Consulier GTP

The Consulier GTP was a sports car produced by the former Consulier Industries in the early 1990s.

Consulier Industries was later renamed Mosler Automotive, which then updated the car as the Mosler Intruder and again as the Raptor before production ended by 2000. The car was replaced by the Mosler MT900 the next year.

Consulier GTP
Overview
Production	1985–1993 100 produced
Powertrain
Engine	2.2 L Chrysler Turbo II I4
Dimensions
Curb weight	1950 lb (885 kg) 2166 lb (982 kg)[1]

The Consulier GTP, conceived in 1985, was a 2200 lb (998 kg) mid-engined sports car. It was powered by a turbocharged Chrysler 2.2 L Turbo II engine producing 190 hp (142 kW). The chassis was a fiberglass-and-foam monocoque, the first carbon fiber and Kevlar-bodied vehicle ever to go into production - with no structural metal in the body.^[2]

The GTP Sport was the base model, with the LX adding Recaro seats, VDO instrumentation, Fittipaldi wheels, Alpine pullout CD system, sunroof, leather, air, cruise, power locks, mirrors, and windows, tilt wheel, and wool carpets; options included a security system and cellphone. Both had full instrumentation, in a plain flat black panel, with eleven gauges in two sizes.^[2]

The GTP was widely criticized for its appearance, with Sports Car International even running a redesign contest. "We don't think it's as pretty as it could be, not by a long shot," claimed the magazine. But it was highly successful in racing. The Consulier GTP competed successfully in many races for the next six years, before being banned by the sanctioning body IMSA in 1991.

There were two series of Consuliers produced. The first series sold about 70 copies, with the remaining orders cancelled after an article in AutoWeek blasted the company as a fraud. Top speed on the Series II with the Turbo III engine was reported to be 155 mph (249 km/h).^[2]

The Series II cars had a slightly more rounded body, but the most obvious change was the removal of the louvers formerly covering the rear hatch. The Series II cars also weighed significantly less due to non structural metal being replaced by carbon fiber. Overall, 84 Consulier GTPs were produced.

A few of the cars were hybrids between the Consulier, Intruder, and Raptor. Two were built with the higher-output Turbo III engine, and some were modified to accept longitudinal Chevrolet Small-Block V8 engines. Experimental Consuliers were converted to use electricity (generated by a fuel cell) and even compressed air.

The $25,000 challenge

Creator Warren Mosler was so confident in the performance of the Consulier that he offered a $25,000 bounty to anyone who could pilot a street-legal production car around any US racetrack faster than a Consulier GTP. He later upped the bounty to $100,000 with the Turbo III-powered Consulier GTP C-4.

Car and Driver took up the challenge, racing a stock C4 Chevrolet Corvette (not a ZR-1) around the Chrysler proving grounds test track in Chelsea, Michigan.^[1] Arthur St. Antoine and Csaba Csere took three laps each in the Corvette and a 1988 Consulier GTP Series I Sport. The Corvette soundly defeated the Consulier with a best lap of 1:21.01. The Consulier's best was a 1:22.56. The C&D writers opined that the Consulier was "difficult to handle" with "anemic brakes". Confronted with this test, Mosler claimed that the test car was older and worn out. He also clarified that he would pick the track, the Consulier, and the driver to be eligible to win the money.

Supporting Mosler's position was the competition in Lime Rock Park, with a Series II Consulier GTP. The 2100 pound, 2.2 liter turbo powered car outraced Hurley Haywood's factory Porsche Turbo, Boris Said's Callaway Twin Turbo Corvette, Jim Minnaker's factory ZR1 Corvette; however, after this race, Consulier was given a 300-pound weight penalty and then banned from the IMSA series.^[2]

Mosler Intruder

In 1993, Consulier Industries created the Mosler Automotive division to focus on high-performance cars. The newly named Mosler Automotive introduced the Intruder, a rebodied Consulier with a new 300 hp (224 kW) Corvette LT1 V8 engine modified by Lingenfelter.

This car raced at the 24 hours of Nelson Ledges for two consecutive years, winning both years. Eventually, the Intruder was also banned after its dominating 1993–1994 performances. In 1996, a 450 hp (336 kW) Lingenfelter Intruder won Car and Driver magazine's One Lap of America.

Of the four Intruders built, just one was sold. Another was converted into a GT1 racing car, while the remaining pair were converted into Raptors.

Mosler Raptor

1997 brought another change to the Intruder — a radical, V-shaped split windshield that reduced drag but cut visibility. The Intruder was renamed Raptor, and emerged victorious in the 1997 and 1999 One Lap of America events.

The same car that won the 1996 One Lap event went on to win the 1997 challenge as a Raptor. This car was also tested by Car and Driver in 1998. In their tests, the car weighed 2773 lb (1258 kg) and boasted 446 hp (333 kW) at 5800 rpm and 429 ft·lbf (582 N·m) at 5000 rpm. The 383 cu in (6.3 L) Small-Block V8 was another Lingenfelter special, and the five-speed transaxle came from a Porsche 911 Turbo.

The interior continued to be a mixed bag. The steering wheel came from a Chrysler minivan, while the rest of the gauges were custom. The split windshield caused visibility problems and blocked some of the air vents.

The tested performance of the car included a 3.9 second run to 60 mph (97 km/h) and a 12.3 second and 115 mph (185 km/h) sprint through the quarter mile. Top speed was 163 mph (262 km/h), limited by drag. However, this was a development prototype and the engine was not yet performing correctly.

List price for the Raptor was $157,980 in 1998.

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Consulier GTP.

References

• Taylor, Rich (June 1990). "Consulier GTP". Sports Car International 6.6: 76–81. 
• St. Antoine, Arthur (October 1991). "Consulier GTP Sport Road Test". Car and Driver 37.4: 95–103. 
• Webster, Larry (November 1998). "Mosler Raptor Road Test". Car and Driver 44.5: 107–114. 
• Ray Thursby (March 2003). "An Ugly Past". Sports Car International 155: 43.