We like when someone drops automotive knowledge on us that we knew nothing about like the oddball 1988 Mosler Consulier GTP featured in this eBay ad. At first glance the car looks like some sort of a completely weirded out homebuilt shambles but the fact is that this car was a groundbreaking piece of engineering, it hauled ass, was banned from at least one racing series, and despite its looks is pretty neat. One of just 11 examples built in 1988 it is also really rare. We often bring up the “rare because it is too weird for anyone to want” VS the “rare because it was simply limited production” angle and this car walks the line. Over the course of the production run of the Consulier GTP, more than 100 were produced, 1988 being the first year, it was a small run. What was ground breaking about these cars? From what we have read they were the first road cars to be of complete composite construction. Kevlar and carbon fiber are the materials used for the monocoque chassis and in ’88 that was completely unheard of. These materials were used for reasons of light weight and rigidity. The car weighs 1,950lbs.
Warren Mosler, the guy behind the car also had a cool idea on the power plant side as well. Mosler saw the potential in the 2.2L turbo engine that Chrysler had at the time so he installed those mills in these cars. Tuned up to about 200hp and mounted in the rear, the little engines provided enough power through their 5-speed manual transmission to hustle the car to 60 in a hair less than 5-seconds and up to a top speed of about 150mph. In 1988 we’re talking hyper-car performance here. Mosler had a public standing bet with anyone who wanted to try to out run a Consulier GTP on a road course with any other production car in the world. He had $100,000 of his money up for grabs and we’re not sure if no one tried or no one succeeded but the bottom line is that Mosler never lost the 100-large.
This car seems to be in good shape and the seller mentions that the body isn’t all wavy and weird. He mentions this because lots of them are due to the manufacturing process and the lack of curing time used. This was very early carbon fiber the kevlar work (at least for a production car) and many of these cars apparently have weiro warping in many of their body panels from the heat cycling process of being in the elements every day. This one seems to be in good shape and the white color certainly helps to lessen the effect of any “waves”.
Regarding the racing series ban, IMSA had a “supercar” series in the late 1980s and early 1990s. This was a place for ZR1 Vettes, Saleen Mustangs, Callaway Corvettes, Lotus Esprits, etc to mix it up. The Mosler came along and wiped the track with everyone else so hard that IMSA let Mosler know that they could stay home…forever. The fact that it not only ran with those cars but flat out ran away from them says something and certainly backs up the performance claims that the company made back in the day.
Now to the negative. The car is horribly ugly. Let’s be honest here. The front and rear overhangs are cartoonishly huge. The width of the car is impressive but the tires are so narrow that it looks wildly out of proportion. The windshield has the rake of the Chrysler Building, the rear “deck” needs an X and a guy with those orange things used to guide choppers and airplanes in, and, we’ll just stop there. Does the exceptional performance of the car out weight the cosmetics? In reality, this thing still hangs with some serious company even today. You are NOT going to stand toe to toe with a new Corvette or similar, but it should hold its own with the majority of performance cars out there with a competent driver.
We knew nothing of this car until we got a tip from Jon Perque and it has been an interesting trip looking into it. The fact that Mosler picked the 2.2L Chrysler engine was a bold move in 1988 and frankly everything other damned thing about this car was a bold move in ’88 as well. We’re pretty amazed 100 of these were build before production ended in the 1990s. We’d love to drive it! The lead bid(as of right now) is $15,000. In terms of performance per dollars, that is an insane buy. The reserve has not been met, though.
Chad Note: Brian doesn’t know about these cars, but I do! Thanks to Chris Bovis at Weld Racing, who has one, I have learned a bunch about these cool little cars. They flat fly, they get insane mileage, and they are super rare and cool. Pretty? Maybe not, but considering they are an ’80s car, they aren’t much worse than anything else.
Scroll down for more photos, video and the ad link to this wild car from the late 1980s – Looks weird…Hauls Tail!
eBay ad link: 1988 Mosler Consulier GTP — It is weird, rare, and fast
Wow! the savant of “all things cars” does not know Mosler? The body does look like it was designed by a committee of 10year olds using a plastic beach shovel as their model.
I knew about the sexy swoopy ones, just not the plastic shovel model! LOL
If I had the $100,000 I may have taken him up on the offer. My 1984 Mustang SVO with a few mods and Esslinger goodies, did a surprisingly easy 140 mph and handled like a race car.
Was the boy that designed the car the same drunk that designed US41 in north Georgia?
From the front shots the thing looks like a pregnant shoe box.
never heard of this one,and i’m wondering if this is the same mosler who developed the dual overhead cam 1st gen chevy small block—in any event,wikipedia has some additional info,such as the bet was 25k,and the mosler lost…..and yeah,that sucker is fugly….
By the early 90s those cars were getting SBCs in the back of them … I remember one running at the 1993 Longest Day of Nelson Ledges 24 hour race in Ohio, I was there racing with Tom Hnatiw and a few others in Tom’s Mustang. Anyway, the Consulier smoked the field, finished well ahead of anyone else including some well-driven factory backed sports cars. But yes, just too damn ugly!
Nice ride!
Designed by the stopwatch.
That’s why with only 175 hp and this first ‘series 1’ weighing about 2,100 lbs,
was the top performance car of its day.
That includes flat sides, narrow cockpit, windshield with more wrap than rake to minimize rear lift, max overhangs, Inboard (McKee) rocker suspension, mid engine for minimized polar moments, rear weight bias, lower weight, etc. etc.
And no one won the $25,000,or the $100,000 after I increased it for the intro of the 4 valve 220 hp ‘Shelby’ at Sebring- not even close! And on a typical 2 mile road race course and 84 SVO wouldn’t come withing 5 seconds/lap.
Yes, we won Nelson 3 times before being kicked out.
No, I didn’t do the Chevy motor.
I did come up with the Warr Valve that put Kenny Shrader on the pole at Darlington in 1987, and later Dale Earnhart when he was unbeatable. Ken also drove for me in our home made WSC car at Sebring.
The ‘body’ ‘is’ the e glass/pvc core monocoque primary structure that carries the suspension loads. Some Kevlar in the door skins, and the safest car ever tested, (including Tesla).
I originally bought 100 2.2 turbo II engines/transmissions but only about 60 consuliers were made. The 15 inch wheels/tires were reasonably large for 1987. The trick tire back then was the Yokahama A008r, which made this a 1g car that stopped from 60 in around 100 ft, and set autocross records as well.
Any more info on that specific car warren? I love these cars, they handle awesome and the looks really do grow on you when you see the car in person?
I’ve always wanted one of these, and this one is currently at a price I’d seriously consider. Damn the timing though. 6 months ago, this would be in my garage instead of the other boring DD.