2002 Chrysler Prowler

Given the Prowler's aluminum-intensive construction, the car is commendably light at 2,838 pounds. This lightness coupled with the capable V-6 makes for 0-60 mph acceleration in a bit over six seconds. In the quarter mile, the Prowler can hit 90 mph in less than 15 seconds. The Prowler makes all the right noises, with an urgent snarl emanating from the jutting exhaust stubs. Firm transmission shift logic contributes to the adventure by delivering a solid surge with each gear change. Add the whipping wind and 90 mph might as well be a million.


The chassis keeps up its end of the deal with secure and predictable handling fostered by the formidable grip of those four big Goodyears. In sharp transient maneuvers, the Prowler is easy to control, and in a test-track slalom, it's actually capable of beating a Chevrolet Corvette by a slim margin. The Prowler's limber chassis and stiff suspension don't like bumps and pavement irregularities, so the fun of aggressive driving is dampened on rough pavement. And with your butt sitting almost back at the rear axle, the ride is none too cushy. Modern technology like anti-lock brakes, stability control and traction control don't mesh with the Prowler's Main Street mission, so a full-on performance car it's not.


The Prowler is truly in its element rolling past the A&W on Saturday night or cruising the coast on a Sunday afternoon. Wriggle in through the narrow door openings and settle into the driver's bucket seat. You sink deep in the interior, your head just peeking over the car's dramatic high beltline. The unique center-mounted instrument array and small tachometer mounted just above the steering wheel look convincingly custom, to the point that a gullible passenger might believe you built the car yourself. With the cloth top down, the wind whips around you playfully behind the abbreviated windshield and splashes the sound of the 7-speaker 320-watt Infinity audio system overboard. If roadside spectators somehow don't see you coming, they'll certainly hear you.

Prowler's interior looks custom-built from one of Southern California's best hot-rod shops. Gizmos include a 320-watt AM/FM/cassette/6-CD changer sound system with speed-sensitive volume control and seven Infinity speakers.

Striking style and buckets of personality don't come without compromise. As you would imagine, there are a number of homegrown aspects to the world's only production street rod. With the manually operated soft top up, visibility to the rear is significantly limited, and the unlined top lets road and wind noise into the snug interior. Raise the rear-hinged trunk lid and there's room to stow the top but not a lot else. Just 1.8-cubic feet of space remains—maybe enough for a small duffel bag. Chrysler's solution for traveling Prowler owners: a matching trailer that will swallow up more than enough gear for long trips. But there's no fix for the small 12.2-gallon fuel tank and limited range of just over 200 miles. Hey, by then you'll probably want to take a break and chat with the locals anyway.


The social aspect of travel by Prowler is ultimately one of the most worthwhile reasons to drop so much cash on a car as resolutely impractical as this new-age street rod. Low-profile? Not the Prowler. Would any of the 7,500 Prowler owners want it any other way? Probably not.