The Plymouth Pronto was a small passenger concept car built by Plymouth and unveiled at the 1997 Detroit Auto Show. It never reached production, but its design led to two more Plymouth concepts and to the Chrysler PT Cruiser.
Plymouth Pronto at a glance
| Maker | Plymouth (Chrysler Corporation) |
|---|---|
| Shown | 1997 Detroit Auto Show |
| Type | small passenger concept car |
| Styling | modern shape with retro touches |
| Front end | “floating” bumperettes like the Prowler’s |
| Roof | roll-back fabric top |
| Engine | 2.0 L four from the Dodge/Plymouth Neon |
| Gearbox | three-speed automatic |
| Production | none |
| Influence | Plymouth Pronto Spyder, Pronto Cruizer, Chrysler PT Cruiser |
Based on one source, a short English Wikipedia article, so this page is shorter than usual.
History of the Plymouth Pronto
The Pronto was a compact concept with a design that was modern for its time but carried several retro-style touches, most obviously the “floating” bumperettes at the front, which echoed those of the Plymouth Prowler. It also had a roll-back fabric top, a feature that turned up on other show cars of the period.
Underneath, the concept used a practical powertrain rather than a show-car special: the 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine from the Dodge and Plymouth Neon, mated to a three-speed automatic transmission.
Influence
The Pronto never went into production, but its design inspired two further concepts, the Plymouth Pronto Spyder and the Plymouth Pronto Cruizer, neither of which was built either. More importantly, it shaped the Chrysler PT Cruiser, which reached production in 2001; had the Plymouth marque not been discontinued, the PT Cruiser would have been sold as a Plymouth.
Design and features
- Retro details: modern bodywork with references to earlier Plymouth and hot-rod styling.
- Floating bumperettes: the front treatment borrowed from the Prowler.
- Fabric roof: a roll-back top rather than a fixed steel roof.
- Neon running gear: a 2.0-litre four and three-speed automatic from a production car.
Plymouth Pronto versions
- Pronto (1997): the original concept car shown at Detroit.
- Pronto Spyder: a later Plymouth concept inspired by the Pronto, never produced.
- Pronto Cruizer: the second follow-up concept, also unbuilt.
- Chrysler PT Cruiser (2001): the production car that grew out of the Pronto design.
The Pronto borrowed its bumperettes from the Prowler and pointed the way to the Slingshot school of Plymouth concepts. More cars are in the Plymouth collection.
Video: Chrysler Concepts 7: Plymouth Pronto Spyder concept
Video by DtRockstar1 on YouTube.
Sources
- Plymouth Pronto, English Wikipedia: design, equipment, influence on later cars
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