The Internet is a funny place, folks. Sometimes you write something about an obscure car you saw at a car show, and then get a response from the very person who created that car. Well that’s exactly what happened here.

I saw this Consulier GTP at Lime Rock over Labor Day weekend, and I wrote the segment below after some quick research for context on the car. Evidently, Mr. Mosler had some issues with what I found, and hey, who else would know better than him, right?

I haven’t altered anything here. I wanted to let the man himself say his piece about the car he created. I have left my original words intact below along with his responses.

Read it for yourselves, and see what you come away with:

 

My original words – “Close your eyes and picture yourself behind the wheel of an exotic supercar, blasting down the open road at high speed, and then rolling into town, turning every head along the way. This probably isn’t quite what you had in mind, is it?

This is the Consulier GTP became the foundation of the company we knew, until recently, as Mosler Automotive (maker of the MT-900 supercar). It was produced from 1985 to 1993 as the Consulier GTP, then it became the Mosler Intruder until production ceased in 2000.

Although extremely rare, with only 70 examples produced, the Consulier GTP wasn’t the ideal supercar, even in its own day. If you are blessed with the gift of sight, then you already know it’s not big on sex appeal, but it wasn’t all that fast either. Under the hood it sported a wheezy little Chrysler 2.2L turbo four banger… hardly the exotic V12 or potent V8 one would’ve hoped for. On the bright side, it only weighed around 2,200lbs, so it made decent use of its meager 175-190hp. The higher output model was said to be good for 155mph, though, I’d imagine it’d need a good bit of room to do so.

In the day, Warren Mosler put offered a $25,000 bounty to anyone who could beat the Consulier GTP around any American racetrack in another stock car. Car & Driver took up the challenge and beat the Consulier with a stock LT1 Corvette. Pretty embarrassing, and he didn’t even pay out, claiming all sorts of excuses.

The Consulier GTP is one of a number of quirky American exotics that has been made over the years. It was an effective track car in many respects, but that was about all. Mosler did a way better job in the 2000s with the MT900 before they went bust, but they at least fixed the Consulier GTP when they turned it into the Mosler Intruder by trading that wimpy Chrysler 4-pot for a proper LT1 V8.

Mosler later went and made two Raptor GTRs, which were even higher performing Intruders with around 450hp. I actually saw one of the two Mosler Raptor GTRs on the street at a gas station in Oahu, Hawaii a few years ago. I knew what the old Moslers looked like, and this one had “RAPTOR GTR” in big letters across the side. After a little research, I found there were only two units made, and one did indeed reside on the island of Oahu. It was a hell of a spot, but unfortunately I couldn’t get photos from the bus as we drove by.

As for the Consulier GTP, this is the first and only one I’ve seen in person. It’s a very interesting car, mainly because it’s so rare, but also because it’s so quirky. It was surely quite a sight at Lime Rock Park this weekend.”

Warren B. Mosler – “Same cheap shots and misinformation the press has been spewing since the first one was presented in 1988, and remained the top performance car manufactured US legal by a wide margin until the debut of the Mosler MT900”

Me – “Care to clarify it, then? We the people hear only what is written in media, and I’d imagine, from your last name, that you may have a different angle on it.

Please. The mic is yours…”

Warren B. Mosler – “Comments below in CAPS:

This is the Consulier GTP became the foundation of the company we knew, until recently, as Mosler Automotive (maker of the MT-900 supercar). It was produced from 1985 to 1993 as the Consulier GTP,
THE FIRST ONE WAS DELIVERED IN 1988, THE LAST ONE WAS A 1992 ‘SHELBY’ WITH A 16 VALVE 2.2 TURBO PACKAGE

then it became the Mosler Intruder until production ceased in 2000.
INTRUDERS WERE NEVER MANUFACTURED AND SOLD AS STREET LEGAL VEHICLES. THE ONE YOU SAW IN HAWAII BEGAN AS A STREET LEGAL CONSULIER AND WAS LATER CONVERTED TO AN INTRUDER AND AFTER THAT A RAPTOR WINDSHIELD WAS INSTALLED.

Although extremely rare, with only 70 examples produced,
MAYBE ONLY 60

the Consulier GTP wasn’t the ideal supercar, even in its own day. If you are blessed with the gift of sight, then you already know it’s not big on sex appeal, but it wasn’t all that fast either.
IT DID 0-60 IN ABOUT 5 SECONDS, AND A 14 SECOND 1/4 MILE, WHICH I RECALL WAS A LOT FASTER THAN A CORVETTE. AND ON A TYPICAL ROAD RACE TRACK A STOCK CONSULIER WAS GENERALLY 8 SECONDS A LAP FASTER THAN ANYTHING ELSE MANUFACTURED STREET LEGAL.

Under the hood it sported a wheezy little Chrysler 2.2L turbo four banger… hardly the exotic V12 or potent V8 one would’ve hoped for.
IT WAS THE TURBO II PACKAGE FROM THE DODGE DAYTONA SHELBY Z AND PRODUCED 175 HP, NOT FAR FROM THE 215-220 HP PRODUCED BY THE MUCH HEAVIER V8 IN THE CORVETTE. SO ON A POWER TO WEIGHT BASIS IT WAS THE TOP PERFORMANCE ENGINE AVAILABLE AT THE TIME, AS THE PERFORMANCE OF THE CONSULIER CLEARLY DEMONSTRATED.

On the bright side, it only weighed around 2,200lbs, so it made decent use of its meager 175-190hp. The higher output model was said to be good for 155mph, though, I’d imagine it’d need a good bit of room to do so.
THE 16 VALVE SHELBY EDITION PRODUCED 220 HP AND LOWERED 0-60 TIMES TO JUST OVER 4 SECONDS, AND ALSO REDUCED LAP TIMES BY 2 SECONDS OR MORE.

In the day, Warren Mosler put offered a $25,000 bounty to anyone who could beat the Consulier GTP around any American racetrack in another stock car. Car & Driver took up the challenge and beat the Consulier with a stock LT1 Corvette. Pretty embarrassing, and he didn’t even pay out, claiming all sorts of excuses.
THAT’S NOT AT ALL HOW IT HAPPENED. IN 1991 I GOT A CALL FROM CAR AND DRIVER TELLING ME I OWED THEM $25,000. I ASKED WHY, AND THEY SAID THAT THEY RAN A 1992 CORVETTE AROUND THE CHRYSLER PROVING GROUND TRACK A HALF A SECOND FASTER THAN A CONSULIER THEY HAD. I FIRST ASKED HOW THEY GOT A 1992 CORVETTE AS THEY HADN’T EVEN BEEN ANNOUNCED YET. THEY SAID AN EMPLOYEE HAD A CONNECTION AND GOT ONE. THEN I ASKED WHAT CONSULIER THEY HAD, AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS THE ONE THAT I HAD IN A PARKING LOT IN DETROIT. I ASKED HOW THEY GOT IT AS I HAD LEFT IT THERE FOR SOMEONE ELSE. THEY SAID THEY KNEW THE ATTENDANT AND HE LET THEM TAKE IT. I SAID IT SOUNDED TO ME LIKE THEY STOLE IT AND THEY AGREED. IN ANY CASE THAT CONSULIER HAD BEEN USED FOR A FULL SEASON BY TRACK TIME DRIVING SCHOOL, AND HAD WORN OUT GENERAL TIRES ON IT. I ASKED ABOUT THE BRAKE PADS WHICH WERE PROBABLY WORN OUT, AND THEY AGREED AND SAID THE CAR TURNED LEFT WHEN THEY STEPPED ON THE BRAKES. I THEN SUGGESTED THAT WITH OLD TIRES AND BRAKES BEING ONLY 1/2 SECOND SLOWER THAN NEXT YEAR’S CORVETTE WAS PRETTY IMPRESSIVE IN ANY CASE AND THEY AGREED. I ASKED WHO DROVE IT AND THEY SAID ONE OF THEM DID. SO I THEN SAID THAT I WOULD SEND UP MY DRIVER AND A SET OF BRAKE PADS AND IF IT DIDN’T BEAT THE CORVETTE I’D GIVE THEM THE $25,000. THEY SAID THAT WASN’T FAIR BECAUSE MY DRIVER MIGHT BE BETTER THAN THEIRS. I SAID THEY COULD GET ANY DRIVER THEY WANTED, INCLUDING MARIO ANDRETTI OR ANY OTHER PRO, BUT ITS A MAJOR CONFLICT OF INTEREST TO HAVE THEIR DRIVER DRIVING MY CAR AND GETTING $25,000 IF HE LOSES. THEY TOOK OFFENSE AT THAT SUGGESTION AND TOLD ME NOT TO SEND MY DRIVER, ETC. THEY THEN WROTE THE ARTICLE YOU MAY HAVE READ. THE DRIVER’S SCHOOL CAR WAS FINISHED FOR JUST THAT PURPOSE. IT HAD NO FINISHES IN THE INTERIOR, PLASTIC SIDE WINDOWS (LIKE A FERRARI F40) AND 3 12V OUTLETS ON THE DASH SO TRACK TIME COULD PLUG IN THEIR EQUIPMENT. IN THE ARTICLE THEY COMPARED THE FINISH TO A NEW NISSAN (DATSUN) AND RIDICULED JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING ABOUT THE CAR. BUT THE PERFORMANCE NUMBERS STAND, AND CONSIDERING THE WORN OUT TIRES AND BRAKES THEY ARE STILL IMPRESSIVE!”

Warren B. Mosler – “Also, the race history of the Consulier is unparalleled in the world of motor sports. We won the Nelson Ledges 24 hour race 3 times and were always on the pole before being kicked out for being too competitive. We won the first IMSA Supercar series and were subsequently kicked out for being too competitive. We won numerous regional SCCA races and were never allowed to compete in the nationals. An Intruder won the Car and Driver one lap of America 3 times before we were kicked out of that series. After a French team won in class at the IMSA 24 hours of Daytona we were kicked out of that series. And the FIA wouldn’t let the MT900 run in international events, though it did and continues to compete successfully in national races such as Britcar, Spanish GT, Dutch Supercar Series, and a few others. And after 16 years they still make it carry ballast and restrict the engine, and it still wins races and qualifies on the front row.”

See Warren’s additional comment and link below as well.

My hope is that this edit and reposting of this article may help to clear up a few things about the Consulier GTP, and give some improved context for it on the web. I was originally just looking for some quick info on this car, but I wound up with a first hand account to share with you all.

Thank you Mr. Mosler for providing your own context to your creation.

-Nick Walker