This shabby old Plymouth may sell for up to $700,000 after sitting in a storage container for 35 years — take a closer look

1971 Plymouth Cuda.Courtesy of Mecum Auctions, Inc.

• This 1971 Plymouth may look like any other decades-old muscle car, but it might rake in a whopping $700,000 when it heads to auction next month.
• Having spent 35 years hidden away in a storage container, the car is mostly original, and certain parts of it are in pristine condition.
• It's also exceptionally rare, which helps to explain the hefty price tag.
• The car will cross the auction block at Mecum Auctions' 33rd Original Spring Classic, which takes place on July 10 to July 18.

A beat-up, 49-year-old Plymouth is headed to auction next month, and pre-auction estimates say it may sell for more than a brand-new Ferrari, Lamborghini, or Rolls-Royce.

That's because the 1971 Plymouth Cuda up for sale through Mecum Auctions isn't just any old muscle car. Not only is it from the convertible Cuda's last production year, it's also one of only 17 1971 drop tops to come equipped with the high-performance, 440-cubic-inch V8 engine option. Moreover, it's one of only two such examples to be built for export, rather than the US market, making it extra rare and desirable.

On top of all that, this car spent 35 years of its life locked away in a storage unit, meaning it's highly original and largely unrestored. Classic-car collectors have been known to pay top dollar for untouched and unmodified "survivor" cars, contributing to this particular Cuda's sky-high pre-auction estimate of $500,000-$700,000.

Take a closer look at the car below, before it crosses the block at Mecum Auctions' 33rd Original Spring Classic on Friday, July 17.