Plymouth Prowler

Plymouth Prowler at a glance

The Prowler is a front-engined, rear-wheel-drive roadster, hand-assembled at Chrysler's Conner Avenue plant in Detroit, with bodies produced in Shadyside, Ohio. Its design is credited to Chrysler design chief Tom Gale's team. The name means someone who roams or prowls. More Chrysler models are listed in our Chrysler catalogue.

History

According to published figures, the idea began in May 1990 at an "ideas fair" held at Chrysler's Pacifica design studio in California, where among the many proposals was a small 3-by-5-inch card with a sketch of a hot rod. In November of that year Chrysler president Bob Lutz, known for his adventurous approach, saw the drawing and backed it. The project was named Prowler the following year, approval for production followed, and the concept car was unveiled at the Detroit motor show in January 1993. Production versions arrived for 1997, and after a pause for 1998 the car returned for 1999 with a more powerful engine. Sold as a Plymouth until 2001 and as a Chrysler in 2001 and 2002, the Prowler was built in a total of 11,702 examples.

Exterior

The Prowler is hard to describe because it looks like nothing else on the road. At the front, oval halogen headlights flank a tall, narrow grille at the end of a long bonnet. In front of the wheels sit two plastic pods carrying the indicators, and the front wheels stand clear of the body with their own mudguards, exposing the suspension in true hot-rod fashion. The deep crease running along the side links the front wings to the strongly flared rear wheel arches, which stand out from the body. The mirrors are mounted on stalks, and there are side indicator repeaters.

Ground clearance is about 115 mm. The wheels are deliberately staggered: 17 × 7-inch wheels with 225/45 tyres at the front and much larger 20 × 10-inch wheels with 295/40 tyres at the rear, emphasising the hot-rod stance. At the rear, a rounded, raised boot lid sits between oval forms that house the narrow tail lights, and the rear bumper matches the front. Two large exhaust outlets exit below. Chrysler dealers also offered an optional trailer styled like the back of a Prowler, with its own 15-inch wheels, to make up for the car's tiny luggage space.

Interior

The cabin is as unconventional as the exterior. There are two seats with leather upholstery and limited side support, and space for the two occupants is reasonable. Getting in is not easy, however, because the doors open only to about 40 degrees. The driver faces a three-spoke steering wheel with five buttons and a single analogue rev counter mounted on the steering column; the other five analogue gauges are arranged in a row in the centre of the dashboard. A large vent sits at the top of the centre console, above a basic audio unit and a climate panel with three simple knobs. The tunnel carries a large gear selector with a thick chrome base, a single cupholder and a manual parking-brake lever. The boot is tiny - only about 50 litres.

Engine and transmission

The V6 has multi-point fuel injection and 24 valves; published figures give 346 Nm of torque for the later engine. Power goes to the rear wheels through a four-speed Autostick semi-automatic transmission mounted at the rear of the car rather than behind the engine, connected by a torque tube - a layout similar to that of the Chevrolet Corvette, which helps weight distribution. 0–60 mph takes just over 7 seconds, and published figures give a top speed of about 210 km/h. No manual gearbox was offered, a point some hot-rod purists criticised.

Chassis

The Prowler made extensive use of aluminium, much of it adhesively bonded, especially in the chassis - an advanced approach for the time that kept kerb weight to about 1,270 kg. Power steering is hydraulically assisted, the independent suspension uses multiple links at each corner, and all four wheels have disc brakes.

On the road the Prowler is happiest on smooth, straight roads. Despite repeated revisions to the suspension, dampers and arms, even late cars do not ride smoothly: the suspension feels nervous, harsh and rather stiff, and uneven roads are uncomfortable. The low ground clearance means routes need to be planned with care.

Key specifications

Strengths and weaknesses

The Prowler's strengths are its unique look, which makes it a rare sight even today, a lightweight aluminium structure, a well-balanced rear-transaxle layout and good performance for its era. Its weaknesses are a tiny boot, awkward entry through narrow-opening doors, a harsh ride, low ground clearance and the absence of a manual gearbox or V8. The Prowler is bought to stand out rather than for practicality or racing.