Plymouth Prowler
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The Plymouth Prowler, later the Chrysler Prowler, is a two-door, two passenger sports car, manufactured and marketed by
DaimlerChrysler Mercedes-Benz Group AG (formerly Daimler-Benz, DaimlerChrysler, and Daimler) is a German multinational automotive company headquartered in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is one of the world's leading car manufacturers. Daimler-B ...
for model years 1997-2002 — widely known for it's hand-crafted aluminum bodywork and its
retro Retro style is imitative or consciously derivative of lifestyles, trends, or art forms from the past, including in music, modes, fashions, or attitudes. It has been argued that there is a nostalgia cycle in popular culture. Definition The term ...
-
hot rod Hot rods are typically American cars that might be old, classic, or modern and that have been rebuilt or modified with large engines optimized for speed and acceleration. One definition is: "a car that's been stripped down, souped up and ma ...
styling with open, Indy racer-style front wheels. Based on the 1993
concept car A concept car (also known as a concept vehicle or show vehicle) is a car made to showcase new styling or new technology. Concept cars are often exhibited at motor shows to gauge customer reaction to new and radical designs which may or may not ...
of the same name, Chrysler offered the Prowler over a single generation, with a V6 front-engine, and a rear-
transaxle A transaxle is single mechanical device which combines the functions of an automobile's transmission (mechanics), transmission, axle, and differential (mechanics), differential into one integrated assembly. It can be produced in both manual tra ...
, rear-drive configuration — reaching a total production of 11,702 units.


Design

Chrysler's design and international director Thomas C. Gale said his "love for 1930s-era hot rods" inspired the Prowler." Gale, who has a hotted up 1932 Ford in his garage, approved the hotrod-inspired Plymouth Prowler as the company's follow-up show-stopper to the
Dodge Viper The Dodge Viper is a sports car that was manufactured by Dodge (by Street & Racing Technology, SRT for 2013 and 2014), a division of American car manufacturer Chrysler from 1992 until 2017, having taken a brief hiatus in 2007 and from 2011 to 20 ...
. Another important early influence is credited to a Chrysler-sponsored project at the
Art Center College of Design The ArtCenter College of Design is a private art college in Pasadena, California. It was incorporated in 1930 as a degree-granting institution of higher learning in the US created specifically for students of both the visual arts and design. ...
, resulting in a thesis project by Douglas "Chip" Foose, which included drawings of a retro-roadster. Foose "designed it as a coupe for Chrysler to begin with but modified it to a roadster version." The Prowler used a
powertrain In a motor vehicle, the powertrain comprises the main components that generate engine power, power and deliver that power to the road surface, water, or air. This includes the internal combustion engine, engine, transmission (mechanics), trans ...
from Chrysler's LH-cars, a 24-valve, 3.5 L Chrysler SOHC V6 engine producing at 5850 rpm. For model year 1999, the engine was replaced with a more powerful, aluminum block, at 6400 rpm version of the engine. The engines were coupled to a four-speed Autostick
semi-automatic transmission A semi-automatic transmission is a multiple-speed Transmission (mechanics), transmission where part of its operation is Automation, automated (typically the actuation of the clutch), but the driver's input is still required to launch the vehicle f ...
at the rear of the vehicle. Power to the
transaxle A transaxle is single mechanical device which combines the functions of an automobile's transmission (mechanics), transmission, axle, and differential (mechanics), differential into one integrated assembly. It can be produced in both manual tra ...
from the engine was via an open tube-type
drive shaft A drive shaft, driveshaft, driving shaft, tailshaft (Australian English), propeller shaft (prop shaft), or Cardan shaft (after Girolamo Cardano) is a component for transmitting mechanical power (physics), power, torque, and rotation, usually ...
that rotated at engine speedl, marketed as a "torque tube" though it was not a stationary enclosure, as with the drive shaft within a rigid torque tube connecting a front engine and rear-mounted transaxles of the C5 Corvette, Porsche 944, and
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. Placement of the transmission in the rear helped achieve the Prowler's desirable 50-50 front-rear weight distribution. The Prowler was the first
rear-wheel drive Rear-wheel drive (RWD) is a form of engine and transmission layout used in motor vehicles, in which the engine drives the rear wheels only. Until the late 20th century, rear-wheel drive was the most common configuration for cars. Most rear-whee ...
Plymouth since the 1989
Plymouth Gran Fury The Plymouth Gran Fury is a full-sized automobile that was manufactured by Plymouth (automobile), Plymouth from 1975 to 1989. The nameplate would be used on successive Downsize (automobile), downsizings, first in 1980, and again in 1982, through ...
and became the last Plymouth model with the layout. While criticized for having its V6 engine, Chrysler's High Output 3.5  L had a horsepower rating similar to (or higher than) the company's Magnum V8s of that era. While not making nearly as much torque as a V8, the Prowler's light weight helped to achieve rapid off-the-line acceleration. The car prominently featured
aluminum Aluminium (or aluminum in North American English) is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol Al and atomic number 13. It has a density lower than that of other common metals, about one-third that of steel. Aluminium has ...
construction, which, in many cases, was adhesively bonded, chiefly in the
chassis A chassis (, ; plural ''chassis'' from French châssis ) is the load-bearing framework of a manufactured object, which structurally supports the object in its construction and function. An example of a chassis is a vehicle frame, the underpart ...
. The body was produced in Shadyside, Ohio, and the car was assembled by hand at the Conner Avenue Assembly Plant (CAAP) in
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.


Features

Unlike the
Dodge Viper The Dodge Viper is a sports car that was manufactured by Dodge (by Street & Racing Technology, SRT for 2013 and 2014), a division of American car manufacturer Chrysler from 1992 until 2017, having taken a brief hiatus in 2007 and from 2011 to 20 ...
, the Prowler was equipped with many features that allowed it to be used as a daily driver. These features included keyless entry, power windows, and door locks, dual airbags, leather-trimmed bucket seats,
air conditioning Air conditioning, often abbreviated as A/C (US) or air con (UK), is the process of removing heat from an enclosed space to achieve a more comfortable interior temperature, and in some cases, also controlling the humidity of internal air. Air c ...
with manual controls, a high-fidelity sound system with AM/FM stereo and cassette player (a multi-disc CD changer was an available option), a leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio system controls mounted on the rear of the wheel, a color-keyed instrument panel bezel painted to match the exterior color of the Prowler (a similar feature found on the Chrysler PT Cruiser, which was also originally intended to be sold as a
Plymouth Plymouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Devon, South West England. It is located on Devon's south coast between the rivers River Plym, Plym and River Tamar, Tamar, about southwest of Exeter and ...
), digital odometer and full instrumentation, and, on later models, a speed-sensitive volume control activated via a switch mounted on the Prowler's instrument panel.


Performance

*1997 model **0-60 mph (0–97 km/h): 7.2 seconds **Top speed: electronically limited *1999–2002 model **0-60 mph (0–97 km/h): 5.9 seconds **Top speed: electronically limited


Production

The Plymouth Prowler was produced for 1997 and then for the 1999 and 2000 model years. After the Plymouth
brand A brand is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that distinguishes one seller's goods or service from those of other sellers. Brands are used in business, marketing, and advertising for recognition and, importantly, to create and ...
was discontinued in 2001, the Prowler was marketed as a
Chrysler FCA US, LLC, Trade name, doing business as Stellantis North America and known historically as Chrysler ( ), is one of the "Big Three (automobile manufacturers), Big Three" automobile manufacturers in the United States, headquartered in Auburn H ...
Prowler for the 2001 and 2002 model years. However, DaimlerChrysler continued to market the Prowler as a Plymouth in Canada for the 2000 model year; the Prowler was the last Plymouth sold in Canada. The last Prowler was built on February 15, 2002, and the model niche was later filled by the Chrysler Crossfire in 2004.


Colors

Across the two production runs, the Prowler was available in 12 colors. * Prowler purple metallic (only color available in 1997) * Prowler yellow clear coat * Prowler black clearcoat * Prowler red clearcoat * Prowler bright silver metallic * Woodward Edition (two-tone black/red) * Black Tie Edition (two-tone black/silver) * Prowler orange pearl coat * Midnight blue pearl coat – Mulholland Edition * Inca gold pearl coat * Deep candy red pearl coat * High voltage blue pearl coat – Conner Avenue Edition (only one produced, auctioned at
Christie's Christie's is a British auction house founded in 1766 by James Christie (auctioneer), James Christie. Its main premises are on King Street, St James's in London, and it has additional salerooms in New York, Paris, Hong Kong, Milan, Geneva, Shan ...
)


Other features

*Wheels front: 17" × 7" *Wheels rear: 20" × 10" *Tires front: 225/45 HR17 *Tires rear: 295/40 HR20 *Brakes front/rear: composite 11" vented disc / 13" vented disc *Towing capacity: 1,000 lbs (braked trailer)


Pricing

The original manufacturer's
suggested retail price The list price, also known as the manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP), or the recommended retail price (RRP), or the suggested retail price (SRP) of a product is the price at which its manufacturer notionally recommends that a retailer ...
(in US$) for each model year for the Prowler: * 1997 – $38,300 * 1999 – $39,300 * 2000 – $43,000 * 2001 – $44,225 * 2002 – $44,625 Due to limited trunk space, a $5,000 Prowler trailer option was available from Chrysler dealers. These trailers resembled the back end of a Prowler and had 15-inch versions of the five-spoke wheels found on the car. They could be ordered to match a car's factory color. The vehicles were equipped with a trailer hitch to accommodate the trailer option; however, a warning was affixed to the hitch indicating that it was not to be used to tow any other trailer, such as for a boat, camper, etc. Doing so would void the factory warranty.


Legacy

In 1998, a Plymouth Prowler was sealed in a
mausoleum A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the burial chamber of a deceased person or people. A mausoleum without the person's remains is called a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type o ...
as a
time capsule A time capsule is a historic treasure trove, cache of goods or information, usually intended as a deliberate method of communication with future people, and to help future archaeologists, anthropologists, or historians. The preservation of holy ...
in
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. While similar in concept to the buried 1957 Plymouth Belvedere that had been buried below-ground near the courthouse and was heavily damaged by the failure of its vault, the Prowler was sealed in Centennial Park in an above-ground vault and sealed within a plastic box instead of plastic sheets that covered the Belvedere. Experts believe the Prowler has a better chance of surviving when the time capsule is opened in 2048 and it is returned to Chrysler. In 1999, Chrysler unveiled the Plymouth Howler concept at the
Specialty Equipment Market Association Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) of the automotive aftermarket was formed in 1963 by Paul Schiefer, Roy Richter, Ed Iskenderian, Els Lohn, Willie Garner, Bob Hedman, Robert E. Wyman, John Bartlett, Phil Weiand Jr, Al Segal, Dean Moo ...
's annual car show in Las Vegas, Nevada. Inspired by hot rod trucks and based on the Prowler, the Howler featured a small, truck-like bed with a tailgate and hard
tonneau A tonneau ( or ) is an area of a car, truck, or boat open at the top. It can be for passengers or cargo. When applied to trucks it refers to their ''bed'' (American English) or ''tray'' (British English). Origin of term A tonneau was orig ...
cover. Under the hood, an adapted version of
Jeep Jeep is an American automobile brand, now owned by multi-national corporation Stellantis. Jeep has been part of Chrysler since 1987, when Chrysler acquired the Jeep brand, along with other assets, from its previous owner, American Motors Co ...
's new 4.7 L PowerTech V8 engine replaced the production model's 3.5 L V6. A
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five-speed manual replaced the production four-speed automatic. Chrysler Corporation hosted a tenth-anniversary celebration on August 16, 2007, at the Walter P. Chrysler Museum in Auburn Hills, Michigan, to commemorate the production of the Plymouth Prowler in 1997.


References


External links

* * {{Chrysler timeline Prowler Prowler Rear-wheel-drive vehicles Cars introduced in 1997 Sports cars Roadsters 2000s cars Retro-style automobiles