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Is the Caliber SRT4 a bad makeover from the Neon SRT4?

10K views 46 replies 23 participants last post by  Fire_Salamander 
#1 ·
#3 · (Edited)
Chrysler’s turbocharged, Neon-based SRT4 was one of the best performance bargains on the market. It was far faster than any car that cheap ought to be but not terribly refined or sexy. It didn’t matter. Its replacement for 2007, the Caliber SRT4, gets a turbocharged 2.4-liter four that makes a front-tire-shredding 300 horsepower. Righteous! Not so awesome is the fact that the little giant killer is now a Transformer-like wagon thing with a center of gravity more conducive to rock crawling than canyon carving.
What is with people and the wagon can't perform attitude? Now obviously we don't have the Caliber SRT performance numbers... but we do have the MS3 for comparision. To ensure as close of a comparision as possible, i am using this months motor trend which has an MS3 review and a MT review of the 2005 Neon SRT4 & Cobalt SS (same test procedures/temp correction forumlas etc.)(http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/sedan/112_0505_compact_sport_coupe_comparison/specs_price.html)

I don't have the magazine with me at work, so i will go from memory and update later. The MS3 is faster in the quarter mile, had a better stopping distance and was nearly identical on the figure 8 and lateral G tests and was faster through the slalom.

Again its all speculation, but given there are so many similarites (i.e. curb weight) between the srt/ms3 I really don't expect it to be either hugely off or better the performance numbers posted by the ms3... the caliber srt4 will likely be a touch quicker in a straight line and its anyones guess on the handling, but for arguments sake like the cobalt and neon srt4 lets say it is the same.

I have every reason to believe that a stock to stock comparo of the Neon SRT4 vs. the Caliber SRT4 would have the Caliber come out the clear performance champ along with the ton of new creature comforts, saftey features and versatility etc.

http://www.caranddriver.com/shortroadtests/11732/2007-volkswagen-gti-5-door.html
This powertrain combination took our GTI to 60 mph in 6.4 seconds and through the quarter-mile in 15 seconds flat. And, just like the three-door, there is always enough low-end grunt to buzz by traffic around town, or pull authoritatively out of hair-pins out in the country.
These same journalists who rag on the Caliber SRT4 etc. are the ones that oogle the Golf GTI... which by the way is heavier and slower on all accounts, funny how that works seeing as both the MS3 and Caliber SRT4 will tramp the GTI
 
#4 ·
I don't even know what to say here. Car magazines are good for pictures, not for their writing. Well unless they're writing about the new supercar or whatever. You know, the car that they can't write bad about because A) they'll never be able to afford one and B) they would loose lots of readers/favor with the manufacturer if they talked bad about it.

Screw em. I'm putting an order down on my SRT-4 the second it shows up in my dealers computer. Damnit I'm so excited for this car.

300hp, wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
 
#5 ·
Amandyke said:
I don't even know what to say here. Car magazines are good for pictures, not for their writing. Well unless they're writing about the new supercar or whatever. You know, the car that they can't write bad about because A) they'll never be able to afford one and B) they would loose lots of readers/favor with the manufacturer if they talked bad about it.

Screw em. I'm putting an order down on my SRT-4 the second it shows up in my dealers computer. Damnit I'm so excited for this car.

300hp, wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Totally Agree. However I would like to add something. Car magazines are typically biased because of corporate funding. So, while they're good for pictures, I dont necessarily depend on their write-ups to make sound decisions. The 300HP Caliber SRT4 looks damn good, and will take the market by storm just like the Neon SRT4 did.
 
#6 ·
guy_with_95_neon said:
Totally Agree. However I would like to add something. Car magazines are typically biased because of corporate funding. So, while they're good for pictures, I dont necessarily depend on their write-ups to make sound decisions. The 300HP Caliber SRT4 looks damn good, and will take the market by storm just like the Neon SRT4 did.
the only thing i depend on to make a sound decision is a test drive, for me the caliber is do or die with the test drive
 
#7 ·
i got the chance to drive an 06 STI and 06 GTI thursday. both cars are quick. but with a 30ish price for the GTI and 35ish price for the STI. i wasnt impressed as much as when i drove an 05 SRT4. theres something about the SRT4 that gets my blood pumping. BTW the STI has a built in water sprayer on the intercooler(SICK!!!!). the SRT is the best bang for the buck if you ask me. can anyone shine some light on this rumor i heard that the new srt will be offered as a striped down model...... no a/c, no radio, no power nothin.....i heard asking price for stripped was like 18 or so?
 
#8 ·
cali_stang said:
the SRT is the best bang for the buck if you ask me. can anyone shine some light on this rumor i heard that the new srt will be offered as a striped down model...... no a/c, no radio, no power nothin.....i heard asking price for stripped was like 18 or so?
Post links when refferencing a source.... the old "I heard there will ne a no ac, no radio etc. model for 18k" is useless.

In general, when a car company offers a stripped down version for racing purposes it usually costs more, not less... with the Caliber SRT4 supposed to be around the 22k USD (http://www.caranddriver.com/previews/10907/preview-review-2007-dodge-caliber-srt4-2007-dodge-caliber-srt4-specs-page3.html) price range I doubt you'll see anything less. The STI for example in 04 was a bare bones limited amenities car with more performance that cost more than the wrx. The M3 CSL is an M3 with no AC, no radio etc. with a huge price increase.

Don't confuse your daydreams with reality and then feel compelled to post it on the internet as yet another rumour
 
#9 · (Edited)
cali_stang said:
i got the chance to drive an 06 STI and 06 GTI thursday. both cars are quick. but with a 30ish price for the GTI and 35ish price for the STI. i wasnt impressed as much as when i drove an 05 SRT4. theres something about the SRT4 that gets my blood pumping. BTW the STI has a built in water sprayer on the intercooler(SICK!!!!).
The MRSP on an 2007 STI is $33,499 US which comes with all the bells an whistles. A GTI does the quartermile in 15 seconds (http://www.caranddriver.com/shortroadtests/11732/2007-volkswagen-gti-5-door-specs-page2.html) at 95mph, an STI does it in 13 flat (http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/sedan/112_0512_rally_cars/specs_price.html)) at 103.5mph.

I've driven both, and to lump them both into the "quick" category you obviously didn't do much more than turn the key since the STI shreads the GTI to bits in terms of performance. I don't disagree with the SRT4 being a better bang for the buck, but in terms of raw performance if the STI doesn't get your blood pumping I'd go to the doctor and get an examination to make sure everything is alright
 
#11 ·
cali_stang said:
i got the chance to drive an 06 STI and 06 GTI thursday. both cars are quick. but with a 30ish price for the GTI and 35ish price for the STI. i wasnt impressed as much as when i drove an 05 SRT4. theres something about the SRT4 that gets my blood pumping. BTW the STI has a built in water sprayer on the intercooler(SICK!!!!). the SRT is the best bang for the buck if you ask me. can anyone shine some light on this rumor i heard that the new srt will be offered as a striped down model...... no a/c, no radio, no power nothin.....i heard asking price for stripped was like 18 or so?
Past month I was on vacation in NV/UT/AZ/CA and I grabbed a new 2007 Caliber brochur that includes the SRT4 equipment. And it seems that the base SRT4 has neither AC nor power windows. No power doors, no leather seats no nothing. A cheap a$$ version. But there is no price listed in this brochure.
 
#14 ·
I can come to a very simple conclusion here. If the SRT4 can compete with an STI as far as performance is concerned. (Compete, not beat nor be equal to) Then this will be one hell of a car, especially for the price.

The Golf GTI... ehh.. not so much.

When I finish college (3.5 years) I will have saved up enough loot to hopefully buy one of these bad boys nearly in cash. (I have worked the numbers, and I will have the cash for it) So if all I have for monthly payments is the insurance and small monthly car payments, then I will be sitting pretty.
 
#15 ·
boostdog said:
U need to scan that...i Have not heard anything on the stripped model.
It´s the same brochure as this one: http://www.caliberforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2797 At the end of this brochure the equipment for the different model line ups is listed and almost everything for the SRT4 is included in packages (actually "SRT option group one" and "SRT option group two")
 
#24 ·
Unoriginalusername said:
Lol that'd only take like 7.5 years with no interest
The most I can do right now is 400/month cuz I'm on a limited budget---just moved into a new place and got some debts---but hey I'll check in with you in about a year, maybe I'll be in a better financial position to put more down on it. I badly want an SRT4 so I'll keep checking the forums and keep you in mind.
 
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