Think turbocharged all-wheel-drive cars and your mind will probably drift to the Audi Quattros and Lancia Integrales of the ’80s, or perhaps the Subaru Imprezas and Mitsubishi Evos of the following decade. Since the ’50s, American cars have generally focused on one Unique Selling Point – a burly large-displacement V8 hooked up to the rear tires, often through an automatic ‘box. But there was one American car that bucked that trend, albeit with some help from overseas.

This is a car that went heavy on both power and hyphens, with four-wheel-drive, four-wheel-steer, and twin-turbocharging – features that were groundbreaking for the time. The company that produced this tech-mobile didn’t stick with such forward-thinking ideas either, going back to producing some of the most recognizable muscle cars of the modern era. HotCars decided to take a look back at the only American AWD sports car with a manual gearbox.

The Dodge Stealth Is The Only American AWD Sports Car With A Manual Transmission

Chrysler and Mitsubishi had been working together since the ’70s when Japanese manufacturers were making inroads into the American market. Chrysler went as far as buying a 15% stake in the Mitsubishi Motor Corporation in 1971 and began selling rebadged Galants in the USA under the new name Dodge Colt. By 1985, the two companies had organized themselves into Diamond-Star Motors, with a factory in Illinois, but in the early ’90s, Dodge sold its stake back to Mitsubishi.

That didn’t stop the two companies from working together, however. In 1990, Mitsubishi Motors launched the iconic 3000GT (GTO in Japan) with groundbreaking tech such as full-time AWD suspension and active aerodynamics. Dodge wanted a piece of the action and, using much of the 3000GT’s tech created the Stealth R/T Twin Turbo.

The Dodge Stealth R/T Was Quicker (And Cheaper) Than A BMW M3

There were two other Stealth model options available, also. The line-up started with the base six-cylinder Stealth, with a not-too-impressive 164 horsepower and 185 lb-ft of torque, and the ES version which had 222 horses. But the showstopper was the Stealth R/T Twin Turbo.

Sharing its hardware with the top-flight VR-4 version of the Mitsubishi 3000GT, this was a Dodge sports car that packed a twin-turbocharged, twin-intercooled DOHC 3.0-liter V6.

The power of this snarling Stealth was 300 horsepower and torque was rated at 307 lb-ft, all channeled through a Getrag close-ratio five-speed manual gearbox. The Stealth R/T Twin Turbo could hit 60 mph in just 5.2 seconds. To put this into context, a 1988 BMW M3, which cost almost $5,000 more three years earlier, hits the same speed at almost two seconds slower. The 1992 E36 M3 reaches 60 mph in 5.4 seconds.

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A Closer Look At The Dodge Stealth

Dodge Stealth R/T Twin Turbo Specs

Source: Dodge

The Dodge Stealth Was Ahead Of Its Time

The Stealth was fitted with the same full-time all-wheel drive and four-wheel steering systems as in the pioneering Mitsubishi 3000GT. As with the Mitsubishi, the Stealth featured a groundbreaking, electronically-controlled, dual-mode fully independent suspension, with the driver being able to adjust it from Sport to Tour from a button in the cabin. No wonder Dodge promoted the Stealth as ‘the most advanced production sports car on the road.’ That is, apart from the Mitsubishi 3000GT that was also sold in America at the same time.

One thing that wasn’t so advanced, however, was the weight. At 3794 lb, the Stealth weighed around the same as a BMW 735i of the time. It didn’t exactly look that Stealthy either, with swooping lines and various vents, although the ride height and gaps above the tires looked more SUV than sports car.

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Major 1994 Update

In 1994, the Stealth was updated with new bumpers and fixed headlights in place of pop-up lights. By now, the car was also fitted with a six-speed gearbox and the twin-turbo mill now had 320 hp and an increase in torque to 315 lb-ft.

The Stealth R/T Twin Turbo could complete a quarter-mile in under 14 seconds, and go on to a limited top speed of 155 mph. In 1996, the Stealth was discontinued and the Mitsubishi 3000GT survived until 2000. The Dodge Stealth may return, however, as an SUV.

The Mitsubishi 3000GT Continued To Evolve After The Stealth Was Gone

Highlights Of The Mitsubishi 3000GT and Dodge Stealth Over The Years

• Launched in 1990 with groundbreaking tech such as full-time AWD suspension and active aerodynamics.
• Dodge Stealth launched a year later in the USA using the 3000GT’s hardware
• Second-gen versions launched in 1994 with a mild refresh
• The last Dodge Stealth rolled out of the factory in 1997
• Third-generation 3000GT continues with styling updates until 1999

The Mitsubishi 3000GT has always divided opinions. Mitsubishi fans have said the 3000GT is a ‘lead sled’, due to its weight. Others say that the car should finally get some respect and have called for a follow-up to the 3000GT.

Whatever your opinion, this JDM classic – we at HotCars happen to love the 3000GT – and the Dodge Stealth now make for a great piece of period ’90s kit. Another measure of success is how long the 3000GT soldiered on for.

The 3000GT Was In Production For Almost A Decade

The top VR-4 version of the 3000GT was built in three separate generations between 1991 and 1999, whereas the Stealth R/T Twin Turbo survived for two gens. For the second generation of the 3000GT, launched in 1994, Mitsubishi introduced a Spyder variant, with a folding hardtop. The third-gen VR-4s, which arrived in 1997, had a curved rear spoiler and a new front bumper. In 1999, the aging Mitsubishi received a huge gym bench of a rear spoiler that would fit in with the new taste for extravagant styling of Japanese cars in the late ’90s.

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Buying A Dodge Stealth Today

Dodge Stealth R/T Twin Turbo Prices Today (Good Condtion)

• 1991 Dodge Stealth R/T Turbo – $18,400
• 1992 Dodge Stealth R/T Turbo – $18,400
• 1993 Dodge Stealth R/T Turbo – $18,400
• 1994 Dodge Stealth R/T Turbo – $16,300
• 1995 Dodge Stealth R/T Turbo – $16,300
• 1996 Dodge Stealth R/T Turbo – $16,300

Source: Hagerty

Production numbers are hard to come by officially for the Dodge Stealth, although specialist websites put the number at 65,303.

Suffice it to say, the Stealth wasn’t a particularly rare car. The entry-level cars are cheap to buy because of this – a base 164 horsepower car from 1991 will cost $5,100. However, we are interested in the twin-turbo model and the prices of these are a lot higher.

Interestingly, even though the earlier cars had less power, they command more cash. From 1991 to 1993, a Dodge Stealth will cost $18,400 today in good condition, according to Hagerty, whereas one from the last three years of production will cost $16,300. For comparison, an early 1991 Mitsubishi 3000GT costs $28,100 in good condition. This no-reserve Dodge Stealth R/T Twin Turbo we found sold for less than $10,000. Here is a more in-depth look at the prices of 3000GTs.

Sources: Dodge, Hagerty.