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What Is the Most Expensive HEMI-Powered Car Sold at Auction?

A 1971 Plymouth Hemi ’Cuda convertible reportedly sold for $3.5 million at Mecum Seattle in 2014. A later $4.8 million bid did not meet the reserve and was not a sale.
Entry682 Date Time3 min MechanicCarCody Team
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The highest documented completed auction sale identified here is a 1971 Plymouth Hemi ’Cuda convertible, reported sold for $3.5 million at Mecum’s Seattle auction in June 2014. A widely cited $4.8 million figure from a later Hemi ’Cuda auction was a high bid on a car that did not sell, so it does not replace the completed-sale result.

Which HEMI-powered car holds the documented auction result?

The leading documented result is a 1971 Plymouth Hemi ’Cuda convertible sold at Mecum’s Seattle auction in June 2014 for a reported $3.5 million. Mecum described the car as an outstanding numbers-matching four-speed example and called the amount its “$3,500,000 selling price.” Mecum’s sale description identifies it as the highest price paid for a 1971 Hemi ’Cuda convertible at public auction; contemporary independent reporting by ClassicCars.com Journal also reported the $3.5 million winning bid.

The careful formulation is “highest documented completed auction sale identified here,” rather than an unqualified claim that every HEMI-powered car sold by every auction house has been exhaustively ranked. The available sources do not provide a comprehensive cross-house database, and they do not consistently establish whether reported figures include a buyer’s premium or refer only to the hammer bid.

Why the $4.8 million bid does not count as a sale

At Mecum Indy in 2021, a 1971 Plymouth ’Cuda Hemi convertible reached a reported high bid of $4.8 million but did not sell. Auction reporter Rick Carey’s account labels the result “Not sold at Hammer bid of $4,800,000.” Carey wrote, “Had that offer been taken, it would have been a record price”—a useful counterfactual, not a report of a completed transaction. Read the auction report.

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An auction bid and a completed sale are different outcomes. When a reserve is not met and the seller does not accept the offer, the car has not been sold at that price. That is why the 2021 figure does not displace the reported $3.5 million 2014 sale.

How a later reported sale compares

Black Book’s February 2026 Collectible Cars Market Update lists a “1971 Plymouth Hemi ’Cuda Convertible (4-speed)” at $3.3 million for Mecum Kissimmee. That published figure is $200,000 below the 2014 reported $3.5 million result. See Black Book’s market update. The figures are reported results from different dates and sources; the available reporting does not establish a consistent price basis for comparing hammer amounts with totals that may include buyer’s premiums.

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Results at a glance

Year and auction Car Reported amount Outcome
June 2014, Mecum Seattle 1971 Plymouth Hemi ’Cuda convertible $3.5 million Reported completed sale
2021, Mecum Indy 1971 Plymouth ’Cuda Hemi convertible $4.8 million high bid Not sold; reserve not met
2026, Mecum Kissimmee, as listed in Black Book’s February 2026 update 1971 Plymouth Hemi ’Cuda convertible, four-speed $3.3 million Listed as a sale result

The table reflects the wording and amounts reported by the cited sources. It does not imply that all figures use the same convention for hammer price and buyer’s premium.

Do not confuse the record convertible with a different 2025 car

Mecum’s listing for a 1971 Plymouth Hemi ’Cuda offered at Kissimmee in 2025 describes a coupe, not the 2014 record convertible. The listing gives a 426/425 HP V-8, a four-speed manual, and a $495,000 result. It also describes the car as one of 59 1971 Hemi ’Cudas built with a four-speed and provides claims about its drivetrain, Track Pak, and documentation. Those are listing details for a different car, not attributes or a price for the Seattle convertible. View Mecum’s listing.

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Mecum notes that advance lot information is provided by the consignor or seller and is not verified or guaranteed by the auction house. Treat those specifications and provenance details as claims in the listing, rather than independently authenticated facts.

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What the record wording does—and does not—establish

Mecum’s description calls the 2014 result the highest price ever paid for a 1971 Hemi ’Cuda convertible at public auction and promotes it as the world’s most expensive Mopar. Those are Mecum’s characterizations of the sale. The independent contemporary report supports the $3.5 million winning-bid figure, while the available sources do not settle a universal ranking of every HEMI-powered car auctioned worldwide or a uniform price calculation.

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For a meaningful comparison, check whether the result was a completed sale or merely a bid, the date and auction house, the car’s body style and configuration, and how the amount is reported. Provenance and documentation may also distinguish individual cars, but they do not turn an unsuccessful bid into a sale.

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  • 【Detailed Display】Through the unique transparent cylinder design, you can visually observe the internal operation details of the car engine model, the up and down movement of the piston, the transmission of the valves, and reproduce the engine's operation. Challenge your hands-on ability, play creativity, explore the mechanical mystery, as far as the V8 engine building blocks set.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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