1989 Shelby CSX VNT

1989 marked the last year that Shelby would create his own Dodge-based front wheel drive car, and his last Dodge-based car period. These two descriptions happen to apply to the same car - the 1989 CSX. It was based on the Dodge Shadow, as was the 87 CSX, but these two cars are much more different than their common name suggests. In fact, the 89 CSX was a worldwide technological groundbreaker in a few significant ways.

We'll start with the engine. Dodge had made many changes to the factory's Turbo II engine for 89, but the 89 CSX's powerplant was not based upon it. Instead it was centered around an 88 Turbo II which was then converted to Turbo IV specs. The familiar intercooler was in place and connected to the one-piece tuned intake manifold used in the 88 CSX-T, but it was attached to a brand new turbo (seen below). This Garrett unit featured variable nozzles - small blades surounding the exhaust turbine. Their purpose was to reduce turbo lag, and they functioned like this: at low turbo speeds, the blades would close. This decreases the volume of the turbine housing, causing more rapid acceleration of the compressor and thus faster spool-up. Once up to speed the blades would open and increase the airflow, allowing for control of the boost level. Besides reducing turbo lag, these nozzles allowed for the removal of the wastegate; the nozzles now provided this function. The whole operation was controlled by the car's computer based on data received from throttle position, manifold pressure, and so on.

This remarkable turbo, the first VNT ever seen on a production car anywhere, made for a very fun drive. While maximum boost was still set at only 12psi and the power rating was unmoved at 175hp at 5300rpm, the torque rating raises an eyebrow: 205lb-ft at a basement-like 2100rpm. Dragstrip acceleration didn't differ much from the 87 CSX: 60 showed up in 7.0 seconds and the quarter mile was covered in 15.3 seconds at 90 mph; top speed was nearly unchanged at 132 mph. The key difference was felt when accellerating from a rolling start. To measure this difference, Car and Driver tested acceleration in top gear from 30 to 50 and also from 50 to 70. The 87 CSX required 15.0 and 12.0 seconds respectively in those tests whereas the 89 CSX VNT needed only 11.7 and 8.5 seconds. The reduction in boost build-up time is clearly seen.

The interior began life as an 89 Shadow and went from there. The Shelby name was emblazened rather generously; new cloth with a SHELBY pattern covered all the seats and the door panels. Full Shadow instrumentation appeared; above the center console was a boost guage labeled Shelby Turbo, just as in the 87 CSX and 88 CSX-T. Standard equipment included the infamous wider throttle pedal, air conditioning, full-length console, Shelby floor mats, light package, dual remote outside mirrors, rear defrost, split-folding rear seat, and the signature leather-wrapped steering wheel. One interesting note: an AM/FM stereo cassette player with seek, scan, and 4 speakers was declared the standard sound system (with no upgrades available). However, many 89 CSX cars feature merely an AM/FM stereo. I have no documentation as to the number of cars without a cassette deck; it has been theorized that perhaps half of them lack the tape player.

Underneath the car featured the usual enhancements: stainless steel exhaust system, Monroe Formula GP shocks and struts, beefy sway bars (1.22" front, 1.13" rear), and 195/60VR-15 Goodyear Eagle GT+4s. One note: as with most Shelby cars, the CSX was said to be set up (read: aligned) quite a bit differently than the Dodge upon which it was based. The 89 CSX seemed to go even further, however. Many people feel that it is the best-handling Shelby car and also one of the best-handling cars period. It has been notably praised for its neutral, non-understeering demeanor. As one friend and CSX-VNT owner told me, "It's the first front-drive car that can really handle!"

Externally, the car was very audacious and arrogant. The sole color was Exotic Red, which is a blend of bright red and maroon. Many body add-ons unique to the CSX VNT were present: a large, very deep airdam up front, special lower side moldings, a rear airdam below the bumper, and a larger wing on the trunklid. A few simple gold CSX decals were seen, as was a gold Shelby decal on the windshield.

VERY unique - another first for production cars worldwide - was the use of gold 5-spoke Fiberide composite wheels. These were constructed of a fiberglass-reinforced plastic which is stronger than aluminum and also lighter. Shelby's wheel plant made these wheels; embossed into one spoke is the word SHELBY (tough to read in the photo, but it's there).

There were only two options available: a tire upgrade to Goodyear Gatorbacks size 225/50VR15, and Recaro seats with huge side bolsters. When Recaros were selected, they were also coated in the exclusive Shelby cloth like the standard seats.

Production for the year was limited to 500; however, two were then modified into factory prototypes and only the remaining 498 were intended for sale. Of these, 273 (?) were equipped with the seats, it is unknown how many had the wide tires, and only 15 featured both options. The test car which was featured in many car magazines was equipped with both, so many people were mistakenly led to believe that all 89s were so equipped.

Modified 10/7/97.