There was once a time when a four-cylinder engine and front-wheel drive architecture weren’t the recipe for high performance. However, cars like this 1993 Dodge Daytona IROC R/T proved what was possible when a manufacturer added a turbocharger to the mix. This car is part of a collection, with the seller deciding the time has come to downsize. It is a relatively rare vehicle, but its one-year-only paint shade increases its desirability. The seller has listed the Daytona here on eBay in Vernon-Rockville, Connecticut. Bidding currently sits below the reserve at $6,200 with time remaining for interested parties to stake their claim.

Dodge introduced the Daytona for the 1984 model year, basing the latest offering on an extended version of Chrysler’s K-Car platform. It initially sold in respectable numbers, although dwindling sales prompted Dodge to discontinue production in 1993. Our feature car is a final-year vehicle and is 1-of-180 examples of the IROC R/T ordered in 1993. That makes it relatively rare in a “big picture” sense, an impression that is enhanced by its paint shade. Dodge offered IROC R/T buyers a choice of five paint shades, with ninety selecting the Emerald Green Pearl gracing this car’s exterior. It was a one-year-only color, and faulting the presentation is virtually impossible. The exterior shines exceptionally well, and the panels are laser-straight. There is no evidence or mention of rust, and the restored 16″ alloy wheels are spotless. The seller is passionate about these classics, with this car seeming to confirm that they treat them respectfully and protect them from the worst that Mother Nature can throw at them.

The positive impression made by this Daytona continues when we focus on its interior. It lacks nothing when the subject turns to safety and luxury, with the buyer receiving a driver’s airbag, air conditioning, power windows, power locks, power seats, power mirrors, cruise control, a tilt wheel, and an AM/FM stereo radio/cassette player. The Charcoal Gray leather trim is in good condition, with no wear and only the typical age wrinkles. The wheel looks excellent, the carpet is spotless, and the lack of UV damage is evidence that the Daytona has been protected from the sun.

Some enthusiasts felt it was an injustice for Dodge to attach the Daytona badge to a front-wheel drive vehicle, but this IROC R/T proves that the company had at least one eye on producing a high-performance variant that was a worthy recipient. A 2.2-liter four doesn’t initially sound like a recipe for excitement, but this motor benefits from a Lotus-developed twin-cam cylinder head and a turbocharger to send 224hp and 217 ft/lbs of torque to the road via a five-speed manual transmission. The ¼-mile journey should take 14.8 seconds while letting that four off the leash will reward the driver with a top speed of 148mph. Therefore, this classic is worthy of wearing the Daytona badge. The seller revived this IROC after a previous owner parked it for years due to a mechanical malady. The seller traced the problem, rectified it, and worked through a meticulous process that returned it to a roadworthy state. It runs and drives extremely well, which might allow the winning bidder to fly in and drive this survivor home.

This 1993 Dodge Daytona IROC R/T proves that relative rarity doesn’t always equate to a high value. Only 180 of these classics rolled off the line in 1993 with a sticker price of approximately $21,400. The current high bid is heading towards a level where I would expect it to threaten the reserve, and the few examples that have recently sold have typically done so for around $10,000. Of course, there are occasional exceptions to any rule, but do you think this Daytona will be one of them?