The 1986 Vestron film The Wraith showcased a variety of Mopars.
The movie featured several Dodge Daytonas, gave a first glimpse of the the Plymouth Sundance (about a
year before it was introduced) and a battered '65 Plymouth Barracuda. However, it
was the 1984 Dodge M4S prototype sports coupe that stole the show in the movie (donated by
Dodge to the film makers).
The 'Turbo Interceptor'
1984 Dodge-PPG Twin Turbo M4S Prototype
This vehicle should have top billing over Charlie Sheen in the film (it was in the movie for about twice as many scenes as Charlie Sheen!).
This car is known as 'The Wraith' or 'Turbo Interceptor' in the film. The vehicle was originally a pace car developed
by Chrysler and PPG in 1984. Over 30 cars were constructed for the film for various stunts and crash sequences. The beauty version
of the car featured a $30,000 paint job. The M4S was a slippery teardrop sports car design that was seriously considered for production.
However, Dodge did not produce it because of high manufacturing costs (the marketing people in 1984 saw no market for a high-performance Dodge
sports car for about $50,000 -- although the Viper proved otherwise).
The vehicle was track tested and achieved a top speed of 194.8 miles per hour. The car's drivetrain utilized a 5 speed manual transmission out
of the '85 Dodge Turbo Daytona. The engine was a stock block, the durable 2.2 liter Inline four used in other Dodge offerings like the Dodge
Daytona and Aries. This engine made 400 horsepower thanks to twin Garrett T25 turbos, a twincam Cosworth 16-valve cylinder head and Bosch L-Jettronic
fuel injection (this research was later used to developed the 2.2 liter Turbo 4 used in the Iroc Daytona and Spirit R/T). Under normal driving
conditions, this engine combination averaged around 27 mpg in the city and over 30 at highway speeds (mileage dropped to around 23 mpg past 150 mph).
Other Notable features on this car are Gullwing doors and its clam shell hood. The really nice part, this vehicle
featured a mid-engine layout (very unique for a Mopar). Actually, the Dodge Designation M4S stands for Mid-engine 4 Cylinder Sport.
The car also featured a perfect 50/50 weight distribution between its front wheels and rear wheels. It rolled on 15 inch aluminum wheels (depicted
with a gold tint in the film). These same wheels soon became optional on Daytona, Acclaims and Chrysler minivans.
The Vitals:
2.2 Trans Four OHC 8 valve I4 (2198 cc / 132 cid)
400 Horsepower @ 7000 RPM
300 lbs of torque
0-60 mph in 4.1 seconds (estimated)
1/4 mile: 12.9 seconds @ 104 mph (estimated)
Top Speed: 194.8 (observed speed - Road & Track Magazine)
The Dodge Daytonas in the Wraith
There were multiple Dodge Daytonas depicted in the film. The first was a white '86 Shelby Daytona
that was in the opening chase (versus a late '70 Corvette). This car was later converted to rear wheel
drive, with a blown V8 and painted red! It car however was smashed up by the evil 'Wraith' and flew
off a cliff (a waste). It was a nice car, it was decked out with Leather and Digital Instrumentation.
The second Daytona, a white one was a glipse at the redesigned '87 Daytona with concealed flip-up
headlamps was shown in the bad guy's warehouse. This car was seen a year before it was released, courtesy of this film (same thing for the PA
Plymouth Sundance shown at the Drive-In Restuarant).
MORE INFO ON THE 'WRAITH CARS' COMING SOON (The 'Cuda!!!)
