Jay Leno and Chip Foose Reminisce About The Plymouth Prowler

In the latest episode of Jay Leno’s Garage, automotive aficionados Jay Leno and Chip Foose took a stroll down memory lane to revisit one of the most peculiar yet captivating cars to ever grace the showroom floor: the Plymouth Prowler. With its retro-futuristic design and nod to hot-rodding’s golden era, the Prowler remains a timeless icon in the automotive world.

As they reminisced, Leno and Foose delved into the origins of the Prowler, shedding light on its unconventional journey from concept to production. Foose, a former student at Art Center, revealed his pivotal role in the car’s genesis, recounting how he dared to defy conventional design norms by infusing elements of hot rods and muscle cars into his sketches.

“When I was a student at Art Center,” Foose recalled, “if you were drawing hot rods or muscle cars, it was very frowned upon. But I was a hot rodder…”

His rebellious spirit caught the attention of Tom Gale, then Head of Design at Chrysler, who saw potential in Foose’s vision. Together, they embarked on a mission to bridge the gap between past and future, culminating in the birth of the Plymouth Prowler.

However, as Leno and Foose candidly discussed, the Prowler’s charm was somewhat dampened by its lackluster powertrain. “You’ve designed this outside to look like a hot rod,” Foose remarked, “but it’s Grandma’s car. It just didn’t go together.”

Indeed, beneath its sleek exterior lay a modest 3.5-liter High-Output V6 engine, a far cry from the potent HEMI® that enthusiasts had hoped for. Yet, despite its underwhelming performance, the Prowler managed to captivate onlookers with its bold design and innovative features.

Leno and Foose marveled at the car’s pioneering use of structural bonding, oversized 20-inch wheels, and extensive use of aluminum in its construction. Even today, the Prowler continues to turn heads, its ageless allure undiminished by the passage of time.

Reflecting on Chrysler’s audacity to bring such a daring concept to life, Leno remarked, “It was so unbelievable that Chrysler Corporation would build this car.”

In essence, the Plymouth Prowler remains a testament to the marriage of creativity and courage, a symbol of automotive innovation that defied convention and captured the imagination of enthusiasts worldwide. And as Jay Leno and Chip Foose affectionately revisited this timeless classic, they reaffirmed its rightful place in the pantheon of automotive legends.