The Plymouth Prowler, later known as the Chrysler Prowler, is a retro-style production car that was both manufactured and marketed by Daimler Chrysler, commonly referred to as Mercedes, and a German multinational automotive business that is headquartered in Stuttgart.
The car was marketed from 1997-2002 and was based on the 1993 concept car featuring the same name. This concept car was meant to showcase the new styling and technology featured on the Prowler, used at motor shows to gauge the customer and consumer reaction to new and different designs and features.
The Prowler was a single generation vehicle, offered in front-engine, rear-drive, rear-transmission set up, coming in with an overall production number of 11,702 units. Need a visual? Just check out this custom 2002 Chrysler Prowler for sale. The unique features and style make it an innovative and personalized car in the world, and the American production made it an American-made hot rod - unlike these "American" cars that aren't actually made in the US.
Let's dive a little deeper into the specs of the Prowler and why the world needs more hot rods like this one...
Design
You can tell just by looking at this car that the engineers involved in the creation and production were given completely free reign. The car is a quintessential "hot rod", featuring the classic and American design that was designed for speed.
The international director, Thomas Gale, claimed that his love for old hot rods inspired the retro style of the Prowler, taking design cues and inspiration from the 1930s.
Unique Features
One of the most unique features of this vehicle was the open, Indy racer-style front wheels, reminiscent of a race track instead of a driveway or city road. The Prowler also featured a powertrain that was used in Chrysler's LH-cars, with the LH being the platform for the Concorde, LHS, 300M, Dodge Intrepid, Eagle Vision, and the Chrysler New Yorker.
The Prowler also included a 3.5-liter Chrysler SOHC V6 engine that could produce upwards of 214 horsepower at 5850 rpm, showcasing the speed and acceleration of the retro car.
Even with another engine option, both engines were combined with a four-speed semi-automatic transmission that was located at the rear of the vehicle, giving the engine the ability to attain a desirable 50-50 weight distribution.
Even though this car only had a V6 engine, the power was unmatched. It had a horsepower rating similar to that of the company's Magnum V8s, showing why this Prowler was among the best of the time due to its power and lightweight acceleration.
Features
Even with race-like speed and acceleration, this Prowler also had features that were useful and functional for everyday driving, making this the perfect hot rod to be sold on the market.
The Prowler contained keyless entry, power windows, power door locks, dual airbags, leather trim bucket seats, AM/FM stereo, high-fidelity sound system, leather steering wheel, color-keyed instrument panel, digital odometer, and speed-sensitive volume control.
Impact On The Public & Culture
The former Chrysler president noted that they wanted to change people's perception of Chrysler. Instead of just being a boring company with one-trick cars, they wanted to be known as an innovative company that produced customizable cars and unique vehicles.
They noticed that they had changed the people's perception of Chrysler with the Viper, which had a positive effect on the public, showing they could do something that no other American company had done.
They wanted to continue this innovative process and started designing and sketching hot rods that could be also reminiscent of an open-wheel roadster.
Finally, the concept car debuted in 1993, and it was a huge hit at the Detroit Show. Auto Week even named the Prowler the "Most Fun in Show." The positive reviews and the critical acclaim of this car showed that this was exactly what America was wanting - and what they didn't know they needed.
With this kind of public acceptance and love for the concept car, why wouldn't it be popular if it was brought back? After all, it was America's only hot rod and could give a sense of patriotism and pride in the country's cars and companies.
The goal of the Prowler was to achieve a certain look - and boy, did they succeed. The Chrysler members wanted to make it a testing bed for lightweight materials, while still keeping it high-performing and throttle response.
They were able to create the perfect combination of an impact-resistant aluminum frame, triangular front end, and a powerful V6 engine into one vehicle that took the world and the nation by storm. Cue the American-made, popular, innovative, and stylish hot-rod: The Plymouth Prowler.