Dodge ’90s Sports Car: Hidden Auction Treasure

In the early 1990s, the 225-horsepower Ford Mustang GT was still a pretty fast car. Corvettes had just a little more power, except for the monstrous C4 ZR-1, which was a true supercar killer. But in the midst of all this came the Diamond Star cars—a collaboration between Chrysler and Mitsubishi that resulted in some of the most memorable turbocharged cars of the 1980s and 1990s.
The Mitsubishi Eclipse and Eagle Talon are the most famous cars from that partnership, but we shouldn't forget the Mitsubishi 3000GT and its American cousin, the Dodge Stealth. There were plenty of non-turbo, front-wheel-drive Stealth cars on American highways, but few had the 3000GT VR-4's turbocharged, all-wheel-drive powertrain. The blue 1991 Stealth R/T you see here is one of them, looking like a grunge rock time capsule. And it's for sale.

A Diamond-Star Stealth in beautiful blue
We found this gem on "Bring a Trailer," where it's currently bidding at $15,000, with four days left in the auction. This particular car has 31,000 miles on its odometer, and judging by the photos, it appears to be in very good condition. The auction description doesn't mention any modifications, but we're told the timing belt and water pump were replaced at 28,000 miles. Repairs to these cars can be quite expensive, so that's just the thing. There's also mention of some paintwork on the front.

It seems this one is also a favorite of enthusiasts. When new, its twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine produced 300 horsepower and 307 pound-feet of torque, just like the Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4. This car sends power to all four wheels via a five-speed manual transmission (a big deal in 1991). A closer look at the interior reveals a sea of ​​gray that appears to be in good condition. The factory stereo and CD player, with all the buttons, are a reminder of the era, and we're reminded of how unwieldy the back seats in these cars were. But let's be honest—no one bought these cars with the intention of taking family vacations across the country.

Peak Turbo Dodge Era
For a moment in the 1980s, it seemed as if small turbocharged engines would be the future of American power. The Mustang introduced the four-cylinder turbo SVO engine, and General Motors followed up with a 3.8-liter V6 turbo engine, which Buick and Pontiac eventually used. However, no one embraced turbos like Chrysler. In addition to the Mitsubishi partnership, which included the Starion/Dodge Conquest, 2.2-liter turbocharged four-cylinders were available from Dodge, Chrysler, and Plymouth. If you really wanted to, you could even get a 2.2-liter turbo minivan with a five-speed gearbox.
But the Stealth was Dodge's flagship turbo. When it arrived in 1991, few production cars could match it, at least from a standstill. Thanks to all-wheel-drive grip and turbo power, it could accelerate to 60 mph in less than five seconds, and it even led a lap of the 1991 Indianapolis 500. Unfortunately, some people didn't like the Japanese car leading the all-American race, so Dodge used a pre-production Viper for the race. For reasons less obvious today, the Dodge Stealth didn't receive a warm welcome at launch. People clearly weren't ready for a high-speed Dodge equipped with Mitsubishi parts.

A Japanese sports car from the 90s, at a fantastic price
The virtual auction hammer will fall on November 18th, and we think the current bid of $15,000 will be high at that time. However, how high is a tricky question, as these cars are extremely desirable in the classic market. Last year, a black Stealth R/T with 15,000 miles sold for barely over $20,000 on Cars & Bids. On the internet, you can find some cars with higher mileage selling for around $10,000. Meanwhile, Mitsubishi cars from the same era fetch slightly higher prices.

Nonetheless, this car could be an inexpensive way to relive the Japanese nostalgia of the 1990s, which is quite popular right now. Or, perhaps bidders will wake up and see the Stealth as a truly spectacular (though expensive to maintain) performance car from an iconic era, and shell out some money for what looks like a great, original example. We'll certainly be watching with some interest.