The 1990s were a golden era for automotive innovation, and among the standout models was the Dodge Stealth R/T Twin Turbo. As a project car during my time at Super Street magazine, this vehicle offered a thrilling blend of cutting-edge technology and striking design. My personal experience with this turbocharged marvel, closely related to the Mitsubishi 3000GT VR4, perfectly encapsulates the allure and potential pitfalls of owning a high-performance machine from that era.
From 1992 to 1996, my daily drivers were a pair of turbocharged Dodge four-cylinder front-wheel-drive cars. Seeking an upgrade in performance, I acquired a 1991 Dodge Stealth R/T Twin Turbo in the fall of 1996. The Stealth had captivated me since its debut. Its specifications were remarkable for the early 90s: twin turbochargers, 300 horsepower, all-wheel drive, and an adjustable suspension. While essentially a re-bodied Mitsubishi 3000GT, both cars boasted impressive performance and captivating aesthetics. Even now, over two decades later, I still admire their sleek and aggressive styling.
The 1991 Stealth R/T Twin Turbo was not just about looks; it delivered genuine performance with its 300 horsepower output and advanced all-wheel-drive system. I purchased my used Dodge Stealth R/T Twin Turbo from a dealer in Santa Monica. With 58,000 miles on the odometer, the $12,000 price tag seemed reasonable for a five-year-old performance car of this caliber. However, I soon discovered a critical piece of maintenance that had been overlooked: the timing belt replacement, typically due around 55,000 miles. Disaster struck less than a week after my purchase when the timing belt failed, leading to a catastrophic engine failure with pistons colliding with the valves, severely damaging the engine’s top end.
Fortuitously, in the short interval between buying the car and the timing belt failure, I had invested $1,400 in a factory Dodge warranty. The Stealth’s complex technology made me uneasy, prompting me to seek coverage, a decision I was immensely grateful for. The engine rebuild at the Santa Monica Dodge dealership took approximately two months. During this extensive service, they also replaced the clutch and addressed suspension components. Upon its return, the Stealth felt revitalized. While I incurred around $2,000 for the clutch and suspension work, which were not under warranty, the $1,400 warranty saved me an estimated $4,000 in engine repair costs for the Stealth R/T Twin Turbo.
A 1991 Dodge Stealth RT Twin Turbo parked against a scenic Colorado backdrop during a Thanksgiving road trip, illustrating its grand touring capability.
For the subsequent two years, the Stealth became my regular vehicle, undergoing modifications with parts from the HKS catalog. Working at Super Street magazine provided the perfect platform to document these upgrades. The modifications included a boost controller, a blow-off valve, and other enhancements. Things progressed smoothly until the addition of a nitrous kit. While sparingly used on public roads, the nitrous system led to a piston ring failure during a race event at Famoso Dragstrip in May 1998.
Once again, the warranty proved invaluable, covering another engine rebuild. This repair process extended to about six months. By the time the Stealth was ready, I had transitioned from Super Street to a consumer-focused website and had access to press cars daily. The Stealth, now somewhat redundant, occupied garage space and incurred insurance expenses. Shortly after its return from the repair shop, I sold it to a buyer from Santa Fe, New Mexico. He flew to LAX, and we finalized the transaction at a bank. Upon his return to Santa Fe, he contacted me, praising the car’s performance and striking visual appeal. By then, the Stealth sported 18-inch Enkei wheels and Toyo tires, enhancing its aesthetics.
I still regard the Dodge Stealth R/T Twin Turbo era (along with its Mitsubishi 3000GT VR4 counterpart) as representing some of the most visually stunning supercars of the 1990s. However, their considerable weight (around 4,000 pounds) and the reality of aging technology did raise concerns about long-term ownership costs, which, as my experiences showed, were indeed justified. Despite these potential drawbacks, the Dodge Stealth R/T Twin Turbo remains a significant and memorable vehicle in automotive history, symbolizing the performance and design ambitions of the 90s.
