1997 Plymouth Prowler Passionately purple. By Jim McCraw, New Car Test Drive .com

Plymouth's Prowler is the first factory-built

hot rod in history, a vehicle that simply has no direct competition because

it is unique. It's built in the same Conner Avenue factory in Detroit as

the Dodge Viper, and will only be available to about 3000 customers in

1997, so there probably won't be another one in your neighborhood--unless

you live in Beverly Hills or Miami Beach.

While the Prowler is significant to Chrysler Corporation's design reputation

for its attention-getting index--which is off the charts--it is also important

to Chrysler's technical reputation for its extensive use of aluminum.

The final car is about one-third aluminum by weight. Cast, forged and

extruded aluminum parts are everywhere, and they serve to not only lighten

and strengthen, but also add some techno-glamor to its underpinnings. Even

the rear brake rotors are aluminum.