The Plymouth Slingshot is a concept car produced in 1988 and introduced at the 1988 Los Angeles Auto Show. It was designed as a lifestyle vehicle aimed at young buyers of the 1990s and won a Silver IDEA award for automotive design.
Plymouth Slingshot at a glance
| Maker | Plymouth (Chrysler Corporation) |
|---|---|
| Shown | 1988 Los Angeles Auto Show |
| Designers | Craig Durfey and Roger Zrimec with Chrysler design interns |
| Engine | 2.2 L DOHC 16-valve turbo four, mid-mounted |
| Power | 225 hp and 225 lb-ft |
| Gearbox | six-speed manual with a ratchet shifter |
| Body | carbon fibre, with a pivoting canopy |
| Tyres | twin 125/70-15 front and 125/85-16 rear |
| Wheelbase | 103.0 in |
| Length | 149.0 in |
| Award | Silver IDEA, 1988 |
Based on one source, the English Wikipedia article on the Slingshot.
History of the Plymouth Slingshot
The Slingshot was designed by Craig Durfey and Roger Zrimec together with several design interns in the Chrysler studio, whose contributions were described as direct and meaningful. It was conceived as a “lifestyle-oriented vehicle purposely targeted at the young people of the 1990s” and formed part of a series of three Chrysler sports-car concepts alongside the Big Shot and the Hot Shot.
Engineering
Power came from a mid-mounted 2.2-litre DOHC inline four with twin camshafts, 16 valves and an intercooled turbocharger, rated at 225 hp and 225 lb-ft of torque and sitting behind the canopy in a semi-exposed module. It drove through a six-speed manual gearbox with a motorcycle-like ratchet shifter. The body and chassis were made of light, rigid carbon fibre with adjustable four-wheel independent suspension, and flexible impact-absorbing fenders sat right above the wheels for aerodynamic effect.
One of the car’s more unusual features was the use of twin tyres at both the front and the rear, 125/70-15 at the front and 125/85-16 at the back, meant to give an extra safety margin in the event of a blow-out. The Slingshot measured 103.0 inches in wheelbase, 149.0 inches long, 68.0 inches wide and 47.7 inches high, and was finished in charcoal, black and pearl white.
Features and reception
Outside, the car had an aircraft-like pivoting canopy that swung upwards to open, keyless entry operated by a credit-card-like device, combined headlight and rear-view mirror pods, an exposed engine and suspension and a sliding canvas sunroof. Inside there were elevating seats, sliding pedals, instrument panel and steering wheel, and an electronic instrument panel. The Slingshot won the 1988 Silver IDEA award for automotive design, was displayed in the Walter P. Chrysler Museum’s “Big Toys” exhibition from November 2009 to January 2010, and appeared in several first-season episodes of the television series Viper.
Design and features
- Carbon-fibre structure: a light, rigid body and chassis with adjustable independent suspension.
- Mid-mounted turbo: a 225 hp 2.2-litre 16-valve turbo four behind the cabin.
- Pivoting canopy: an aircraft-style roof that swung upwards, with a sliding canvas sunroof.
- Twin tyres: paired wheels front and rear as a safety measure against blow-outs.
Plymouth Slingshot versions
- Slingshot concept (1988): the only car built, in charcoal, black and pearl white.
- Big Shot and Hot Shot: the two other Chrysler sports-car concepts of the same series.
The Slingshot was one of Plymouth’s show cars of the late 1980s and 1990s, along with the Pronto and the Prowler. More cars are in the Plymouth collection.
Video: Plymouth Slingshot
Video by VectorFanGT on YouTube.
Sources
- Plymouth Slingshot, English Wikipedia: design, engineering, dimensions, reception
