From the Archives – Stutz Blackhawk

Posted on Apr 2, 2025 in Featured | 4 comments

There was no shortage of decadence in the pages of Hemmings Motor News during the 1970s. We’ve previously shown a few examples of customs, one-offs and retro-reanimations, from the Kanzler Coupe to the Cooper Markette. The Stutz Blackhawk, though, had a decent following during those days of disco and polyester, as evidenced by the fact that over 500 examples were produced from 1971-1987. This one was advertised in the December 1977 issue of Hemmings and was listed in our press photo as a Blackhawk VI.

The Blackhawks were designed by the retired Virgil Exner and used the Pontiac Grand Prix’s chassis and drivetrain. The hand-crafted body work was done in Italy, and the Blackhawk came in at around 19 feet long. The interior featured gold-plated trim, Connolly Leather seats and dash, wool or mink carpeting and headliner, and the all-important liquor cabinet in back. Eventually, the Grand Prix was downsized and the later Blackhawks would be built upon the Bonneville. The Blackhawk VI had a base price of $69,500 back in the late 1970s, which would equate to over $225,000 today. Factor in that amazing 8 miles per gallon and your pockets would have to be quite deep to own one of these.

Speaking of which, the list of back-in-the-day Blackhawk owners was quite impressive. A partial accounting is on the Internet Guide to Stutz Cars website, and it reads like a “who’s who” of 1970s entertainers, industrialists and millionaires. It also looks like a casting call for Cannonball Run 3.

Each Stutz had a plate of authenticity inscribed with the original purchaser’s name. Elvis Presley, who loved luxury automobiles, owned four of them, including the promotional dealer car that was to be used for the auto circuit. We also featured one as a Find of the Day 2-1/2 years ago, listed for sale at $47,000.