When it comes to sports cars, lots of people think they know how to build the better mousetrap, though few have the resources or sheer tenacity to follow through with their ideas. Even when they do manage to produce that dream car, these visionaries usually end up with something closer to a nightma…
Very nice to see something nice written about these cars. Thank you!
A succint article summing up its interesting little place in history makes me regret not jumping on one of the cheap ones when it seemed like everyone else in the TM world was. As a person who spends most of his online car-forum time split between Turbo-Mopar and GRM, this is one of the cars that demonstrates the overlap of ethos of the two communities, along with turbocharged versions of the first minivan (see you at the Challenge!). Manna to a cheap speed enthusiast like myself.
I remember the articles when those first came out, with a lot of discussion about looks. That was when I learned that it doesn't matter how correct a design is if the perception is that it's ugly. The three-wheel market struggles with similar perceptions all the time.
I don't understand how it was "so much faster". 190hp, 2200lbs. Once my Celica (2400lbs) has its 1uzfe (250hp) it'll have a better power the weight ratio. Did imsa cars back then just suck that bad?
It's speed wasn't judged in a straight line. What made the Consuliers special is that they out-handled their competition. They were dominant on track....on the boulevard....not so much. 
What was the suspension setup? Seems like all blue collar MR cars back then had weird geometry or bad designs.
A 13B Wankel would have done well in this car.
The Consuliers were one of those cases where 1+1 = 3.
So do we take that as it's more than the sum of its parts, or that it "just doesn't add up?"
Maybe the answer is "yes." 
The Consuiler GTP suspension/chassis was designed at McKee Engineering.
kb58 wrote: So do we take that as it's more than the sum of its parts, or that it "just doesn't add up?" Maybe the answer is "yes."
A little from column A, a little from column B.
No, seriously, the Consulier had some definite advantages. For one, compared to most of its contemporaries, it cut a small hole though the air. The Consulier was also light, and that weight was nicely distributed. The car also made really good power for its day. Remember, in the early '90s, 200 horsepower was really impressive.
I ran one of Mr. Mosler's personal Consuliers at an import drag race. At the time, it was billed as the first import drag race in Florida.
For my first pass, I lined up next to a modified Honda Prelude. This was also my first time drag racing. The light turned green and we both took off. I got to the finish line like half a minute ahead of him. I actually came to a stop just past the finish line because I didn't know where to go next.
i can't say much about the car itself, but thanks to that pic i now know which colors of Rustoleum to get to paint my 84 Caprice beater..
How much better could these awesome things have done sales wise if only the were a bit of style added?
It took them 15 years or so, but they did eventually add some style to the Raptor:
The biggest problem was their looks. I think most people couldn't get past them
Article says, "Chrysler-sourced 2.2-liter turbo engines from the Omni GLH." BUT those were turbo 1 engines and the Consulier had the Turbo 2 engines from the Shelby Z Daytona.
markwemple wrote: The biggest problem was their looks. I think most people couldn't get past them
They probably look better over 100mph.
I think they look better in darker colors.
Darker colors....
There was one in a race we ran once, and I can attest to the speed. It was seriously fast on track. And the later Raptor is great looking in person.
In reply to Trackmouse : It has cantilever suspension with inboard mounted coil overs.
As for comparing it with a Celica...you could probably stack 2 Consulier's on top of each other and it might be as tall as your Celica. I've had the awesome opportunity to ride in one (the blue one in the picture in this thread, actually), granted probably one of the most powerful ones in existence, but HOLY CRAP!! Halfway through the run I couldn't stop screaming "I NEED ONE OF THESE!!!"! I've ridden in A-mod cars before, and the Consulier was simply from another planet!
The blue one above has knocked on the door of a 10-second 1/4 mile pass.
I drove the blue one. It was insane. 10 second power and handled unbelievably well. It was hard to get it out of sorts, even with 400+ hp pumping through the rear wheels. I was sad when Mike sold it.
Why the strange colors on the top photo???
Here is the corrected version.
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