Stealth was a car ahead of its time. The Dodge Stealth was an American car that had obvious Japanese influence seen throughout its features and design, which was unique to the market during the time period.

Although the Dodge performed well at first, sales fell dramatically by 1995 and the car was discontinued soon after.

But, the Dodge Stealth still goes down in automotive history as an advanced and impressive car that influenced the driving world—and many drivers would likely love to still see it on the road today.

What was the Dodge Stealth?

According to

Driving Line

, the Dodge Stealth was a product of a time in the ‘80s when Japan experienced great economic prosperity. The Dodge Stealth was a result of car companies in Japan coming into an influx of money, and therefore creating as many luxury sports cars as they could manufacture.

The Dodge Stealth was a sporty, two-door coupe. It was offered in four trims—base, ES, R/T and R/T Turbo. According to

Hagerty

, the base model had a single overhead cam V6 engine that carried 164 hp and was available for around $18,000.

The ES and R/T models had an upgraded engine that carried about 222 hp. But, the real star of the show was the Dodge Stealth R/T Turbo, which could go from zero to 60 mph in just over five seconds, with the use of a turbocharged V6 engine that carried 300 hp and 307 lb-ft of torque.

During the time period, sports cars reaching speeds and accelerations of that magnitude was virtually unheard of among drivers—making the Dodge Stealth ahead of its time.

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Interesting facts

With incredible acceleration for its release in 1991, the Dodge Stealth was thought of by many to be a racing car, or at least for everyday drivers that had a little bit of a need for speed.

According to

HotCars

, during the year it debuted, the Dodge Stealth was actually proposed as a candidate for racing in the Indy 500, a 500-mile car race held in Indianapolis every year. Unfortunately, the Stealth wasn’t picked for the race, largely due to many Americans' view that the car was an import due to its Japanese influence. Plus, its candidacy for the Indy 500 was in part a publicity stunt, but the Dodge Stealth would’ve been able to hold its own in the race.

Hemmings

reported the Stealth could hold its own when compared to cars like the Porsche 911 Carrera 4, the Lotus Esprit Turbo SE, and the Nissan 300ZX Turbo, and the Chrysler VP of marketing at the time agreed, stating the Dodge Stealth was a “terrific car.”

The Dodge Stealth was also an incredibly lightweight and aerodynamic car, which would’ve made it perfect for racing. It had a drag coefficient of .33, which is less than that of a Ferrari F40, according to HotCars.

What made the car ahead of its time?

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One reason the Dodge Stealth was ahead of its time is because of the impressive acceleration and speed capabilities we talked about earlier. But, on top of that, the Stealth was also a technologically advanced vehicle.

The Dodge Stealth was unveiled with anti-lock brakes, the option for drivers to choose between all-wheel and front-wheel drive, as well as an upgraded sound system that hadn’t been included in many cars before.

The technological advances are likely a result of the economic wealth in Japan during its creation. With the investment into luxury cars, the Dodge Stealth was also able to have an electronically-controlled suspension setup and rear spoiler.

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