Driving Chrysler's Dream Cars (1998)...
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Driving Chrysler's Dream Cars (1998)...
Found this old article from 1998, from Popular Mechanics...
Although we've been doing this a long time, we've never driven $4 million worth of cars in a single day until we were invited to drive all four of Chrysler Corp.'s 1998 concept vehicles, the Plymouth Pronto Spyder, the Jeep Jeepster, the Dodge Intrepid ESX-2, and the fabulous Chrysler Chronos luxury car of the future.
There was a time when these kinds of dream cars were made of wood and fiberglass and chicken wire, strictly for show, but now the industry demands that concept cars be fully functional, and all four of these cars certainly qualified.
We spent 3 hours driving, riding in, jumping in and out of, asking questions about, and photographing these four outstanding concept cars at the Chrysler Tech Center in Auburn Hills, Mich., and if they called us tomorrow, we'd go right back and do it all over again.
It ain't every day that you get to drive $4 million worth of world-class cars in the same day.
1998 Plymouth Pronto Spyder Concept:
Our first encounter was with the Plymouth Pronto Spyder, a car designed to be "an affordable Boxster," according to one Chrysler official.
It uses a body made entirely of recyclable PET plastic, impregnated with its silver color and without automotive paint's typical bright luster. It can be made about 80% cheaper than a steel body.
Powered by a transverse, rear mid-mounted 2.4-liter supercharged 225-hp engine as modern as tomorrow, the Pronto Spyder also uses a number of design elements that nod toward yesterday, including a tortoise-shell steering wheel rim with 12 narrow chrome spokes, a '30s-style instrument panel, and a gated shifter for the 5-speed transaxle that's reminiscent of a Ferrari.
1998 Jeep Jeepster Concept:
The Jeepster, a deliberate combination of Jeep and roadster values and attributes, is as radical a concept as Chrysler has come up with in the past few years–a high-riding 4-wheel-drive coupe with an open roof and a very aggressive look.
The Jeepster is powered by the company's new 4.7-liter sohc V8 engine, with a 4-speed automatic transmission and a viscous-coupled full-time all-wheel-drive system. What's more, the electronically controlled variable ride height suspension can be raised from its normal 5.75-in. ground clearance to 9.75 in. for off-road use, and the nose can be dropped down for highway use.
The gorgeous interior is aluminum-intensive and way, far out.
redriderbob
Although we've been doing this a long time, we've never driven $4 million worth of cars in a single day until we were invited to drive all four of Chrysler Corp.'s 1998 concept vehicles, the Plymouth Pronto Spyder, the Jeep Jeepster, the Dodge Intrepid ESX-2, and the fabulous Chrysler Chronos luxury car of the future.
There was a time when these kinds of dream cars were made of wood and fiberglass and chicken wire, strictly for show, but now the industry demands that concept cars be fully functional, and all four of these cars certainly qualified.
We spent 3 hours driving, riding in, jumping in and out of, asking questions about, and photographing these four outstanding concept cars at the Chrysler Tech Center in Auburn Hills, Mich., and if they called us tomorrow, we'd go right back and do it all over again.
It ain't every day that you get to drive $4 million worth of world-class cars in the same day.
1998 Plymouth Pronto Spyder Concept:
Our first encounter was with the Plymouth Pronto Spyder, a car designed to be "an affordable Boxster," according to one Chrysler official.
It uses a body made entirely of recyclable PET plastic, impregnated with its silver color and without automotive paint's typical bright luster. It can be made about 80% cheaper than a steel body.
Powered by a transverse, rear mid-mounted 2.4-liter supercharged 225-hp engine as modern as tomorrow, the Pronto Spyder also uses a number of design elements that nod toward yesterday, including a tortoise-shell steering wheel rim with 12 narrow chrome spokes, a '30s-style instrument panel, and a gated shifter for the 5-speed transaxle that's reminiscent of a Ferrari.
1998 Jeep Jeepster Concept:
The Jeepster, a deliberate combination of Jeep and roadster values and attributes, is as radical a concept as Chrysler has come up with in the past few years–a high-riding 4-wheel-drive coupe with an open roof and a very aggressive look.
The Jeepster is powered by the company's new 4.7-liter sohc V8 engine, with a 4-speed automatic transmission and a viscous-coupled full-time all-wheel-drive system. What's more, the electronically controlled variable ride height suspension can be raised from its normal 5.75-in. ground clearance to 9.75 in. for off-road use, and the nose can be dropped down for highway use.
The gorgeous interior is aluminum-intensive and way, far out.
redriderbob
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RE: Driving Chrysler's Dream Cars (1998)...
1998 Dodge Intrepid ESX2 Concept:
A mild hybrid or "mybrid" powertrain, an ultralight body construction and an absolutely arresting aerodynamic body shape are the three most interesting features of the Dodge Intrepid ESX-2 concept vehicle.
It uses a tiny 1.5-liter 3-cylinder diesel engine to run the car and a small 133-pound battery pack to run the accessories and assist the diesel engine during high-demand driving situations.
It's a 6-passenger sedan that has a drag coefficient of .20, has only eight body panels and weighs a mere 2400 pounds. It includes a removable dash-mounted mini-computer that can be used for navigation, news and information, games, Internet access, or homework, and then taken into the house or hotel room when the drive is over.
It uses an electronically controlled clutch and manual transmission that make acceleration a bit herky-jerky, but that problem will be solved in future versions.
1998 Chrysler Chronos Concept:
Our favorite among all these was the Chrysler Chronos, far closer to production-ready than the other three, and a beautiful expression of Chrysler's design philosophy that marries yesterday with tomorrow.
The Chronos has huge 20- and 21-in. wheels and tires with stationary winged hub covers, a 350-hp 6-liter sohc V10 engine made from sections of three 4.7-liter V8 engines, and modified Viper aluminum suspension components.
redriderbob
A mild hybrid or "mybrid" powertrain, an ultralight body construction and an absolutely arresting aerodynamic body shape are the three most interesting features of the Dodge Intrepid ESX-2 concept vehicle.
It uses a tiny 1.5-liter 3-cylinder diesel engine to run the car and a small 133-pound battery pack to run the accessories and assist the diesel engine during high-demand driving situations.
It's a 6-passenger sedan that has a drag coefficient of .20, has only eight body panels and weighs a mere 2400 pounds. It includes a removable dash-mounted mini-computer that can be used for navigation, news and information, games, Internet access, or homework, and then taken into the house or hotel room when the drive is over.
It uses an electronically controlled clutch and manual transmission that make acceleration a bit herky-jerky, but that problem will be solved in future versions.
1998 Chrysler Chronos Concept:
Our favorite among all these was the Chrysler Chronos, far closer to production-ready than the other three, and a beautiful expression of Chrysler's design philosophy that marries yesterday with tomorrow.
The Chronos has huge 20- and 21-in. wheels and tires with stationary winged hub covers, a 350-hp 6-liter sohc V10 engine made from sections of three 4.7-liter V8 engines, and modified Viper aluminum suspension components.
redriderbob