The automotive landscape is fast evolving, and probably no car demonstrates this better than the 1991 Dodge Spirit R/T. In 1971, an owner needed to specify a V8 powerplant in any domestic model to achieve a sub-15-second ¼-mile ET, and in 1981 they needed a miracle. The 1991 Sprit R/T produced that figure with a four under the hood, albeit assisted by a turbocharger. Dodge didn’t build these classics in huge numbers, with only 1,208 finding buyers that year. This is one of those cars and beneath that faded exterior beats a heart of gold. The Spirit is listed here on eBay in Lansing, Michigan. Bidding sits at $1,575 in a No Reserve auction.
Buyers could order their new 1991 Spirit R/T in one of two paint shades, with 774 selecting the Red that graces this car’s panels. The seller purchased this R/T in 1993, using it as a regular driver before it spent several years parked outside on concrete. The exposure to the elements has wrought havoc upon the paint, with the exterior looking faded and tired. However, the news might not be as bad as first impressions suggest. The panels are straight, with no significant bumps or bruises. I expected the seller to describe significant rust issues, but they say there are no apparent problems. If that is true, it means that most of its shortcomings are purely cosmetic. That leaves the possibility the new owner could potentially recapture its former glory in a home workshop without spending a fortune. The grille has a minor flaw, but the remaining plastic and glass seem okay. If the bidding stays around its current level and the new owner is hands-on in their approach, this could prove to be an affordable project car.
The secret of what set the Spirit R/T apart from its siblings lay hidden under the hood. A four-cylinder engine with a capacity of 2.2 liters doesn’t sound like a recipe for excitement, but this one springs a surprise. Lotus developed its DOHC cylinder head, and with an intercooled Garrett turbocharger bolted on, power and torque reached 224hp and 217 ft/lbs. There was no automatic transmission option, with power feeding to the front wheels via a five-speed manual. Was it fast? How does a ¼-mile ET of 14.9 seconds and a top speed of 140mph sound for a car weighing 3,060 lbs? The company trumpeted the Spirit R/T as a natural competitor to European performance models from BMW, and it seemed the claim was no idle boast. This Spirit currently sees little use, although it is in excellent mechanical health. It runs and drives well, but the seller advises that the winning bidder should fit new tires before considering the car genuinely roadworthy.
Vehicles from this era developed a reputation for deteriorating interior trim, and this Spirit is no exception. I have seen significantly worse, but this one does need love. I would treat everything to a deep clean before compiling a shopping list because that could prevent the new owner from purchasing unnecessary items. The carpet might be beyond help, the driver’s seat looks quite stained, and there is wear on the wheel. However, the remaining upholstered surfaces look okay, the plastic has survived surprisingly well, and there are no aftermarket additions. The new owner receives air conditioning, power windows, power locks, power mirrors, cruise control, a tilt wheel, and a four-speaker AM/FM radio/cassette player. The seller states the A/C doesn’t blow cold, the radio doesn’t make noises, and some switches require replacement. However, with a new carpet set, a wheel wrap, and some aftermarket seatcovers, this interior could present well without costing a fortune.
Rarity does not always equate to a high value in the classic world, and this 1991 Dodge Spirit R/T demonstrates that. This car would have cost its original owner around $18,000, but when a spotless example hits the market today, it will rarely sell for more than $6,500. This car isn’t spotless, but its needs appear purely cosmetic. That could make it ideal for someone seeking an affordable first project. It has only received three bids, and while the action generally intensifies as the end draws near, that might not be the case with this car. Are you tempted to monitor this auction and submit a bid if the action doesn’t intensify? I wish you luck if you do.
Nice find and great write-up as always, Adam! This is a halo car for me, having owned a regular Dodge Spirit for 15 years and 315,000 almost totally trouble-free miles.
Crusher bait. No matter how cheap you get this vehicle it will require more than it will ever be worth to make it presentable. Sometimes they just have to be let go
I restored mine. It is awesome and very worth it. I tried to post a link to the restoration blog of mine and the required engine mods due to the Chrysler engineering dev not being mature enough.
Very fast, can spin tires down the road, but also look like a grandma car.
That makes it a sleeper. :-)
These are highly underrated and one of my favorites. Great find! Hopefully, it really is in good mechanical order so that the next owner can focus on considering how much to invest in cosmetics, including searching eBay for unique interior bits! A big part of me says that leaving the exterior weathered would be pretty cool…
These mark my entry into car sales. I would have given up a tooth for one. Drove a trade once and was impressed. Got cooled by the cost of replacing a turbo III if it were to go south.
i use to have a 93 dodge spirit and it was an auto not a manuel shift and i loved it till it got wrecked
Here is what it takes to restore one and a bit more history on these cars. https://jakesgeneralstore.com/blog-post/americas-fastest-sedan-1991-dodge-spirit-r-t/
The Spirit wasn’t a bad car, but wasn’t great either. The Spirit R/T was a giant killer. This one looks like it needs some work on the interior which shouldn’t be bad once you find a good parts car, most everything should interchange. Your problem is going to be when/ if it ever needs any work on that engine, these 2.2s used a LOT of very unique parts and most of them are made of unobtainium, even when new parts were hard to come by, 30 years later good luck,
Very fast factory sleeper 👌 🏁
customer had a none turbo. prolly the best of the k series. good car and comfy to drive. as for the lotus sourced turbo set up, yes parts are made of unobtanium. step back one incarnation of 2.2 turbo or swap to 2.5 turbo. interior is easy and exterior “MIGHT” respond well to as little as a scuff and re-clear. the body shop can tell as they get started sanding. the bid is still in a good number range.
I like these and it’d be a tempting project but not a fan of the rust. Rusty cars are a real treat to work on (said very sarcastically).
Back I’m the day these cars (k cars) were the staple of our rental car fleet, very cheap and easy to maintain, changed an engine in an 89 Daytona Turbo with the “Sun, Shade and Sound” package, forgot to plug in the waste gate for the turbo and talk about some boost for a quick quarter mile! Lol. I hated these cars but now they trigger nostalgia and I’d gladly tear this thing down and renew it.
I restored one of these last year. Mainly to correct the stock engineering errors that caused most all to have engine issues. Blast to drive, Chrysler and Lotus were ahead of their time on these. Tech was not quite matured. Looks like this one sold.