It’s difficult to believe it has been 20 years since the Plymouth Prowler was first built. At the same time, the Plymouth epoch was also ending as consolidations swept the automobile industry, and this was actually from the very last year of the brand’s production. Now showing 17,235 miles, this car was one of 1,281 produced in blue. Designer Thomas Gale later noted that the impetus behind the original Prowler concept were the 1930s-era Street Rods, and that the manufacturer was even willing to take the popularly received, though unconventional, two-seat design into actual production is amazing today. With the car created as an overall package, balance and performance were a must, and in this Gen III Hemi era, a special, high-output 3.5L DOHC V-6 engine package was chosen. Since the front fenders were actually separate from the body and floating over the outboard front wheels, engine architecture was crucial. An automatic transmission was behind it. Undercarriage challenges were met by using an independent front suspension with unequal-length control arms, a 4-link rear suspension with lower control arm, power rack-and-pinion steering and power antilock brakes. The idea of luxury was part of the interior equipment, and this car came with beautifully thick upholstery, a center console with floor-mounted shifter, air conditioning, power windows and locks, an AM/FM/CD stereo outfit and cruise control. The large, chromed, 5-spoke wheels were offset, 17-inch front and 20-inch rear, for a raked look of power, wearing thin-profile radial tires. The crowning touch here is the addition of a custom, color-matched trailer, greatly increasing the usable cargo space and included in this sale. Even when new, Prowlers were never commonplace, as the price point was to make them enjoyable but semi-exclusive. The final year of production would come in 2002, when it was branded under Chrysler’s nameplate. This final-year Plymouth example with matched trailer is pristine in many ways, and it’s still a package to be treasured and enjoyed.
