Chrysler to Halt Production of Prowler

DaimlerChrysler said Wednesday that it will end production of the Chrysler Prowler in February and replace the slow-selling, hot-rod-styled convertible with the Crossfire sports car.

Prowler production, which began in 1997 with the car sold as a Plymouth, will halt Feb. 15 when the last of 300 candy-red 2002 models rolls off the line in Detroit, said Thomas Marinelli, Chrysler-Jeep global brand vice president, in an interview.

He would not say whether that will mean job cuts at the plant, which also builds the Dodge Viper performance car.

“Back when Prowler came out, its intent was to identify and revitalize the Plymouth brand,” Marinelli said. “Obviously, there is no Plymouth brand, and the Chrysler brand is on a tremendous roll.”

When the company killed Plymouth at the end of the 2001 model year, “putting Prowler into Chrysler wasn’t necessary,” said Alan Baum, an analyst at Planning Edge, an automotive forecasting company in Farmington Hills, Mich.

U.S. sales of the $42,930 Prowler through November declined 20% from a year earlier to 1,992.

“It was an innovative car when it came out,” said Bob Lavoie, a collector of Prowlers who owns 10 and lives in Park Falls, Wis. “I’m only 30 years old, and it’s not like I have a nostalgic link to the hot rod.”

DaimlerChrysler wants to use more parts from its Mercedes-Benz line and from equity partner Mitsubishi Motors Corp. of Japan to reduce development costs and help it return to profit in 2003. The Crossfire shares some parts with the Mercedes E-Class sedan, and Chrysler estimates it can save $100 million by using Mercedes transmissions in Chrysler cars.

Wilhelm Karmann in Germany will build the Crossfire, scheduled to go on sale as a 2003 or 2004 model, for Chrysler.