Mention Shelby, and most enthusiasts immediately picture a muscular Mustang or a snarling Cobra. However, Carroll Shelby also spent much of the 1980s turning ordinary Chrysler products into surprisingly entertaining performance cars.
One of his lesser-known creations was the Shelby Lancer, a turbocharged sports sedan based on the humble Dodge Lancer, not to be confused with the Mitsubishi model with the same name. It certainly doesn’t have the presence of a GT500, but its rarity makes it an interesting piece of American performance history.
Now, an exceptionally well-preserved 1987 Shelby Lancer has appeared on Bring a Trailer, showing just 1,100 miles on its odometer. That’s remarkably little use for a car approaching its 40th birthday.
This particular example is even rarer than you might expect, because it comes from the single model year when Shelby Automobiles built the Lancer at its California facility. Only approximately 800 were produced before Chrysler took over production of the later Dodge Lancer Shelby.
A Shelby That Looks Nothing Like A Mustang
Finished in Graphic Red, the car features Shelby graphics, a functional hood vent, front air dam, rear spoiler, and 15-inch basketweave wheels. It’s unmistakably a product of the 1980s, although its relatively understated appearance is part of the appeal.
Under the hood sits a turbocharged and intercooled 2.2-liter four-cylinder engine producing 175 horsepower and 175 lb-ft of torque. Those figures might seem modest today, but they were respectable for a compact, front-wheel-drive performance sedan in 1987.
In this car, power is sent to the front wheels via the optional three-speed automatic transmission. There’s no denying that a manual would be more entertaining, but the automatic doesn’t diminish the car’s rarity.
Just 1,100 Miles In Nearly Four Decades
According to the auction listing, the current owner’s father originally purchased the car new, and it stayed in the family when ownership changed in 2006. The dashboard plaque identifies it as Shelby Lancer number 590.
Inside, there’s gray leather upholstery, air conditioning, power windows, and a power-adjustable driver’s seat. The leather-wrapped steering wheel even carries Carroll Shelby’s signature.
The car isn’t completely flawless, despite its incredibly low mileage. The seller notes cracking paint on the hood, deteriorating rear-quarter-window weatherstripping, and an intermittently functioning Pioneer stereo.
A Forgotten Shelby Heads To Auction
The original window sticker lists a price of $18,660, and the sale includes factory documentation and a clean Carfax report. The car is being offered through Bring a Trailer, with bidding scheduled to end on November 3.
For enthusiasts who appreciate unusual performance cars, this Shelby offers something different from the familiar Mustang-based machines. It might not have a roaring V8 or rear-wheel drive, but finding another California-built Shelby Lancer with so few miles won’t be easy.