Shelby Lancer
Encyclopedia
The Shelby
Lancer was a limited-production hatchback sports sedan
based on the Dodge Lancer
. Modified by Carroll Shelby
for 1987 and in Graphic Red only, the Shelby Lancer was intended to be an American counterpart to such European sedans as the BMW 3-Series and Peugeot 405
. It was well-equipped inside with many amenities not offered on the normal Lancer, including a special 10-speaker Pioneer CD audio system, one of the first Compact Disc
systems offered in an American car. There were only 800 of these cars made in total; 400 came with a 3-speed Automatic transmission (A413) and leather interior, and 400 with a 5-speed Manual transmission (A520) and cloth interior. Other Shelby-branded items included a numbered plaque attached to the dashboard along with Shelby 15 inch wheels, a Shelby steering wheel, and a Shelby valve cover. The various VIN plates and build labels on the car all indicated "Shelby Automobiles" instead of the typical Chrysler or Dodge labels found on normal production vehicles.
Power came from a Chrysler supplied, Shelby tuned Turbo II 2.2 Liter Intercooled SOHC I4
, with 175 hp (130 kW) and 175 ft·lbf (237 Nm). Weight was just over 3,000 lb (1,360 kg) with the average driver, so performance was not as good as the lighter and lesser-equipped Shelby GLHS
with a 7.2 second run to 60 mi/h. Stock quarter mile times were in the mid to high 15-second range with factory boost levels peaking at about 12 PSI. A fair amount of aftermarket performance parts are still available for these cars and increased power can be obtained economically compared to modern counterparts such as the Subaru Impreza WRX
and the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution
.
Road handling was quite good for a sedan at the time, pulling an advertised 0.85 g on the skidpad
. Ride comfort was stiff but not unbearable, providing a good balance between a sport suspension coupe and a touring sedan. Goodyear Gatorback tires, Monroe Formula GP struts and larger sway bars were used to provide a firmer suspension with better grip. Shelby also used an experimental (at the time) 4-wheel disc brake system to improve braking.
Dodge carried on the car with the 1988 and 1989 Lancer Shelby
, which is not to be confused with the true Shelby car which was assembled in Whittier, California. The Dodge version is actually more rare despite being factory produced but wasn't numbered and had different Shelby-specific parts.
Carroll Shelby
Carroll Hall Shelby is an American retired automotive designer and racing driver. He is most well known for making Mustangs for Ford Motor Company known as Mustang Cobras which he has done since 1965...
Lancer was a limited-production hatchback sports sedan
Sports sedan
A sports sedan or a sports saloon is a descriptive term applied to a sedan automobile that is designed to look and feel "sporty", offering the motorist more connection with the driving experience, while providing the comfort and amenities expected of a luxury sedan. A wider definition that includes...
based on the Dodge Lancer
Dodge Lancer
The Dodge Lancer is a passenger car from the Dodge division of Chrysler Corporation. Dodge used the Lancer name on three different vehicles over the years.-1955–1959:...
. Modified by Carroll Shelby
Carroll Shelby
Carroll Hall Shelby is an American retired automotive designer and racing driver. He is most well known for making Mustangs for Ford Motor Company known as Mustang Cobras which he has done since 1965...
for 1987 and in Graphic Red only, the Shelby Lancer was intended to be an American counterpart to such European sedans as the BMW 3-Series and Peugeot 405
Peugeot 405
The Peugeot 405 is a large family car released by the French automaker Peugeot in July 1987 and which continues to be manufactured under licence outside France. It used TU/XU petrol and XUD diesel engines....
. It was well-equipped inside with many amenities not offered on the normal Lancer, including a special 10-speaker Pioneer CD audio system, one of the first Compact Disc
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
systems offered in an American car. There were only 800 of these cars made in total; 400 came with a 3-speed Automatic transmission (A413) and leather interior, and 400 with a 5-speed Manual transmission (A520) and cloth interior. Other Shelby-branded items included a numbered plaque attached to the dashboard along with Shelby 15 inch wheels, a Shelby steering wheel, and a Shelby valve cover. The various VIN plates and build labels on the car all indicated "Shelby Automobiles" instead of the typical Chrysler or Dodge labels found on normal production vehicles.
Power came from a Chrysler supplied, Shelby tuned Turbo II 2.2 Liter Intercooled SOHC I4
Straight-4
The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft....
, with 175 hp (130 kW) and 175 ft·lbf (237 Nm). Weight was just over 3,000 lb (1,360 kg) with the average driver, so performance was not as good as the lighter and lesser-equipped Shelby GLHS
Shelby GLHS
The Shelby GLHS was a limited production sport compact automobile from the mid 1980s. The main differentiator of these cars from their regular Dodge versions was their use of what would become the intercooled Turbo II engine as well as Shelby Centurian wheels and Koni Adjustable shocks/struts, and...
with a 7.2 second run to 60 mi/h. Stock quarter mile times were in the mid to high 15-second range with factory boost levels peaking at about 12 PSI. A fair amount of aftermarket performance parts are still available for these cars and increased power can be obtained economically compared to modern counterparts such as the Subaru Impreza WRX
Subaru Impreza WRX
The Subaru Impreza WRX is a turbocharged version of the Subaru Impreza, an all-wheel drive, four-door passenger vehicle. It is available as a sedan or wagon....
and the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution
The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, colloquially known as the Lancer Evo or Evo, is a high-performance sedan manufactured by Mitsubishi Motors. There have been ten official versions to date, and the designation of each model is most commonly a roman numeral...
.
Road handling was quite good for a sedan at the time, pulling an advertised 0.85 g on the skidpad
Skidpad
A skidpad or skidpan is a large, circular area of flat pavement used for various tests of a car's handling. The most common skidpad use is testing lateral acceleration, measured in g....
. Ride comfort was stiff but not unbearable, providing a good balance between a sport suspension coupe and a touring sedan. Goodyear Gatorback tires, Monroe Formula GP struts and larger sway bars were used to provide a firmer suspension with better grip. Shelby also used an experimental (at the time) 4-wheel disc brake system to improve braking.
Dodge carried on the car with the 1988 and 1989 Lancer Shelby
Dodge Lancer
The Dodge Lancer is a passenger car from the Dodge division of Chrysler Corporation. Dodge used the Lancer name on three different vehicles over the years.-1955–1959:...
, which is not to be confused with the true Shelby car which was assembled in Whittier, California. The Dodge version is actually more rare despite being factory produced but wasn't numbered and had different Shelby-specific parts.