Dodge Dart SRT4

For those who lamented the new Dart with no SRT package, things are looking good:

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/31/dodge-working-on-300-hp-dart-srt4/

I assumed a 2.4 tigershark turbo would be in the pipe. Sub 2.0L anything in the srt would disappoint.

300hp... it does not matter if it is from a 1.8, 2.0, or 2.4.. it is still 300hp

mad_machine wrote: 300hp... it does not matter if it is from a 1.8, 2.0, or 2.4.. it is still 300hp

Quoted for truth.

mad_machine wrote: 300hp... it does not matter if it is from a 1.8, 2.0, or 2.4.. it is still 300hp

Yeah but 300 from a 1.8? Not sure what the torque curve would look like. The thing I like most about the 2.5 and 2.4s of the past was the torque.

It will probably be based on the 2.0L or 2.4L. My question is, what's Dodge going to do about torque steer? Do they have a system like Ford's RevoKnuckle up their sleeves? Equal-length halfshafts + LSD? Nanny intervention (DO NOT WANT)?

I'm assuming AWD is out of the question for cost reasons.

The old SRT4 was one of 3 FWD cars I've driven that I actually enjoyed*. It'll be interesting to see how the Dart stacks up to its predecessor.

*Not trying to start a debate on the merits of FWD. It's just not my thing.

I'm kind of partial to 2.5 turbos...

So has anyone spent any seat time in this Alfa, er I mean Dart?

Will it be a Focus ST killer?

you'd think Chrysler would have done something about it in the two years since this article was posted...

Torque steer? Buncha pansies, suck it up and learn to adapt or die. My left arm would automatically pull down on the wheel in my CSX while I was changing gears, it just takes some adjustment.

There's a pic of a new 2.4T Tigershark floating around..

It'll be here eventually. The real question is: Will anyone care by then?

Flight Service wrote: So has anyone spent any seat time in this Alfa, er I mean Dart?

I drove a rental-grade one. It was competent. A bit heavy.

Yeah, I was just gonna ask what the weight is expected to be on this. Looks heavy. I guess the normal dart is 3200 lbs? Doubt this will be much lighter.

I hate to say this, but there was a report a few weeks ago that Chrysler was trying to shoehorn a V6 into the Dart. I wouldn't be surprised if that's the engine.

moparman76_69 wrote:

mad_machine wrote: 300hp... it does not matter if it is from a 1.8, 2.0, or 2.4.. it is still 300hp

Yeah but 300 from a 1.8? Not sure what the torque curve would look like. The thing I like most about the 2.5 and 2.4s of the past was the torque.

300 hp from a 1.8 almost has to be a turbo engine -- when competently executed those tend to have a nice big helping of torque in the middle of the rev band.

A 3.6 Pentastar V6 Dart would be cool.

turboswede wrote: Torque steer? Buncha pansies, suck it up and learn to adapt or die. My left arm would automatically pull down on the wheel in my CSX while I was changing gears, it just takes some adjustment.

No thanks. You can adapt but it's still annoying. Been there, done that.

-Hamid

While I could certianly deal with any minor torque steer a modern performance FWD car would have and also would love the NA power and torque of the Pentastar V6 in a Dart I see a turbo 4 being the real likely choice to meet fuel economy requirements now and coming. They can easily get the needed power and it is a much easier fit. If Dodge really wanted to shake things up a turbo 4 cyl and AWD would be huge. It could compare to the rally twins of WRX/STi and Evos while offering FWD lower level versions in a nice looking package with more room. The AWD system could be borrowed from the Panda and adapted for performance. Hell if they really wanted to be crazy offer a cheaper FWD version and AWD version of both SRT4's. 250 HP FWD to compete with Focus ST and the like and 300+HP AWD version to compete with rally twins.

They'll find a way to berkeley up a wet dream like usual.

The closest they are going to get to the SRT variant is the 1.4 Mopar 13 edition with 160hp. Sounds like an old Neon SRT-4 too. Neighbor purchased one and put some sort of exhaust on it already. I was cleaning up one of the cars heard something start and said to myself "I didn't think there were any drivable SRT-4s on the road anymore?" and a Mopar 13 dart drove by.

Those don't look too bad, but the stripe needs to go (yes, I know all Mopar Editions come with them). Are they vinyl or painted-on?

Guys, look at the date on that article...

Keeping an old thread going is arguably better than starting new ones every few months when more speculation arises..

Scroll to near the end: http://forums.neons.org/viewtopic.php?f=121&t=389383&start=80