A striking piece of Dodge history with ties to both motorsports and design experimentation will cross the block at Mecum’s Larry’s Legacy 2025 auction on September 20. The 1982 Dodge Turbo Charger Concept Car, originally developed as a showpiece and pace car, remains a unique one-off creation from Chrysler’s turbulent early 1980s era.
The late Larry Klairmont spent more than a decade collecting rare and coveted classic and collector cars, along with thousands of items of Road Art and memorabilia to complete the look and feel of his Chicago-based museum. A long-time dedicated customer of Mecum Auctions, Klairmont had full faith in the company’s proven ability to draw the best audiences in the world, which is why the museum has selected Mecum to handle the upcoming sale of his treasured collection. Mecum Auctions has spent more than 38 years building trust among the collector car community, offering more than 2,000 collections of varying types in that time. For the company’s lucky bidders, such collections often offer rare buying opportunities for vehicles that have long been tucked away or that have never changed hands at all, along with the peace of mind that the cars were held in the attentive care of a true-blue collector car enthusiast. Click here to register for the Larry’s Legacy auction, to be held on-site at the museum’s downtown Chicago location this Sept. 19-21.
Developed when Chrysler was fighting for survival under Lee Iacocca, the Turbo Charger Concept was far more than a cosmetic exercise. It served as an official PPG Indy Car World Series pace car in 1981 and 1982 and appeared at the Chicago and Detroit Auto Shows in 1982. Beneath the skin sat Chrysler’s turbocharged 2.2-liter inline-four—an engine program later refined with help from Carroll Shelby—mated to a five-speed manual gearbox. Suspension upgrades included a widened track, reworked sway bars, springs, shocks and upgraded braking, all aimed at turning the concept into a functional showcase of Chrysler engineering.
Visually, the car was unlike anything in Dodge showrooms. Originally finished in silver and red, it was later repainted silver and blue. Its design featured gullwing doors, a pedestal-mounted rear spoiler, slanted nose with flush headlight covers, rear wheel skirts, a lower air dam, and flush-mounted glass. Unique details such as door-integrated brake ducts and PPG pace car markings further set it apart.
The cabin emphasized motorsport inspiration, with Recaro racing seats, RJS harnesses, a roll cage and an aircraft-style dashboard stretching across the interior. Rear seats were deleted in favor of a storage shelf, underscoring its purpose-built character.
Riding on three-piece SVI wheels with Goodyear radials, the Turbo Charger Concept embodied Chrysler’s experimental spirit during a time of corporate reinvention. As a singular build with historic ties, it represents an unrepeatable chapter in Dodge’s performance story.
Would you consider this wild, one-off pace car a collectible centerpiece or simply a fascinating artifact of Chrysler’s survival era? See it here.
