Chrysler right now is, quite simply, in the middle of an identity crisis. The company's purchase by Fiat has now suddenly seen the Viper become an "SRT" and "Dodge Rams" simply become "Rams." But such a thing is not entirely new to Chrysler. Back when they were owned by Daimler, they took on the monumental task of taking its cutesy, "total chick car" Dodge Neon and trying to transform it to a track car to appeal to the hardcore audience in the form of the "Dodge SRT4."
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Credit does need to be given where its due, and taken strictly from a driving perspective, the SRT team did do well for itself in the aspects not easily visible from the exterior. While the turbo four may deliver an engine note as exciting and dynamic as a leaf blower, it does also deliver ample power to scoot this compact car along. Its front wheel drive arrangement may not make it the sharpest of handlers, but for a casual racer its predictability and stability are hard to fault. And with it turning in a best time of 1:18.890 at Grand Valley East, almost a full second faster than the BMW 330i I had tested here earlier, it can post some respectable lap times. And with it doing this all for a price of around 20,000 credits, it should have all the qualifications of a Sleeper.
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But sadly, the people responsible for the exterior styling weren't the same brilliant minds at GM who decided the Buick Regal GNX should hardly be discernible from a run of the mill Regal. Instead, the people at Chrysler were determined to make this car look "Meaner" and "Racier." And so this Neon gained a faux-Viper front bumper, non-functional hood scoops, and a garish rear wing. What Chrysler tried to do turning the Neon into the SRT4 is akin to putting Godzilla scales on Pikachu. It's not going to intimidate or instill fear in anyone, and if it gets any reaction at all its going to be howls of laughter.
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The 2003 Dodge Neon SRT4 is a car that should register as a Sleeper by any other circumstances, but its styling misses the mark by such a huge gap that it sinks the entire package right down to a "Beater" verdict. Sure, the car may be quick, but the only solace it would offer is that it might get you home before anybody sees you in it. And while Chrysler may have an identity crisis on its hands, the fact that it now dubs its compact car the Dart seems to show that the company has no desire to revive memories of its Neon past.
Last edited: Apr 10, 2014