Volvo Built A One-Off V8-Powered Plymouth Prowler Rival
Typically, when we look back at the Plymouth Prowler as a whole, opinions are divided. Some say it was one of the coolest cars to come out of the 1990s, as it blended both vintage rat-rod styling with modern amenities and comforts. Others say it was a ridiculous car with a ridiculous design, not to mention extremely underpowered. Its underwhelming engine just couldn't deliver on the promises made by the body. Think of the Prowler as the black coffee of the automotive world. Some love it, some can't stand it.
The last Prowler was produced in 2002. But, the open-wheeled road car dream didn't end there, at least not completely. Five years later, Volvo entered the fold with their radical and, quite frankly, unexpected concept car. It was called the Caresto V8 Speedster, and it was very much reminiscent of the forgotten Prowler. Except, instead of an underwhelming V6 that the Prowler made do with, the Caresto got itself a V8.
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Volvo
Volvo is a Swedish automaker owned by Geely since 2010 and headquartered in Gothenburg Sweden. Founded in 1927, it has evolved into a premium automaker renowned for its safety, famously giving away free access to the patent for the three-point seatbelt in 1959, saving countless lives since. Volvo has also continually pushed to include the best safety tech in its cars ahead of time, and set a mission in 2007 that by 2020, no one would be killed or seriously injured in a Volvo. Today, that mission has evolved to avoid all collisions in a Volvo. Volvo was also an early adopter of EV technology and had planned to go all-electric by 2030, but recently pushed back this deadline, instead aiming for a 90-100% electric or plug-in hybrid goal by 2030 instead.
The following article contains information sourced and cross-referenced from multiple sites.
A Plymouth Prowler, But Cooler
2007 volvo caresto v8 speedster concept front blue
Volvo Caresto V8 Speedster Quick Facts
- Only two were built
- Powered by a Yamaha V8
- Built in conjunction with Caresto, a Swedish car company
- Runs on ethanol fuel
Despite "Volvo" being the first word in its full name, the Volvo Caresto V8 Speedster was primarily built by a Swedish car company by the name of Caresto, with Volvo pitching in here and there. The idea for the V8 Speedster came about thanks to a man called Leif Turvesson, head of Caresto, who wanted to build a car that was just as fun on the road as it was to look at. Of course, being fun to look at is subjective, but the V8 Speedster sure does a better job at that than its spiritual sibling, the Prowler.
”Actually, it’s a sports car with a design idiom that is a further development of the classic Hotrod. Perhaps it could establish a new school of thought and coin the term Sport Rod. My idea was to build a car that was as much fun to drive as it was to look at. Road-holding characteristics have never been the hallmark of traditional Hotrods.” -Leif Tufvesson, Swedish car designer.
The V8 Speedster's interior was also given a thoroughly luxurious run-through. It was trimmed in a retro hue of brown leather, and has a simple, yet usable, gauge cluster. Of course, there's only room for two people inside the V8 Speedster, but the pair of occupants were well taken care of thanks to Tufvesson's vision. It even comes with a roof, although it's really more of a ragtop that stretches over the occupants' heads and connects to the front A-pillars. But, it'll keep you dry.
2007 volvo caresto v8 speedster concept interior brown
In total, only two examples were built. One was finished in an icy blue color, pictured above, and the other was finished in red. When it came to the question of the possible production of the V8 Speedster, Tufvesson mentioned that his goal was to produce at least six examples of the V8 Speedster, although he had other projects in mind at the time, as well. 18 years later, it seems those other projects won out, as only the original pair of V8 Speedsters still exist.
front view of 2000 Plymouth Prowler woodward edtion in orange and black parked on an asphalt lot at golden hour
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The Ins And Outs Of The V8 Speedster
2007 volco caresto speedster underpinnings black
One of Volvo's biggest contributions to the v8 Speedster project was its inclusion of a 4.4-liter V8, the same engine found in the Volvo XC90 and the Volvo S80 of the same era. Volvo and Yamaha worked together on this engine, and it is a masterpiece. The V8 Speedster's version of the Volvo mill got a bit of a tune job, and it was made to be compatible with ethanol fuel. On top of the mill, Volvo also supplied the transmission, a six-speed automatic with the option to use a manual-shift mode.
We'll break down the Volvo Caresto V8 Speedster's specs in the table below:
Engine | 4.4-liter NA V8 |
|---|---|
Horsepower |
|
Torque | 325 lb-ft |
Curb Weight | 2,646 lbs |
*Specs courtesy of Caresto
Because of the V8 Speedster's two-off status, detailed performance specs don't really exist, not even in their official spec sheet. However, a car that can produce up to 340 horsepower at just over 2,600 pounds means the V8 Speedster is, most likely, a quick little thing. Having a fully-independent suspension setup, Brembo brakes, and an aluminum body sitting on a welded tubular chassis certainly only helps the car's performance prowess, too.
We'll Probably Never See Another Car Like The V8 Speedster
2007 volvo caresto v8 speedster concept dynamic1
Back in the late 1990s and early 2000s, much of the world's automotive market was going through a sort of retro renaissance. Over in the States, you had cars like the Chrysler PT Cruiser and the Plymouth Prowler. In Japan, their retro revival consisted of cars such as the 2JZ-powered Toyota Origin, as the Japanese taste for vehicular nostalgia was a bit more classy.
In America's case, we had a sudden thirst for cars that resembled those from the 1930s and 1940s. Perhaps it was due to an aging generation who grew up with those cars? This was most likely the case. Unfortunately, in most cases, it was style over substance.
When it comes to the Caresto V8 Speedster, it's likely the last of its kind, being a 1930s lookalike hot-rodder. These days, there's simply no interest in that sort of car, as you don't see them often anymore. Hot rods are now relegated to spotting the odd one at a parking lot car meet. Nobody builds them from scratch like they did in the 1940s, and again in the 1990s and 2000s. That generation of gearheads is, sadly, passing away now. But, anything is possible, and with the current state of the world, you never know what's around the corner, like another modern hot rod revival.
Sources: Volvo, Stellantis, Caresto, Supercars.net
