One-off Dodge Turbo Charger concept from Klairmont museum sells for $55,000 at Mecum, underscoring interest in ’80s Mopar prototypes.
A seldom-seen slice of early-1980s Mopar experimentation found a new home over the weekend as the 1982 Dodge Turbo Charger Concept sold for $55,000 at Mecum’s Larry’s Legacy Auction. The car, offered at no reserve and long preserved within the Klairmont Kollections Automotive Museum, crossed the block as a period-perfect time capsule from Dodge’s turbocharged, front-drive renaissance.
The wedge-shaped hatchback, presented by Mecum as a pace car–style concept, epitomizes the era’s wind-tunnel shapes, blackout trim, and bold graphics that previewed Dodge’s move toward compact, performance-minded models. While concept cars frequently trade in handbuilt theatrics more than hard numbers, the Turbo Charger’s mission was clear: signal that Chrysler’s new generation of smaller cars could deliver legitimate speed and style alongside fuel economy.
The sale price places the car firmly in the attainable end of the concept-and-prototype market, which can swing wildly depending on originality, provenance, and road-going capability. For bidders, the appeal here was less about outright performance and more about narrative — a drivable showpiece tied to a pivotal moment for Chrysler under Lee Iacocca, when front-wheel drive platforms and the then-new 2.2-liter turbo program helped steady the company’s post-malaise footing.
Hailing directly from the museum floor, the Turbo Charger Concept arrived with the kind of patina that collectors increasingly value in display-grade vehicles: correct finishes, era-authentic graphics, and the sort of bespoke trim and fixtures typical of hand-assembled show cars. That authenticity, paired with no-reserve positioning, drew steady interest before the hammer fell at $55,000.
Concept cars of this period rarely surface, and when they do, values often reflect how “production-adjacent” they are. Designs that previewed cues for showroom models or served as traveling showpieces for corporate exhibits tend to be more approachable than fully bespoke, running prototypes or later supercar concepts. In that context, the Turbo Charger closes the gap between blue-sky design study and brand story artifact — a combination that resonated with bidders in Chicago.
The result also highlights a broader trend: growing enthusiasm for 1980s and early-1990s performance projects, especially those that telegraph a brand’s turning point. Dodge’s turbocharged front-drivers — from early Chargers to later Daytonas and Shadows — built a loyal following for their boost-happy character and tuner-friendly hardware. A concept that celebrated that pivot fits neatly into today’s nostalgia-driven collecting landscape.
For the buyer, the Turbo Charger Concept offers display presence and conversation-starter provenance more than lap times. For the market, the sale is a reminder that historically significant design studies don’t need seven-figure estimates to matter. Sometimes, the most compelling pieces are the ones that tell the story of how a company — and an era — found its speed again.
