Plymouth Prowler - The Prowler Story

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The Prowler Story

1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998
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1990

   May 1990
   The words "hot rod-style retro car" appear on a 3x5
   card in a free association excercise called "Idea Fair"
   at Chrysler's Pacifica Design Center in Carlsbad,
   California. 

   June 1990
   In discussions led by Pacifica chief Tom Tremont,
   decisions are made about which of the 250 ideas are
   realistic, and which concepts hold the most promise for
   the future. The retro-style hot rod makes the cut as a
   1/4 scale model in a paste-up diorama. 

   November 1990
   Top brass from back east visit. Then Chrysler President
   Bob Lutz sees a sketch of the retro rod on design
   manager Kevin Verduyn's office wall. He likes it,
   consuls "more attitude." 

   Bob Lutz brings a wide range of industry experience to
   his duties - as well as a passion for brawny
   performance related to Chrysler's rich heritage. He
   owns a '55 300, and a Hemi-powered Cunningham
   C-3. His support was pivotal to Prowler.

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1991 November 1991 Pacifica's Tremont begins referring to the retro rod as "Prowler." December 1991 Now-Executive VP Tom Gale, then director of styling for all of Chrysler, is at first bothered by the idea of "retro." "Great design is timeless," he soon reasons, "and becomes contemporary with modern surfaces, materials, engineering and the techniques of innovative manufacturing." (Gale's own Chrysler-powered '33 highboy is shown at the '97 Oakland Roadster Show.)

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1992 June 1992 As a full-size clay model evolves, it is felt that an "A" line should be added for interest and texture along the top of the Prowler. The rear is "bobbed" by Tim Anness, a Chrysler designer "on rotation" at Pacifica. July 1992 Approval for Prowler to become a concept car is signalled; its public debut is scheduled for the 1993 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, six months away. October 1992 No greater sacrifice. Gale surrenders a "one-yard deep" purple paint he'd been eying for his own roadster. In production it becomes a full-body, color-keyed surface. The antichip primer's purple, too; so even if you chip it you'll see purple.

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1994 January 1994 Prowler returns for a second appearance at the Detroit International Auto Show. It's the same concept car as the year before. It receives the same overwhelming universal enthusiastic response. April 1994 Engineering starts the build (from scratch) of Prowler 1. Many sheets of aluminum begin to be bent in Chrysler's metal shop, and power train people cobble together components in cramped quarters. Importantly, a philosophy of working in partnership with suppliers begins to be codified by Executive VP of Procurement Tom Stallkamp. It is to play a large role in Prowler's development, and of itself is recognized as another of Chrysler's most significant programs of the '90s. A separate facility is established to pull together Chrysler workers and six competing interior suppliers to function as a single cohesive group led by Chrysler Engineering. It's a whole new way of working together. May 1994 Prowler fully reflects Chrysler's Extended Enterprise concept. Alcoa, Alumax, and Duralcon begin Tiers One, Two and Three supplier roles in metallurgy to providers of structures, processes, and parts for Prowler's assembly. July 1994 With pointed commentary from rodders who are seeing Prowler in magazines and at shows, no focus groups or formal marketing research will ever be conducted during the car's evolution. The group expected to be Prowler's severest critic becomes instead its strongest booster - and Dutch uncle. August 1994 Chairman Bob Eaton, Executive VP of Vehicle Engineering Francois Castaing, and Lutz, along with other top execs, take their first drives in a Prowler at the Chelsea, Michigan Proving Grounds. There are smiles and everybody's talking at the same time. September 1994 It's a green flag. It's on! Stamped approval. Though the public announcement won't be made until the 1996 Detroit Show, the automotive underground burbles in anticipation, and the grins are contagious. December 1994 Well into Phase Two of Production Approval - vehicle and process engineering, and the establishment of cost targets - the Platform Team has already cleared its first hurdle, resolution of all functional objectives, including everything from Safety to Performance to Emissions.

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1995 February 1995 Prowler is a hit at the Detroit Autorama, arguably one of the three most prestigious hot rod shows yearly, the others being the hallowed Oakland Roadster Show, and the exclusive jewel box sponsored by the L.A. Roadsters car club. March 1995 Prowler 2 begins rolling evaluations at Mesa, Arizona Proving Grounds. April 1995 Development continues as a strange hybrid still perambulates the Chelsea Proving Grounds. It's called "Prangler," and it combines the frame, running gear, and power train of the Prowler reduced to near invisibility by the camouflage of a "channeled" Jeep Wrangler's body. May 1995 The Conner Avenue Assembly plant is named as "skunkworks" for Chrysler's niche market vehicles. If given the go-ahead, Prowler will be bolted together here, alongside Viper RT/10 Roadster and Viper GTS Coupe. June 1995 First extended over-the-highway road test takes Prowler from Arizona to Colorado and back, climbing Pikes Peak, and up to 14,260 feet at Mount Evans, finally traversing Death Valley. No boil overs, short circuits, lost tempers.

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1996 January 1996 Eaton and Lutz, in a trailer-towing production-approved Prowler, cruise onstage to a fourth consecutive Detroit show. They're wearing Jake and Elwood shades, and they deliver plenty of attitude as the Chairman says, "it's for real; and you either get it or you don't." February 1996 Second extended cruise across America from Auburn Hills, Michigan, to Phoenix, takes in 2,150 miles. April 1996 Road Trip to Parkersburg, West Virginia, is the first time there are two Prowlers to stop traffic on the interstates. May 1996 Prowler runs with the very best in HOT ROD magazine's "Power Tour," which crosses the country to a dragstrip in Norwalk, Ohio from the Peterson Automotive Musuem in L.A. It shares the road with Boyd Coddington's '96 Oakland Roadster Show-winning Deuce - and '96 car of the year. Dan Jacob's chopped '39 coupe, driven by builder Tony Trepanier. June 1996 Trailer-towing marathon takes in 5,000 miles, covering Detroit, Chicago, New Orleans, Texas, Colorado, Arizona. July 1996 First "P zero" of 18 hand-built Prowlers at Conner Avenue is completed. The excercise is part of the assembly line shakedown, and parts approval process. August 1996 Two near-to-production prototypes are used by various enthusiast magazines for initial driving impressions. Prowler runs with a thousand rods in Detroit's famous annual "Dream Cruise" on Woodward. Marty Levine, who ramrodded the intros of two Vipers, is named General Manager of Chrysler-Plymouth, succeeding Ray Fisher, who with predecessor Steve Torok fiercely protected both Prowler and Plymouth. Levine is a no-nonsense up-from-the-ranks car guy who rides on HOT ROD magazine "Power Tours" and spends 12-hour days on Woodward Avenue for the "Dream Cruise."

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1997 January 1997 Prowler joins the ranks of production cars, however limited, as new Chrysler concept cars are introduced at Detroit's North American International Auto Show. Prowler still draws the crowds, however, and some spectators still can't believe it's going to be available at selected Chrysler-Plymouth dealerships nationally. March 1997 The last of 16 "pilot line" (C1) Prowlers is completed, and the assembly process receives final approval. Targeted production rate is set for 20 Prowlers per day in one eight-hour shift. June 1997 The extended development "family" gathers at the Conner Avenue Assembly Plant to mark production of the first volume (V1) Prowler.

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1998 January 1998 The evolutionary Prowler debuts at the Los Angeles show, with an all-aluminum 3.5-liter 24-valve V6 that produces 253 horsepower. There'll be a gleaming new available color with an old hot rod flavor - Prowler Yellow.

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