head over the quarter mile. The Equus is different, sure it can haul something other than a full-fledged hypercar, and can even compete with supercars up to its 200mph top speed. But is it worth it?
As a reminder, the Bass 700 costs half a million dollars before it hits the customization list, which seems overpriced when you consider that Dodge and Chevrolet offer nearly the same performance for a fraction of the price. Exotic supercars are also cheaper, but any gearhead that goes that route misses the Bass 770 credentials, it’s fast and loud like a muscle car should be. But you could take one anywhere, and everyone will ask what is it? This is where the value lies – the exclusivity.
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