gavriil

The next generation Neon will be a combination of efforts between Chrysler and Mitsubishi. The new Neon will designed by Chrysler and engineered by Mitsubishi. This is very similar to how Chrysler is developing the new Crossfire with Mercedes. Read more for all the details.

The 2.0 engine will no longer be offered, and a new engine, developed by Hyundai, and used by Chrysler, Mitsubishi, and Mercedes, will be the powerplant. The new engine is vastly superior to, both, the current 2.0 and 2.4. It uses direct injection; which goes very well with turbochargering, and will produce even more amazing numbers than the current SRT . The car will also be given an interior upgrade. The Mitsubishi Evo is a preview of what we can expect from the future Neons.

Sarlacc

Oh christ...

gavriil

There is like 4-5 different brands involved in this project

Nicky Pass

Maybe it will not be a woman's car anymore!

Zapata

:shudder: Remember the dodge omni. ugh.

jimcol711

a new gen dodge neon thats equivelant to the EVO??? sounds fucking awesome!! and it will be alot cheaper than than EVO too im sure.

heyitsme

whens the new neon due out, srt should be interesting.

Sarlacc

well the new neon just came out last year and the srt4 has been out for a couple months so this NEW neon is a few years away im sure. And it will still be a tiny speedy deathtrap no matter what they do.

GreenMonster

I do. Dodge Omni Shelby GLH (Goes Like Heck), there are a couple out there that would spank a CLS.

240WHP+ @ 2000lbs vehicle weight (no bottle, just turbo). There is nothing wrong w/ oldschool domestic rice

http://www.lucasviking.com/shelby/ar...4/mtsissu4.htm

Red Nj-s

Sounds good to me. Not like I would ever buy one, but I am sure sum1 will.

gavriil

Under the Hood: DodgeSRT-4

By Dave Coleman
Photography: Dave Coleman, Josh Jacquot, Joe Wilssens


If the Dodge SRT-4 needs anything, it's a limited-slip differential, not more power. For 2004, it's getting both. In addition to a factory-installed Quaife differential, the new SRT-4 is getting a ratings boost from 215 hp to 230. As anyone with a right foot already knows, the "215 hp" SRT-4 was already underrated, making 223 hp at the wheels on our Dynojet. So is the new power real, or just a ratings adjustment? That depends on the weather.

We dyno test with a decent fan and a monkey spraying water on the intercooler. This, we've found, is a reasonable simulation of the 80-mph breeze that should actually be blowing across the intercooler at the top of third gear. DaimlerChrysler tests with a relatively hot intercooler, so it gets less power. The SRT-4's engine management actually adjusts for hot weather by increasing boost until it's making the same power it would in cold weather, so there should still be no difference. Problem is, the 2003 model had injectors that weren't quite big enough to allow full compensation under DaimlerChrysler's test conditions.

For 2004, injector flow rate has been bumped up 10 percent, leaving the headroom for better altitude and temperature compensation. Because DaimlerChrysler measures injector flow differently than the aftermarket, getting a useful flow rating is difficult. In DC world, the new injectors are 577 cc/min. In our world, with lower fuel pressure (43 psi is the older standard; DC uses 58.) and different test fluid density, we think they may be considered 378cc/min. We'll bench test some when we get our project car.

With the new calibration, we've been told to expect about 5 hp more under our test conditions, and about 15 in more severe heat.

But power isn't enough to satisfy some of you. Since our first test of the car, we've received approximately 6,000 letters saying exactly the same thing: "Sure the SRT-4 is fast, but it's still a Neon. It'll break down before the end of the quarter mile, blah blah blah..." We really wanted to shoot back some knowledgeable defense of the poor Neon, but ignorance held our tongues. Sure, the 70,000-mile powertrain warranty suggests some level of engine strength, but we'd never actually seen inside one.

To close this glaring knowledge gap, we went to Michigan with a camera and a list of geeky questions about rod bolt diameters, valve angles and combustion dynamics.

What we found is a ridiculously strong-looking engine that should survive many a quarter mile. You can thank the PT Cruiser for the SRT-4's powerplant, as it was a desperate need for a horsepower-based PT sales boost that justified turbocharging the 2.4-liter engine and gave the development team the signal to go overboard.

With a short deadline on engine development, there was no time to prove the durability of low-cost, marginal-strength parts. Where typical engine development teams would spend time whittling away pennies finding the least expensive design that could meet durability targets, the turbo 2.4 team just threw in stronger parts and more expensive materials, cost be damned.

Along with its beefiness comes heft, however. The SRT-4 engine weighs 339 pounds (with the alternator, but without the A/C compressor, power steering pump, or any oil in the pan). That's enough words, look at the pictures. n

Vital Stats
Engine block
Block construction : Cast iron, closed deck, split crankcase
Bore x stroke : 87.5mm x 101.0mm
Displacement : 2,429cc
Compression ratio : 8.1:1
Bore spacing : 96mm
Deck height : 238.14mm
Connecting rod design : Forged, cracked caps, threaded-in 9mm rod bolts
Connecting rod length : 151mm
Rod/stroke ratio : 1.50:1
Crank design : Cast high-hardness steel
Main bearing diameter : 60mm
Rod bearing diameter : 50mm
Cylinder Head
Head construction : Cast aluminum
Combustion chamber design : 48-degree pent-roof with partial cloverleaf between intake valves
Valvetrain : Hydraulically adjusted rocker arm with roller cam followers
Intake valve size : 34.80mm
Exhaust valve size : 28.45mm
Intake valve angle : 24.46 degrees
Exhaust valve angle : 23.5 degrees


The cast-iron block looks extremely stout, with a closed deck on top and a very strong split crankcase. Rather than individual main bearing caps, or even caps joined by a main bearing girdle, the block simply extends past the crank and is split right down the crank centerline. The bottom half (called the bedplate) incorporates all the main bearing caps. In addition to improved strength, this design offers reduced noise and vibration, so it's becoming fairly common in modern engine design



The crank is cast, but the use of higher-hardness steel and careful attention to detail makes it quite strong. The bearings are large, at 60mm for the mains and 50mm for the rod bearings, and naturally it's fully counterweighted. It's the details like the cold-rolled fillets at the edges of the bearings that really matter, though. The corner where each bearing meets the crank throw is an area of high stress concentration, so the corner is rounded (filleted) to spread out the stress and prevent cracking. By cold rolling this fillet instead of cutting it, the steel gets work hardened, just as it would in a forged crank, making this most critical area stronger. The SRT-4 drag teams are rumored to be making between 800 and 1200 hp on the stock crank (and stock block and bedplate), so we figure it's strong enough.




The connecting rods are forged in one solid piece, machined, and then broken in half. That's right, the rod-bearing cap is created by simply snapping off the bottom half of the rod bearing. These "cracked" rods fit together perfectly, thanks to the jagged interface, ensuring a perfectly round rod bearing when the rod is assembled. This cracking technique is common on flimsy powdered-metal rods, but relatively rare on forged parts.




The rod bolts are the same 9mm in diameter as the naturally aspirated 2.4, but use a slightly different thread shape (called MJ9 if you insist on knowing everything) with a slightly more rounded chamfer at the bottom of the threads to reduce stress concentration. Since the base of the threads is the bolt's weakest point, this simple change strengthens the entire bolt.





The extra heat of turbocharged combustion makes for some hot pistons. That heat is carried away in part by a spray of oil from an oil squirter at the bottom of each cylinder. The high volume of oil flowing from these squirters can rob valuable oil from the rest of the engine, so each sprayer has a small ball valve to shut off oil flow at idle and low rpm when the oil pump can't flow enough to supply everything.






Of course, those low oil flow situations will be rare, since the SRT-4 oil pump uses a high-flow gerotor set (that's the set of goofy-looking gear thingies that actually pump the oil) stolen from Chrysler's 4.7-liter V8.





The balance shaft assembly hangs under the front three cylinders. While it could be removed in much the same way we removed the balance shafts on the QR25DE in our SE-R Spec-V rally car (being sure to plug the oil feed hole and add a windage tray), the SRT-4 engine has a longer stroke, more reciprocating mass from its beefier rods, and worse rod/stroke ratio, which causes more violent piston acceleration. Removing the balance shafts would probably free up 8 or 9 hp like it did on the Nissan engine, but engine vibration without the shafts would be far more severe than it was with the relatively lightweight QR25. Besides, with a turbo, the extra 9 hp would be more easily achieved with a hair more boost.






The structural cast-aluminum oil pan hides some interesting details. The gasket, for instance, has some extensions that stick between the counterweights to scrape oil from the crank (no, they don't actually touch it). With the balance shafts in front, these scrapers are only possible on the rear of the crank. Oil passages in the pan carry oil to the oil/water oil cooler and oil filter. The lack of baffling around the oil pickup does make us a bit nervous about high-g cornering, but remember, the balance shaft assembly sits right above the oil pickup, acting like a big, thick windage tray. This should help keep oil down in the pan.






The turbo pistons, cast by Mahle from a eutectic aluminum alloy, have a shorter pin height (the distance from the wrist pin to the top of the piston) than the naturally aspirated piston on the left, lowering compression to 8.1:1. The turbo pistons also use full floating wrist pins, where the naturally aspirated pins are pressed into the piston. Full floating pins cause less friction and better handle the higher cylinder pressures. The skirts are coated with Mahle's Grafal low-friction coating for, well, less friction. The top compression ring groove is hard anodized (that's the gray band) to prevent the hot top ring from microwelding itself to the piston.
As with all modern engines, the top ring land has been made as short as possible to reduce emissions caused by unburned fuel hiding in the crevice between the ring land and the cylinder wall.
The smaller ring lands (4mm in this case, compared to 8mm on the old 1990 2.5-liter Chrysler turbo) can't survive as much detonation, but modern engine management makes that detonation much less likely anyway.





The shorter piston never reaches the top of the bore; this is actually top dead center. The "ski ramp" piston dome encourages tumble in the cylinder, which improves idle stability and light-load performance. The best wide-open throttle performance, though, usually comes from a piston that comes as close as possible to the flat edges of the combustion chamber (called quench pads). The gas trapped between the piston and the quench pads gets squished out, flying directly into the flame kernel where combustion is starting. This added turbulence speeds flame propagation and reduces the chance of knock. Of course, a taller piston would raise compression, so the ski ramp would have to be replaced with a dish, but that's do-able.
If you add up the crank throw (half the stroke, or 50.5mm) the rod length (151mm), and the pin height (28mm) you'll find the top of the piston 229.5mm above the crank centerline. That's 8.64mm short of the top of the block (238.14mm). If it were us, we'd make the rod 159.64mm, which would improve the rod ratio from 1.5:1 to 1.58:1. Then we'd use a dished piston with flat areas to match the quench pads in the head. Of course, we don't care about idle stability and emissions, and we don't have the simulation software, math skills, or test engines to prove that this is a good idea, but it's a hunch. If we ever manage to blow up a stock one...






The combustion chamber is classic pent-roof, with the spark plug in the middle where it belongs. The flat area extending between the intake valves (the bigger ones), and the smaller area hiding behind the exhaust valves would be the quench pads, if the pistons were designed to use them. Engine geeks take note: The intake valves are 34.8mm, the exhaust valves 28.45. For comparison, that's smaller than the 35.65mm intake and 30.65mm exhaust valves in Nissan's QR25. The included angle of the valves is fairly steep, at 48 degrees. This steep valve angle was common in the high-output Japanese four-valve until 10 or 15 years ago, but the newer engines have flatter combustion chambers on the order of 25 degrees. There's good and bad with both designs. Lastly, get this: The exhaust valves are made of Inconel, a hyper-expensive high-nickel steel superalloy designed for the high-stress, high-temperature world of gas turbine blades.





The valvetrain uses rocker arms, which increase valvetrain mass compared to a cam-on-bucket design, but with the long stroke, valve float won't be the thing limiting redline. Rocker arms allow the cams (and their big cam gears) to sit closer together, making the cylinder head physically smaller, and, more importantly, they allow more aggressive opening and closing ramps on the cams. Valve lash is hydraulically adjusted, and the cam hits the rocker through a low-friction roller. All good stuff.







Here's an important detail when you're trying to cool 223 hp. Water pumps are made up of several vanes arranged around a disc-shaped rotor, and the water between these vanes gets flung to the outside as the pump spins. Typical water pumps have exposed vanes, and the trapped water is surrounded by a vane on each side, the rotor, and a machined face in the block or front cover where the water pump is mounted. There is a small gap between the vanes and this machined face, though, so water can leak past into the next chamber. The old Chrysler 2.4-liter pump was a six-blade stamped steel piece of junk. Switching to a fully shrouded seven-blade plastic pump increased pump flow by 24 percent and output pressure by 48 percent. That's better.






Things start getting strange here. Tight packaging in the PT Cruiser forced some creative thinking on the turbo. The exhaust manifold and turbine housing are cast in one piece by Mitsubishi from high-nickel Ni-Resist steel. The one-piece design improves flow, reduces size, reduces thermal mass for quicker cat light-off, and makes it a pain in the ass to upgrade the turbo.






Things get stranger. The turbine discharge is also part of the manifold/turbine housing casting, and it loops back around and hits the manifold again on its way to the catalytic converter. Where they meet, there's a wastegate valve. Keeping the wastegate valve away from the turbine housing improves flow where it matters most. Problem is, flow where it matters secondmost, in the discharge pipe, looks like it will be fairly upset about all this wastegate flow jumping into the party. One of these days, we may try an external wastegate that flows back into the exhaust further downstream. Such a modification would require some fairly substantial fabrication on the manifold.






A few more interesting things about the turbo: Packaging constraints dictated a reverse-rotation turbo that spins counter-clockwise, unlike most turbos (but like the EVO VIII's). The Mitsubishi TD04 compressor has a compressor bypass valve built right into the compressor housing. The silver can on top is the diaphragm that opens the valve to vent boost from the volute (the outside of the snail) back to the compressor inlet. Both the wastegate and bypass valve get their boost signals via ECU-controlled solenoids.All together, the turbo is a Mitsubishi TD04LR-16Gk with a 6cm2 turbine inlet. This will only mean something to you if you're familiar with Mitsubishi turbos, and even then maybe it won't. Mitsubishi wouldn't cough up the compressor maps for this turbo, but we did learn that peak compressor efficiency is a very healthy 77 percent.








OK, engine management geeks, that's a 32-tooth crank trigger wheel (34-2). The engine management is model based, which means it constantly calculates the appropriate fuel and timing outputs instead of just looking them up on a table. The throttle position is interpreted by the ECU as a demand for a certain amount of torque, and the ECU does whatever it can to deliver. If it's hot out, or you're at high altitude, the ECU will try to satisfy your demand by increasing the boost to match the power output under normal conditions (presumably a dreary day in Detroit). Helping with the math are a few unusual sensors feeding the ECU valuable information about underhood conditions. The Air Charge Temperature (ACT) sensor measures the temperature of the air exiting the intercooler, and the Throttle Inlet Pressure (TIP) sensor measures pressure before the throttle body. These are used to predict the turbo speed, so the ECU can avoid overspeeding the turbo. The expected Throttle Position (TPS) Sensor and Manifold Air Pressure (MAP) sensor are also there, but there's no Mass Air Flow (MAF) sensor. Mass flow is calculated from the other values. The TIP sensor occasionally pokes its head out and measures ambient air pressure, too. Trick daddy. Both the MAP and TIP sensors have a 2.25-bar range, meaning they'll read from absolute vacuum to just more than 18 psi. Sensors with larger ranges will be included in Mopar's staged upgrades.

gavriil

"The SRT-4 drag teams are rumored to be making between 800 and 1200 hp on the stock crank (and stock block and bedplate), so we figure it's strong enough."

Holy Moly!

gavriil

And for reference, here is the 2003 car, tested from the same source above:

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2003 Dodge SRT-4
The Americans fight back
By Josh Jacquot
Photography: Josh Jacquot


Fast. Raw. American.
Dodge's new SRT-4 redefines this collective concept. This ridiculous little car overwhelmed us every time we stepped on the gas. It spun tires, snorted turbo sounds from its mufflerless exhaust and proved without question that Dodge is playing hardball.

These initial impressions are just the beginning of the good news. Dodge plans to sell this rocket for $19,995 beginning early next year. Based on our test numbers, you better order yours now if you want one anytime soon.


During our testing, the angry little SRT-4 hit 60 in 5.8 seconds and put 223 hp and 250 lb-ft of torque to its front wheels on our Dynojet chassis dyno. That means our test car made more power and torque at the wheels than it's rated for at the flywheel, which is unheard of from nearly any car.

These impressive performance numbers come with a caveat, however. The car we tested was a prototype and putting it through our instrumented tests sent convulsions through DaimlerChrysler. The engineers on hand for our testing, however, engine calibrator Ethan Bayer and development engineer Stephan Zweidler, insisted the engine calibration and hardware are within several percent of being finalized for production. That means the numbers we produced at the track and on the dyno should be repeatable on production cars.


Even if conservative final tuning takes five percent from the engine's output, it will still far overshoot its factory power rating of 215 hp and 245 lb-ft of torque.

The engine, by the way, is new and based on the 2.4-liter turbo the company has been selling in the Mexican market. However, in the SRT-4 it's radically updated. Still displacing 2.4 liters, it gets new pistons, which are now cooled by oil squirters. Stronger rods and a new cast crank both support the 14 psi shoved down its intake manifold by the Mitsubishi TD04-16G turbocharger. Before reaching the intake manifold, charge air is cooled by a huge front-mounted cross-flow intercooler, which does wonders for the looks of the car.


A beefed up cooling system is also in place to handle the radically increased thermal loads. From the front, the efforts to keep the engine cool are integrated into the front fascia and hood styling. Six bumper vents and a functional hood scoop tell us there was some communication between stylists and engineers on this project. The hood scoop dumps air over the turbocharger and has a unique stamping, which can be cut to provide cool air to the airbox with little work (see photo on page 74).


Out back, the rear valence has two exhaust exits spaced symmetrically on each side. We've never understood the point in splitting the exhaust on an inline engine. Zweidler and Bayer don't either, but say function was forced to follow form. The engineering retaliation was simple: The SRT-4 has no mufflers, which helps make up for the compromised exhaust routing. That's right, there's a turbo, a catalytic converter and two resonators in the exhaust system, but no actual mufflers. Again, the engineers insist this will make it to production. We'll be impressed if it does as the SRT-4 sounds as pissed as it acts. Burbling under engine braking and spitting backfires under hard acceleration gives us some doubts about the production readiness of the exhaust system, but we absolutely love it.


On the street, the SRT-4 is a monster. Blast through the gears hard and you'll scare the pants off of anyone driving a Subaru WRX. Sure, the SRT-4 doesn't have the all-wheel-drive holeshot of the Subaru, but a careful look at the numbers tells us that a drag race between the two cars would be a contest of drivers as much as cars--it's that close.

On roads that matter, the SRT-4 won't give an inch to cars costing 10 grand more. And it's faster than we expected given its lack of a limited-slip differential. We're not going to tell you the SRT-4 is easy to drive at the limit. It gives up some chassis refinement to cars like the Mazdaspeed Protege and Ford's SVT Focus, but its lack of chassis refinement is more than made up for in sheer American torque. Put your foot down mid corner and the chassis does a remarkable job of putting 250 lb-ft through relatively small 205/50 Michelin Pilot Sport rubber.


Some may complain about the relatively mild torque steer. But this much power for this little green will always come with a few compromises, and we'll deal with some torque in our steering if it means having this much fun. Deal with it. We give Dodge two thumbs up for having gonads big enough to produce a front-driver with this kind of gusto.

The chassis presented engineers with some serious challenges. First, Dodge designed the Neon chassis with zero camber adjustment. That means factory alignment settings set the tires exactly vertical to the pavement, which is not the best for cornering. Because of this fundamental design issue, the SRT-4 certainly gives up some cornering power to its rivals. Adding adjustable camber plates will go a long way to improve the Neon's lateral grip.


But zero camber does offer some advantages. Keeping the tires vertical helps grip during acceleration and braking. The SRT-4 stops from 60 in a short 119 feet. The sticky Michelins and big 11.0-in. front rotors didn't hurt, either.

The experience from the driver's seat is a good one. There's a boost gauge to keep the geekshappy. There's also a real temperature gauge. By real, we mean the gauge actually reads engine coolant temperature. In most other modern cars, the needle never moves, staying in the middle of the range while coolant temperature rises and falls as much as 40 degrees. Drive hard and the Neon's temp gauge climbs; cruise, and it falls. Amazing.

A careful look at the underside of the SRT-4's hood reveals some interesting details. Note the bulge on the right side (see arrow). This aligns with the airbox when the hood is closed and can easily be cut to make a cold-air intake.

Bayer says the real gauge is part of Dodge's philosophy to make the driver smarter, not make the car dumber. We like it and and know it will go into production.

The shifter for the five-speed manual is a serious departure from other Neons we've driven. It's relatively short throw and very direct, not unlike the last generation Honda Civic.
No slushbox is available.

Then there are the seats, which are deep, supportive buckets with giant bolsters on the side and bottom cushions. Someone on the development team definitely thought about driving the SRT-4 in more than just a straight line as the seats provide serious lateral support.


Other than some interior trim changes, the rest is all Neon. There's no money sunk into huge stereos, speakers and amps that could have been put toward the drivetrain or chassis. Very cool.

Launch the SRT-4 from low rpm with little wheelspin and it almost bogs before immediately coming on boost, thanks to its relatively small turbo. Then it snorts and pops between shifts, sounding more like a high-strung rally car than a production machine before pounding through the traps in 14.2 seconds at 99.5 mph.


During our day of testing, which was at a 1,120-ft track notorious for low grip and high temperatures, the car did manage one pass in 14.1 seconds, but we're using the 14.2-second time because our testing standard is to average the two fastest runs and round to the nearest .1 second. Grip around the skidpad was respectable but not overwhelming at .85g. Balance through our 700-ft slalom was as manageable, if not as controllable, as Mazdaspeed's Protege. Regardless, it was still fast at 69 mph.

Nits? The most glaring to pick is the lack of a limited-slip differential, which Bayer and Zweidler say is being looked into, perhaps even for production in a future model. They were tight-lipped about when it might be available, what kind of LSD they might use and how much it might cost if it is to be sold through the MOPAR catalog, which seems like a possibility.


The suspension calibration is good, but we'd like to see a bit more rebound damping. Our mountain road pounding explored the limits of the design as much as its calibration. Travel isn't substantial, so excruciating attention to damping goes a long way in finding extra speed and safety margin when driving hard.

Other than those few bits, this car is superb. Fast, fun, even pretty damned good looking. The only question is how many will be made? At the time of our test, no one wanted to spill the production numbers so it's impossible to say how seriously demand will exceed supply. But it seems obvious at this point that it will.

All we know is you can now hit 60 in 5.8 seconds for under 20 grand, haul three passengers in reasonable comfort and scare the bejesus out of WRX drivers in an American economy car. Sign us up.


2003 Dodge SRT-4
Estimated Price : $19,995 (est.)

Chasis Code : PLDS41

Engine
Engine Code : A853
Type : Inline four, turbocharged and intercooled, iron block and aluminum head, structural aluminum oil pan
Valvetrain : DOHC
Displacement : 2429 cc
Bore & Stroke : 87.5 mm x 101.0 mm
Compression Ratio : 8.1:1
Manufacturer's Claimed Horsepower : 215 hp @ 5400 rpm
Manufacturer's Claimed Torque : 245 lb-ft @ 2000 rpm
HPas measured at the wheels : 223 hp @ 5600 rpm
Torque as measured at the wheels : 250 lb-ft @ 3000 rpm
Redline : 6000 rpm

Drivetrain
Layout : Transverse front-engine, front-wheel drive
Transmission : 5-speed manual
1 : 3.647:1
2 : 2.045:1
3 : 1.367:1
4 : 0.947:1
5 : 0.756:1

Final drive : 3.526:1
Differential : Open

Exterior Dimensions
Curb Weight : 2,870 lb
Weight Distribution F/R : 64/36
Overall Length : 175.7 in.
Wheelbase : 105.0 in.
Overall Width : 67.4 in.
Track F/R : 57.6 in./57.7 in.
Height : 56.5 in.

Suspension
Front : MacPherson struts, anti-roll bar
Rear : Struts with two lateral links and one trailing link, anti-roll bar

Brakes
Front : 11.0-in. vented discs, single-piston sliding caliper
Rear : 10.6-in. solid discs, single-piston sliding caliper

Wheels and Tires
Wheels : 17 x 6-in. aluminum, 45 mm offset
Tires : 205/50ZR-17 Michelin Pilot Sport

Performance
Acceleration
0-30 mph : 2.5 sec.
0-60 mph : 5.8 sec.
30-50 mph : 2.0 sec.
50-70 mph : 3.0 sec.
Quarter Mile : 14.2 sec. @ 99.5 mph
Handling
Lateral grip (200ft skidpad) : .85 g
Slalom (700 ft. six cone) : 69.0 mph
Braking
60-0 stopping distance :119 ft.

gavriil

Tough Crowd Comparison Test: Dodge SRT-4
First Place: Dodge SRT-4
By Dave Coleman
Photography: Josh Jacquot, Les Bidrawn


Wow.
This was the last car to the party. In fact, we scheduled the entire test around the arrival of this final prototype. Boy, are we glad we did. Rumors had been swirling for months about an upcoming turbocharged Neon. Two-point-four liters and a turbo seemed a potent combination, but it would still be housed in a bottom-shelf, second-generation Neon chassis, a platform that failed to impress us in the past. Would the power make up for that?


One look at the enormous intercooler told us the engine would be all we hoped for and more. Power output is so far beyond anything else in this segment, it's almost embarrassing. The fact it makes 8 more horsepower at the wheels than DaimlerChrysler claims at the crank might be explained by a difference in test procedures. Since there's no specified SAE test procedure for simulating intercooler efficiency, DC measured output with a relatively hot intercooler as a conservative worst-case scenario. As with all turbo cars, we used a relatively weak fan (20 mph at best) and a spray bottle of water to keep the intercooler consistently cool on the dyno. All four intercooled cars in this test received the same treatment.


None of the other intercooled cars could come close to keeping up, however. The SRT-4's quarter-mile times are faster than a Mustang GT and within a tenth of the 350Z. The SRT-4 launches much harder than a front-driver should, especially one with an open diff and relatively narrow 205-width tires. Credit an econo-box chassis that forces the tires to stand dead straight, sticky Michelin Pilot Sports, and an unusual choice in tire sizes. At 205/50ZR-17, the SRT-4's tires are tall. The large rolling diameter makes the contact patch longer, resulting in far more rubber on the road than, say, a 205/45-16.

But that's all straight-line; we were looking for the all-around package. This is where we were really impressed. Let's start with the normally low-rent interior. It's still an injection molder's paradise inside, but the critical driver's pieces received all the right attention. The seats are big in the tall, fit, Scandinavian sense. They fit full-sized humans well, but have literally the biggest side bolsters we've seen on a production car. The Neon's steering wheel was once so painful to the eye that blowing the airbag would have improved the view. Now there's a three-spoked job with a thick rim and reasonable feel. The shifter, too, feels right, with short, solid throws and an action that clicks positively into each gear. These are the parts a driver has to touch, the rest of the interior, which remains low-rent, is irrelevant.

Gathering performance data, it quickly became clear the SRT-4 was dominating the straight-line tests, and the Mazdaspeed Protegé was being equally relentless with the handling tests. To break the tie, we took to the mountains and let real-world speed decide the winner. As you have surely guessed, the SRT-4 was the faster of the two, but not by much. It took more than three miles for the SRT-4 to pull an appreciable gap on the Protegé. While not as solid and composed as the Protegé, the Neon still showed decent balance, good grip, strong, fade-free brakes, and of course, staggering pull between the corners. This is a lot of performance for $20,000.

Best Feature:
Holy front-mount, Batman! This thing isn't just turbocharged, it's turbocharged right. Big engine; big boost; big intercooler; snortin', poppin', growlin' exhaust. Yeah, we like the engine.

Worst Feature:
It's not as sorely missed as you might expect, but obviously any car with this kind of power needs a limited-slip diff. The stock open diff is an uncharacteristic oversight.

First three things we'd modify

1: Limited-slip differential
Being a new transmission, we don't know of anyone actually making a limited slip for the SRT-4 yet. PVO is working with Tochigi Fuji Sangyo on one however, and Quaife has one in the works as well.

2: Camber adjusters
Neons have zero camber from the factory, which means relatively low handling limits and more understeer than we'd like. Handling would be greatly improved with 1 to 2 degrees of negative camber.

3: Stiffer dampers
The SRT-4 was designed in Detroit. The suspension is better controlled than most cars developed on that city's bombed-out roads, but it still feels a bit floaty and disconnected when driven with all the gusto its engine, brakes and tires can deliver.

Base price: $19,995
Measured horsepower at the wheels: 223 hp @ 5700 rpm
Curb weight as tested: 2,870 lb


DODGE SRT-4
Estimated Price: $19,995
Engine
Engine Code: A853
Type : Inline four, iron block,
aluminum head, turbocharged
and intercooled
Valvetrain : DOHC, four valves
per cylinder
Displacement: 2429cc
Bore x Stroke: 87.5mm x 101.0mm
Compression Ratio: 8.1:1
Claimed Crank Hp: 215 hp @ 5400 rpm
Claimed Crank Torque : 245 lb-ft @ 2000 rpm
Measured Wheel Hp: 223 hp @ 5700 rpm
Measured Wheel Torque: 250 lb-ft @ 3000 rpm
Redline: 6000 rpm
Drivetrain
Layout: Transverse front-engine,
front-wheel drive
Transmission: Five-speed manual
Gear Ratios
1: 3.647:1
2: 2.045:1
3: 1.367:1
4: 0.947:1
5: 0.756:1
Final Drive : 3.526:1
Differential : Open
Chassis
Chassis Code: PLDS41
Exterior dimensions
Measured Curb Weight : 2,870 lb
Weight Distribution F/R : 64/36
Overall Length: 175.7 in.
Wheelbase : 105.0 in.
Overall Width: 67.4 in.
Track F/R: 57.6 in./57.7 in.
Height: 56.5 in.
Suspension
Front: MacPherson strut,
anti-roll bar
Rear: Strut with two lateral links
and one trailing link,
anti-roll bar
Brakes
Front: 11.0-in. vented discs,
single-piston sliding calipers
Rear: 10.6-in solid discs,
single-piston sliding caliper
Electronic Driving Aids/Inhibitors: ABS, electronic throttle
Wheels and Tires
Wheels: 17 x 6-in. aluminum
Tires: 205/50ZR-17
Michelin Pilot Sport
Performance
Acceleration
0-30 mph : 2.5 sec.
0-60 mph : 5.8 sec.
30-50 mph : 2.0 sec.
50-70 mph : 3.0 sec.
Quarter-Mile Time @ Speed: 14.2 sec. @ 99.5 mph
Handling
Lateral Grip (200ft skidpad): 0.85g
Slalom Speed (700ft slalom): 69.0 mph
Braking
60-0 Stopping Distance : 119 ft.

Red Nj-s

this is so cool, awesome find

gavriil

Inside the SRT-4 2.4L
Secrets of Dodge's New Mini-Muscle Turbo Car

By David Freiburger
Photography: David Freiburger

The specific engine we tore apart for this story is from a PT Turbo, but the guts are the same as the SRT-4's engine; only the intake manifold and turbo plumbing is different.

If Plymouth's Road Runner had survived the Volare years, it might look like an '03 Dodge SRT-4. The formula is just like the '68 bird, but minus the cubes, plus the turbo, and with the drive wheels on the wrong end. Mopar's PVO factory power tweakers took the base Neon four-door sedan, added the critical speed goodies to the suspension and interior, tossed in a Viper Jr. nose and a new-millennium- Super-Bird wing, and hit the little 2.4L four-cylinder with an intercooled turbo for 215 hp and 245 lb-ft. With weight in the zip code of 2,870, the SRT-4 packs 13.35 ponies per pound--smokin' the '68 Road Runner 383's 10:1, and running right alongside it with bone-stock 14.20s at the dragstrip.


Enough with the sales pitch. It's clear that the SRT-4 will be the Omni GLH of the 2000s, and plenty of guys hungry to flip the bird to the import compacts will happily pay the sub-20-Gs sticker price, then hose the car down with speed goodies. This story may also be of interest to those without an SRT-4, as the 2.4L was introduced in '94 in the Stratus, Cirrus, and the minivans, and it still appears in those applications. The base 2.4L is also current in the PT Cruiser, and it's called Power Tech in the new Jeep Wrangler SE and Liberty. The Jeep applications mean that rear-drive bellhousings are available for the 2.4, and it's rumored that the Dodge Razor concept car may see production as a turbo-2.4L-powered, rear-drive two-seater. The 2.4 is also similar to the SOHC and DOHC 2.0L engines used in various Neons, Breezes, Stratuses, Avengers, and Sebrings since '93, but the 2.0L block has a lower deck height (8.35 versus 9.38 inches), does not have balance shafts, and may have other interchangeability issues we can't vouch for (though the 2.0L DOHC does use the same cylinder head as the 2.4L).

To get a leg up on the workings of the boosted 2.4L powerplant and its performance potential, we had the rare treat of spending a day at DaimlerChrysler's Tech Center in Auburn Hills, Michigan, with the guys who designed the turbo version of the 2.4L engine--and there's a lot more to it than just the hairdryer.




While the turbo 2.4 is the same basic configuration as the NA version, the casting has some slight revisions that we will outline, and it can be identified by the T cast into the front (intake) side, of the block. These are currently in '03 PT Turbos and SRT-4s, but will also be used in '04 naturally aspirated applications.





A significant addition to the turbo block is the inclusion of an extra oil gallery that is tapped for piston squirters in four positions. These spray oil on the underside of the pistons to cool the domes for durability and to prevent preignition due to elevated combustion-chamber temps. All '04 blocks will have this provision, but squirters will not be used on NA applications.




Another upgrade for the turbo that will find its way to all '04 versions is a water-jacket upgrade that's barely visible as a slight bump in the triangular openings on the deck surface (arrow). Using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis, DaimlerChrysler engineers were able to model the fluid flow through the block and create ramps in the water passages that direct as much as six times the mass of coolant between the cylinders.




The turbo block also needed a few extra passages to accommodate oil to the turbo and a remote oil cooler. This is all on the backside of the block, or the exhaust side, for a front-drive application. On a rear-drive Jeep or the funky hot rod of your choice, it'd be the passenger side. In a front-drive, the cylinders are numbered 4-3-2-1 from driver to passenger side.




The 3.98-inch-stroke crank is a nodular iron casting, but with increased surface hardness as compared to NA engines. It's retained by an iron bed plate that incorporates all the lower halves of the main-bearing journals. The plate is located on dowels and must be tapped into place with a rubber mallet, then torqued to 30 lb-ft plus 90 degrees on the mains and 21 lb-ft on the outer perimeter bolts. Mopar nonaerobic sealer PN 4773257 must be used between the block and the bed plate. The bearing material is aluminum-tin alloy on a steel backing, and a contoured thrust surface was added to the thrust bearing.






Earlier 2.4L engines use a crank counterweight cast with eight integral reluctor windows for the computer's fuel and spark timing. The new 2.4 uses a separate machined wheel with 32 windows fastened to the rearmost counterweight and is used with a more advanced computer. The new cranks have a machined pad for the reluctor and do not have drilled rod pins. The old block can be identified with a pickup midway down the rear of the block, while the new one is nearer the flywheel. Also note the one-piece rear main seal; Miller makes an installer tool.






The turbo connecting rods (bottom) have balance pads whereas the NA rods (top) do not. Also, the turbo rods are of C-70 forged steel rather than the powdered-metal construction of the NA rods, though both versions used cracked caps. Both rods weigh the same at the big end, aiding in production-line assembly of these internally balanced engines. The turbo rods are drilled with squirt holes to oil the cylinder walls and require unique bearings with feedholes. Turbo rods use floating piston pins while NA versions are pressed. The M9 bolts get 20 lb-ft plus 90 degrees.







The NA piston is on the left, the new turbo version on the right. CFD analysis and dyno testing showed that the ski-jump-shaped dome on the piston was desirable for performance, so compression ratio was reduced to 8.1:1 by decreasing the piston compression height to lower piston position in the cylinder. Both versions are Mahle eutectic castings with Mahle Grafal skirt coating, but the turbo version also has a hard-anodized top ringland, a moly-coated 1.2mm top ring and has a shorter skirt, contributing to the 335-gram weight.






The oil pump is driven from the snout of the crank, and its housing completes the oil-pan seal. The gerotor-type pump was redesigned to increase output to feed both the turbo and the piston squirters, and it moves 15 cc's of oil per revolution compared to 12 cc's with the previous version. This pump is now used on both turbo and NA 2.4 engines, and is identified by a T on the housing casting.





The balance-shaft assembly includes a housing, two shafts, and a chaindrive with tensioner driven from the crank snout. The parts are labeled clearly to avoid mistiming them, though in full-race applications where vibration is not an issue it would be OK to leave them out entirely. There's an oil-feed hole that must be plugged to omit the balance assembly.





Here's a neat tip that we'd like to see available for our musclecar V-8s: The oil-pan gasket has tabs that act as an integral crank-scraper for oil control. The oil pan is a cast-aluminum unit designed mostly for noise, vibration, and harshness suppression; we suspect Moroso will offer performance versions.






Oil routing and filter-pad location vary with the vehicle application. The PT Turbo and SRT-4 uses this oil cooler with integral filter boss.





The cylinder head is the same for turbo and NA engines, though the boosted application uses Silchrome-1 intake valves and Inconel exhaust valves. The head uses a four-valve, dual-overhead-cam design, with a pent-roof chamber, centrally located spark plug, and quench areas on both sides of the chamber. The turbo head gasket is an upgraded three-layer design.





Hydraulic cam followers are used in the 2.4L along with roller followers with a ratio of 1.78:1 on the base circle and 1.71:1 on the nose of the lobe. For degreeing the camshafts, Mopar Performance offers solid lifter PN P4452014.






The cam retainers are numbered front-to-back and left or right, and there are caps front and rear that require Loctite 518 anaerobic sealer. The cam-seal press tool is Miller C4680-1. Note the cam-sync pickup at the end of the intake cam.







Another special tool, Miller 6792-1, is needed to press the drive for the cam timing belt. This pulley is a cool powdered-metal design, and it rides behind the damper.





Here's the completed cam-drive setup minus the stock damper and plastic timing cover. The cams are the same as the NA application, and aftermarket grinds as well as adjustable timing gears should be available soon.






The turbo versions of the 2.4L use a cast-aluminum cover as opposed to composite, and they have a trick internal baffle system to cope with turbo pressures. It's also isolated on rubber for noise suppression. Check the neat coil and wire setup.






The meat of it comes with the all-new exhaust manifold, a casting that's integral with the turbine housing for the turbocharger. The turbo assembly can be split in two between the compressor and the turbine, but it is not recommended. The turbo itself is a Mitsubishi reverse-rotation model with a 6-square-centimeter inlet and an integral surge-valve/wastegate and both oil and water cooling; it peaks at 14 psi through the intercooler.






There are two intake manifolds and intercooler designs for the 2.4, one for PTs and another for SRT-4s. The engineers tell us the designs are similar in power production, and modeled mostly for packaging under the hoods. This is the long-runner PT Turbo intake; the SRT-4 version is much lower and smaller, with shorter runners. Both use the same throttle-body, which is common to the NA engines as well.





The ECU End of It

The turbo 2.4L is the first boosted engine to use DaimlerChrysler's Next Generation Controller. As the SAE paper describes, "The NGC algorithms are 'model-based,' continuously calculating the appropriate control parameters to keep the engine at its desired performance. This is a departure from past control strategies that relied on pre-programmed tables of operating conditions." The system is speed density rather than mass air.

Interestingly, the wastegate control is dictated by throttle demand rather than a simple blowoff at a set boost pressure. This way, the computer can estimate the power needs of the driver and either provide boost pressure or not. The good news is that you may get more boost in some conditions than a basic mechanical blowoff might provide; the bad news is that the computer "can also reduce the torque as required to ensure powertrain durability," per the SAE paper. The system uses an air charge temp (ACT) sensor after the intercooler as well as a throttle inlet pressure (TIP) sensor. The combined information can predict turbo compressor speed and pressure drop across the throttle blades and the IAC. It's this combination of information that has been giving fits to aftermarket companies trying to modify the Mopars with electronic throttle control (ETC). With the 2.25-bar (33-psi) sensors on the turbo 2.4, hopefully there will be more room for increased airflow and performance. Mopar Performance is already working on Stage I, II, and III power packages for, we hear, up to 300 hp.

Chaptorial

Good god thats a lot of info.

Nice find Gav. How about a break down like that for our car?

gavriil

Black CL-S 4-Life

The car looks like shit but hauls ass.

nandowong

gavriil

Sport Compact Car Magazine Car Of The Year Award: 2003 Dodge Neon SRT-4

By Scott Oldham
Photography: Les Bidrawn, Josh Jacquot


When Dodge unveiled the turbocharged SRT-4 at the Los Angeles Auto Show last year, the theme of the press conference was urban decay.

To a hip hop soundtrack, graffiti artists in baggy clothes tagged a brick wall, as the Daimler Chrysler brass told the assembled press that the SRT-4 has everything the kids want. They just stopped short of calling it fresh and fly. We left shaking our heads. We remember thinking Dodge still didn't get it. We even shook off the claim that the turbocharged 2003 Dodge Neon SRT-4 would be the quickest car you could buy in America for less than $20,000, accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in 5.9 seconds. No way, we thought.

Then some of the Dodge engineers began driving a red SRT-4 prototype with a huge, front-mount intercooler in SCCA ProRally events. Almost immediately they found success, winning their class, Group 5, several times. Then we began to hear the car's turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder was making some serious power on the company's dynos, and the SRT-4 was going to be the real deal. We got interested. Maybe we were wrong. Maybe Dodge does get it. Months of phone calls later and a yellow SRT-4 prototype was at our office for the car's first road test ever in any magazine anywhere in the world.


Turns out we were right about being wrong. Dead wrong. Dodge does get it, but the SRT-4 does not accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 5.9 seconds. It does it in 5.8 seconds. That's right, 5.8 seconds. It also puts 223 hp and 250 lb-ft of torque to its front wheels, stops from 60 mph in 119 feet and snakes through a 700-foot slalom at a very fast 69 mph.

That means the SRT-4 runs head to head with the new Nissan 350Z and the Subaru WRX, while leaving the new Mini Cooper S and the Acura RSX Type-S in the dust.


Dodge did it right. From its engine to its chassis, the SRT-4 is ready to rule. And we really like the way it looks. That front mount intercooler, big hood scoop and 17-inch wheels and tires have transformed the once homely Neon into a machine with real attitude.

In our first full road test of the car in the December 2002 issue we said the new SRT-4 redefines the collective concept of fast, raw and American and proves without question that Dodge is playing hardball.


One month later, in the January 2003 issue we put the SRT-4 up against seven other cars in a comparison test to find the best car for under $20,000. The SRT-4 finished a decisive first, outgunning the Mini Cooper S, Nissan Sentra SE-R, Hyundai Tiburon, Honda Civic Si, Volkswagen GTI, Ford SVT Focus and MazdaSpeed Protegé. Bottom line. It blew us away.

Then there's the price. Dodge did what it said, and priced the SRT-4 at less than $20 grand. That means it really is the quickest car you can buy for the money, which makes it, without argument, the greatest performance car buy of the year.

And that is why we have chosen the 2003 Dodge Neon SRT-4 as the 2003 Sport Compact Car of the Year.

2003 Dodge Neon SRT-4
Estimated Price: $19,995
Chassis Code: PLDS41
Engine
Engine Code: A853
Type: Inline four, turbocharged
and intercooled, iron block
and aluminum head
Valvetrain: DOHC, four valves per cylinder
Displacement: 2429cc
Bore & Stroke: 87.5 mm x 101.0 mm
Compression Ratio: 8.1:1
Manufacturer's
Horsepower : 215 hp @ 5400 rpm
Horsepower as
Measured at the Wheels: 223 hp @ 5600 rpm
Manufacturer's
Claimed Torque: 245 lb-ft @ 2000 rpm
Torque as Measured : 250 lb-ft @ 3100 rpm
Redline: 6000 rpm
Drivetrain
Layout: Transverse front-engine,
front-wheel drive
Transmission: Five-speed manual
Gear Ratios
1: 3.647:1
2: 2.045:1
3: 1.367:1
4: 0.947:1
5: 0.756:1
Final drive: 3.526:1
Differential: Open
Exterior dimensions
Curb Weight: 2,870 lbs.
Weight Distribution F/R : 64/36
Overall Length: 175.7 in.
Wheelbase: 105.0 in.
Overall Width: 67.4 in.
Track F/R: 57.6 in./57.7 in.
Height: 56.5 in.
Suspension
Front: MacPherson struts,
anti-roll bar
Rear: Struts with two lateral links
and one trailing link,
anti-roll bar
Brakes
Front: 11.0-in. vented discs,
single-piston sliding caliper
Rear: 10.6-in solid discs,
single-piston sliding caliper
Wheels and Tires
Wheels: 17x6-in. aluminum,
45mm offset
Tires: 205/50ZR-17
Michelin Pilot Sport
Performance
Acceleration
0-30 mph: 2.5 sec.
0-60 mph: 5.8 sec.
30-50 mph: 2.0 sec.
50-70 mph: 3.0 sec.
Quarter Mile : 14.2 sec. @ 99.5 mph
Handling
Lateral Grip (200-ft. skidpad): 0.85g
Slalom (700-ft. six cone): 69.0 mph
Braking
60-0 Stopping Distance: 119 ft.

SpeedyV6

WTF?

1SICKLEX

Bottom line, that thing kicks butt.

gavriil

Quote from the mag:

"The [addition of the] LSD showed dramatic differences when we straghtened out our 600 foot slalom course."

"Prrof: The car's slalom speed increased from 66.6 mph to 68.3 mph, a Mini Cooper S-beating feat"

"Compared with last year's car, the SRT4's 0-60mph and 1.4 mile times were almost identical, but the trap speed was up about 2 mph"

0-60 = 5.5 sec
1/4 = 13.99 @ 102.72 mph !!!
Braking 112 feet !!! This thing stops too...
Skidpad = 0.85 g
600 ft slalom = 68.3 mph
EPA mpg = 22/30 !!! Wow!

Base price: $20,450
As Tested: $21,960

JaDia4

Gavrill - with the intro of the SRT-4 does this mean the Dodge Razor will remain a concept? And will we ever see the Pontiac Solstice?

Python2121

o wise one will this ever be?

hehe j/k i know your not asking me but i doubt dodge razor will make it to production, i think the srt-4 has filled in that niche just fine, what, exactly, was the pontiac Solstice?

Habiib

I hope no one takes this the wrong way, but everyone else should just give up making sport compacts. This car kills everyone in straight line, twisties, mod factor, price, and even gets damn good gas milage to boot. The only thing people can say is "Its ugly", "Its a dodge, blah blah blah". I honestly don't see any car company being able to top this one.

The import fans have only one hope IMO that can best this car. There is only one car that I can think of that would give this car a run for its money. It looks better, is a tad bit faster, handles better, and has a better engine. Oh yeah its also within this price range give or take a couple thousand.

JaDia4

solstice - a roadster. I forget alot of the specs, but it was probably the size of the S2000 with FI. It was more interesting than good looking.

check out this link

nandowong

nice chop

gavriil

The Dodge Razor MAY be produced. It's hard to tell. Dieter Zetsche is equivocating in public...the rumor mills keep generating new gossip. Earliest start date is expected to be calendar year 2006.

The rear wheel drive Dodge Razor hits 60 mph in under six seconds, goes faster than 140 miles per hour, and has a six-speed manual. The 2.4 liter turbo engine, also used in the Neon SRT-4.

But the reason that makes me think that it may be produced is because the targeted price is an amazing $14,500 !!! The Neon is a lot more than that.







-------------------







About the Solstice. Yes it will be produced and it will be officially announced in the 2004 Detroit Auto Show.

http://www.acura-cl.com/forums/showt...light=solstice

JaDia4

I remember reading way back that the reason the Razor was supposed to be so low in price was to target teenagers. Hence the name razor (the namesake of the scooter), and a bare bones interior. But a car that fast and that powerful would not be very wise for the average teenager IMHO. But when compared to the Solstice, the Pontiac wins in looks hands down. Also MHO

nandowong

if it makes production, it will become the next civic



btw: gavriil how much will the pontiac be?

JaDia4

Last I read was around $20k.

nandowong

$20k? no way. if its true Im definetly getting one

gavriil

Dodge SRT-4 Extreme

Simply put, the SRT-4 Extreme is the award-winning Dodge SRT-4 taken to its practical limits. Capturing and celebrating the enthusiasm that defines Chrysler Group's Performance Vehicle Operations (PVO), it is the test bed - the prototype - for the development of current and future Mopar Performance Parts. Extensive use of lightweight carbon fiber and composite parts has reduced the weight of the Dodge SRT-4 dramatically - by an estimated 500 pounds compared to the production SRT-4.

As the ultimate sport compact "tuner" vehicle, the SRT-4 Extreme features a prototype edition of a potential future Mopar Performance turbo upgrade kit, a dramatically lowered ride height provided by a Mopar Stage 3 coilover suspension kit, and an impressive list of brand name performance parts -- including a Mopar short-throw shifter, a Mopar blow-off valve kit, a Borla catalyst-delete resonator, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup race tires, a brake kit from StopTech, SSR semi-solid forged wheels, a six-point harness from TeamTech, Recaro race seats and a Moroso detachable steering wheel -- that make this car the performance enthusiast's dream.

There's no mistaking the SRT-4 Extreme. Equipped with a subtle body kit, it features a subtle bright silver metallic exterior, with a lightweight carbon fiber hood, deck lid, front and rear fascias and door assemblies. The intentionally minimal interior -- making the car suitable for potential Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) or private racing venues - includes competition seats and harnesses and a welded-in roll cage. (Information provided by Chrysler)

danny25

500 pounds lighter that's gonna fly

heyitsme

wouldn't mind having one of those

18anatak

That is pretty tight. For the $$, you cant beat that car. But now that they have this version out, its gonna take the fun out of modding a car. I mean, its a tight car, but what if you bought one, and the same car pulled up next to you. Same kit, same CF hood, same springs, same rims, etc etc.

gavriil

When Dodge first envisioned building a performance version of its Neon subcompact, internal estimates suggested sales might reach 1000 per year. By the time the vehicle hit the market earlier this year, that number had already been revised upward to 3000. Now Dodge marketing chief David Kimball says the earlier projections need another adjustment, given the company is on track to sell 10,000 SRT-4s per year and will likely decide soon to boost annual production to 13,000 cars. The SRT-4 will still be hard to come by, no doubt, considering the 2004 model’s horsepower increases by 15 to 230 hp and the car gets a limited-slip differential, all for the slightly higher base price of $20,995.

1SICKLEX

I had a show/meet (multicar) with Autozone last week, the SRT-4s were invited. Maybe 15 came. It was incredible. These guys had mods already too. Sweet car and great seller. Go Dodge.