The Prowler: Why I Want One

by Wallace Wyss –

I want one. Now originally I was a critic, like why build a car that looks like a hot rod and yet has a V6 under the hood. Most respecting hot rods of this stripe (’32 Ford roadster lookalike) have V8s, usually Chevys.

The Prowler came with front and rear bumpers but Chrysler designed it so that the bumpers could be removed,as they are on this car.

The reason is I went to a Cars ‘n Coffee type show in San Bernardino and out of 100 or so cars the silver Prowler stood out. The Prowler is credited to Bob Lutz approving it. He is a car executive who actually likes collectors cars. He knew that Chrysler was dependent on K-cars and minivans, and here was a chance to rebuild the firm’s image.

He had backed, in 1989, the Dodge Viper concept. That was a hairy car to drive, almost as uncontrollable as a 427 Cobra. The Prowler was much more tame.

The originals are a little fuzzy. An intern made some drawings, a high management guy made a more refined hot rod, and Lutz saw it. Boom, he had wanted to experiment with an alloy body and die cast frame. Why not whack it out?

Photo credit: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

First shown as a concept in 1996 it came to market in 1998 weirdly they were all the same color at first, Plymouth Prowlers were the first model Prowler Purple. The next year a Prowler Yellow, Prowler Black, and Prowler Red were added.

A crying shame was the fact it had to come with a big fat black bumper. Fortunately you could remove it. The fuel tank is so small you have to fill it daily. The trunk is so small you can’t take a weekend trip. But someone came up with a factory-optional “tow-behind” trailer.

The lack of a hot rod V8 doomed it from the enthusiast standpoint but wait a minute–it was at a enthusiast car show and it was the most appealing car there to me. And ironically it’s because they never went way up in price. They are around $29,000 used which is close to what they were new. So here’s a collector car that’s visually very exciting but not going to make you money but you can have fun with it.

It is rare but not really rare like only hundreds. With 17,000 made it’s more numerous say than the DeTomaso Pantera. Even losing its parent, Plymouth, didn’t stall it, it was just name changed to Chrysler.

Photo credit: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

Why do I want it, because I figured I will modify whatever hobby car I buy and it would cost tens of thousands to make a Camaro say, look other than its base as a Camaro. But this Prowler shape–if you built it from scratch in aluminum, would cost $100,000 and up. So you’re getting a more hand built, car at a price less than a new Camaro.

And it has modern stuff like automatic transmission and air conditioning. I have heard they might be expensive to insure, haven’t checked that out yet. But I’m just saying of all the cars at the car show it was more appealing. So now I like it and see that Bob Lutz was on the right track.

I think I’ll put that material you tape on the car and change it to chrome. It needs a little more glitz…right?

Let us know what you think in the Comments.

THE AUTHOR Wallace Wyss is a fine artist depicting many of Europe’s greats. You can reach him at malibucarart@gmail.com

 
 
 
 
 
 

Photo credit: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

Summary

Article Name

The Prowler: Why I Want One

Description

First shown as a concept in 1996 the Plymouth Prowler came to market in 1998.

Author

Wallace Wyss