Chrysler's interior design guys have done quite a good job in mixing
the modern and the classic, using a host of pieces and elements borrowed
from other car lines that work so well together you'd never know they weren't
made specifically for the Prowler.
Prowler's cozy confines (only 38 inches of headroom with the top up,
but who's going to drive with the top up?) offer leather bucket seats,
a center console/armrest incorporating the shift lever and a single cupholder.
The unusual instrument panel epitomizes the designers' masterful blend
of then and now. The tiny tachometer, an aftermarket item made by AutoMeter,
is mounted on the steering column, where it belongs in a hot rod, and the
rest of the instruments are mounted in a body-colored panel with the speedometer
at the center and four minor gauges flanking it, all five set in deep recesses
for a very interesting effect.
Climate and audio controls are mounted below the instruments, and the
Prowler's standard gear includes modern stuff like power windows, mirrors,
and locks, air conditioning, AM/FM/cassette sound system with six-disc
CD changer, cruise control, and dual airbags. There are no options available,
and the initial batch comes in any color you want--as long as it's purple.
The Prowler has only one powertrain combination, the 3.5-liter Chrysler
V6 engine and a four-speed automatic transmission with the AutoStick automatic,
which allows manual shifting or full automatic operation. And, while it
produces more than adequate performance for a weekends-only car, it doesn't
quite measure up to the promise of those enormous rear tires.
The classic hot rod setup was a lightweight '30s coupe or roadster allied
with a big-inch '50s V8, a combo that produced tire-shredding power and
a wonderful exhaust rumble. With 214 horsepower, an automatic transmission
and a tall rear-end ratio, the Prowler doesn't do any of that.
We were also a little disappointed with its underhood appearance. American
hot rod tradition says your engine has to look as good as it sounds and
performs. For the price, there should be a chromed air cleaner box and
chromed cam covers at the very least, but there is not a lick of dress-up
under the hood. It is as dark as a slumlord's heart, with no eye appeal
whatsoever.
A contemporary touch that makes sense is the transmission location.
Rear-mounted to maximize foot and leg room and improve weight distribution,
it's connected by an aluminum driveshaft.
Prowler's suspension system is unique for an American passenger car.
It's a racing-style double wishbone design, with upper and lower control
arms and coil springs, but the coil spring is mounted inside the nose,
operated by a rocker arm, very much like an open-wheeled racing car, to
give the exposed front suspension a very clean appearance. The rear suspension
uses a coil-over shock unit on each side with a single lower control arm
and three-bar link on the top side, the differential being solidly mounted,
using halfshafts to drive the wheels.
The outrageous tires and wheels were chosen as much for appearance as
function. Chrysler chose P225/45R-17 fronts, which are very large for steering
tires, and the rears are even bigger--P295/40R on huge 10x20-in. aluminum
alloy wheels. The tires are Goodyear Extended Mobility Tires, which can
run flat, and the system includes a low pressure sensor with a dashboard
readout. Not only do these tires give the Prowler an enormous footprint
and an aggressive stance, they also eliminate the spare and a jack.
Driving the Prowler makes you the center of attention wherever you go,
and almost automatically puts a smile on your face. The V6 doesn't make
V8 noises, but it will propel the Prowler from rest to 60 mph in a taste
over seven seconds, which is good performance by today's standards. The
AutoStick transmission will hold the selected gear until the rev limiter
hits the 6350-rpm limit, and when the transaxle shifts, it shifts hard,
consistent with hot rod performance.
Although there's flex in this chassis, the Prowler handles better than
any hot rod ever built. With its short wheelbase, ground-hugging stance
and those monster tires, plus quick rack-and-pinion power steering, the
purple projectile changes direction more like a Porsche than a Plymouth.
The suspension irons out minor irritants very well, but over more serious
bumps and potholes it's overwhelmed and the chassis gets a lot of the load,
which means the occupants really feel it. The all-disc braking system is
easy to modulate, very direct and very powerful, inspiring a great deal
of confidence on back roads. ABS isn't offered, but it would take very
bad conditions to overpower the grip of the huge tires.