Just as it was quickly fading into irrelevance in the late ‘90s, Chrysler surprised the automotive crowd by announcing what sounded like a classical hot rod for the modern times. The Prowler looked suitably weird and promised sporty performance, but never delivered on that promise. A quarter of a century later, a Wisconsin tuner finally fixed it.
When it debuted in 1997, the tapered roofless ride brought along a lackluster V6 engine with 220 PS (217 hp / 162 kW). You could find the same cylinder block in tame sedans like the Chrysler Concorde. It needed a full seven seconds to get from zero to 96.6 km/h (60 miles per hour) and took its sweet time through the quarter-mile, finishing in no less than 16 seconds. No wonder it was branded a clumsy and anachronistic vehicle.
The automaker realized the mistake two years later, relaunching the Prowler with a semi-decent 257-PS (253-hp / 189-kW) engine, but it was a case of “too little, too late”. The model faded into obscurity.
Fast-forward to the present day, and Michels Auto Design finally did with the Prowler what the manufacturer couldn’t. They swapped it to a 5.0-liter Hellcat V8 rated at 717 PS (707 hp / 527 kW). The sprint times weren’t measured, but with the whole car weighing barely more than 1.3 metric tons (2,850 lbs), it should be a rocket.
The six-speed manual transmission and RWD system stayed stock, but the suspension was overhauled with a per-wheel arrangement in the back and CV axles at both ends. The tuner also installed as many as 11 cooling fans to keep the powertrain from overheating. The stock air conditioner is still running, and the trunk is much more practical now that the rear end has been elongated (tiny trunk was another popular gripe with the Prowler).
You will find the car on the Michels Auto Design official website listed as the Sinister.
