The only road-legal ‘Wraith’ turns up for sale at auction

Article content

The world of high-end automobiles is no stranger to rare and unique vehicles. However, every once in a while, something truly special happens along—in this case, that “something truly special” is a Turbo Interceptor, one that recently surfaced via eBay auction, before being written up by BarnFinds.com. The car’s claim to fame is its starring role in the 1986 sci-fi fantasy movie The Wraith, alongside a young Charlie Sheen. In the supernatural classic film, the vehicle had regenerative powers, and was able to “resurrect” itself each time it took out the bad guys in fiery crashes.

Article content

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

The only road-legal ‘Wraith’ turns up for sale at auction Back to video

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Play Video

Sure, the Wraith Turbo Interceptor is no Back to the Future DeLorean or James Bond Aston Martin, but it still manages to stand out with its unique styling and heritage. The movie car was based on the M4S concept car, designed by Dodge on a fully functioning platform.

The “M4S” designation is a reference to the car’s mid-engine four-cylinder sports-car configuration. At the heart of the concept’s sleek aerodynamic body is a 2.2-litre engine fitted with double overhead camshafts, sixteen valves, and a pair of Garrett turbochargers. The M4S made 440 hp, and could reportedly hit a top speed just shy of 320 km/h (200 mph).

Article content

Dodge originally planned to use the M4S as the pace car for the PPG Indycar Series, but that never happened. Instead, the M4S became the hero car in the Wraith movie, where it was used under closely monitored conditions. The movie studio also built four replicas for use where the car’s outright performance was not required. Two were destroyed during filming, while the others are now squirrelled away in private garages.

According to reports, this particular Wraith Turbo Interceptor is not one of those original movie cars, but instead a standalone vehicle. It’s also apparently the only road-legal example ever built, making it even more unique. The Turbo Interceptor does stay true to the original design, complete with the correct overall body shape, clamshell hood, and scissor doors.

Article content

Article content

The mechanical framework is a mystery, though. It is unclear if it’s built on a bespoke chassis, or a production frame taken from some vehicle. The interior is another highlight of the Turbo Interceptor, boasting a truly impressive fit and finish with several hi-tech gadgets.

Understandably, the seller is not willing to part cheaply with their prized vehicle. The eBay listing – which shows an auction end date of June 19—just missed it! – quoted a starting bid of US$290,000, with a BIN (Buy-It-Now) option of US$499,000. It ended up not selling, apparently, netting zero bids. We wouldn’t read much into that, though—cars like this typically don’t stay on the market for too long. Surely, it will only be a matter of time before the car attracts the attention of some eccentric collector with a love for unicorns and cash to spare.