RR of the Day: 2005 Dodge SRT-4 ACR Edition
The Dodge Neon SRT-4 is the embodiment of domestic compact performance. Take a 2.4-liter inline-four, boost the Hell out of it, send all the power to the front wheels and watch the BFG G-Force KDWs disappear into a smoky cloud of torque steering bliss. It's a hootin', hollerin' good time and it doesn't really come into its own until you take it to the track.
That was the idea when Dodge decided to offer up 1,100 ACR edition SRT-4s into the public's hands back in 2005, and Pearson Hurst was one of the lucky recipients.
Read the rest and see a couple more pics after the jump.
Follow the jump for a few more pics, the car's mod list, and instructions on how to submit your own vehicle to become our Reader Ride of the Day. And next week, our themed RR of the Day will be back and we're looking for beaters. If you've got a decrepit ride that still manages to get your from point A to point B, we want to see it. Rusted, busted or smoking, submit it by following the directions after the jump.
The ACR package was essentially designed to meet the rigors of track days and cone-lined parking lots by providing enthusiasts a few more trick components, including BBS RX wheels, 5-way adjustable Tokico shocks, a thicker rear sway bar and ACR-emblazoned seats, with pass-through slots that would allow the use of four- or five-point harnesses.
Since the SRT-4 is so receptive to modifications, Mr. Hurst has already upgraded the ECU with a Mopar Stage 1 reflash, Stage 2 injectors and wastegate actuator, along with a manual boost controller, an NGK wideband gauge, a K&N filter and solid motor mount inserts. As for the future: it's all about the Stage 2 kit, complete with Mopar's Turbo Toys, that should be good for between 265-280 HP and close to 300 lb.-ft. of torque.
We likey Mr. Hurst, now get that damn thing to a track ASAP!
How to submit to RR of the Day:
Create a Flickr account if you don't already have one. Search for and join the group called 'Autoblog RR of the Day'. Upload up to three photos of your ride to your own account at a size no larger than 450 pixels wide if possible and include as much information about it and yourself as possible. Even if your ride is sweet, it will not be chosen if there's not a lot of info accompanying it. Click on each photo and just above the picture it will say "Send to group". Click that and select the Autoblog group. You're done, that's it!
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
John P. 10:16AM (2/02/2007)
My favorite RR of the day this week, by far. I drove one and these things are FUN!
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Dave t. 11:45AM (2/02/2007)
Off topic slightly but over the weekend in chicago two kids got in an accident driving too fast, the car literally tore in half. It was an SRT4 of course the news didn't know enough to talk about its cheap speed attributes.
http://cbs2chicago.com/seenon/local_story_028192509.html
video and photo
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dan spalinger 11:27AM (2/02/2007)
Its still a Neon....
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Shelby 11:17AM (2/02/2007)
Are you freaking kidding me?! A f'ing neon is RR of the day? Wow.
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Mike 11:34AM (2/02/2007)
It's still a Neon? It's a well-built domestic that can smoke most import tuner rice burners...have some respect! Also a great club car...
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Chris 12:02PM (2/02/2007)
These come into their own on the track? The very first autocross I ever went to, I ran faster times than two stock SRT-4's with experienced drivers in my bone stock 99 Accord V6. Maybe a track with long straightaways. These cars might have good power, but they have crazy body roll from the factory and have one of the cheapest interiors ever. Crank rear windows? Classy. Not to mention the resale value is horrendous on these things since you'd have to be a fool to trust a highly boosted dodge neon to go more than 100k miles.
I could buy a 10 year old Neon R/T for $2000 and make it go even faster and handle way better than a new SRT-4 for a few thousand bucks. I've never seen the point of this car, not to mention that most (not all) owners of it are complete douche bags and in denial that they own a Neon.
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felipe 11:44AM (2/02/2007)
no matter what you do, its a neon.
no matter how fast, its still a neon... I'd rather have a pinto.
thank god they are dead, wont be long until all the 19 yr olds crash them and they are gone for good.
worst RR of the day hands down.
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RC 3:28PM (2/02/2007)
a neon ?
front wheel drive ?
what a joke autoblog
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mkbruin 12:11PM (2/02/2007)
Some people are complete and total idiots. This car has to be THE BEST bang for the buck vehicle of the last decade. The ACR absolutely humbles the WRX around a track.
Just a Neon? http://www.allpar.com/neon/neon-srt-4.html
Try a litte research instead of making yourself look like asshats.
Dave T.... They could just as easily ripped a CamCord in half, or any vehicle for that matter. Kids are Kids are Kids. It it not the machine, it is the driver, just the same as it takes someone pulling the trigger to fire a gun.
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Mors 12:23PM (2/02/2007)
@7
You're 99 Accord V6 huh? that's a real track monster...highly believable story you've created there.
SRT-4 will always be one of the top performance vs. price cars ever released, whether you cry about it being a neon or not.
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James 3:30PM (2/02/2007)
the main problem is that most of the drivers are senseless, street racing douchebags.
But these cars ARE pretty badass. Think of the musclecars of yore- the GTO was just a Pontiac Tempest (oh, yay!) with a 389 tri-power. But that's a classic.
The neon takes a sh*tty base car and turns it into a monster. They only changed the stuff on this car that matters to the driver - to keep it cheap, and fast, and they succeeded massively. the engine is a monster - large displacement for the class, LOTS of power and torque and tuneability.
The interior, only the stuff that matters is changed - awesome grippy seats, steering wheel, boost gauge, shifter - what else do you need? If it' just a car with two purposes - to get you to work and to be fun - then it succeeds for very litlte cash. Sure it's not classy; but remember, an Evo is still a Lancer (and still has a joke of an interior) and an STi is still an impreza (and is still too small inside for most broad shouldered americans.) Band for the buck on this car is MASSIVE. It hauls 12 kinds of ass, is loud and burbly, smokes the tires at will, it's an old-school style american muscle car in modern times.
Quit your bitching; if you wanted luxury for 20 grand you could get an Acura RSX. But then you'd have a slow, boring car that is still a Civic. an RSX is a nice car - don't get me wrong - but both an RSX and an SRT-4 meet their expectations and goals fantastically - one is a hoot and holler tiresmoker, the other is a refined and sporty commuter coupe.
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RamSport47 12:24PM (2/02/2007)
anyone who thinks the second genreation Neon is "just" a Neon has never owned one. I had 2 of them, and it's one of the best driving fun cars on the road. I put ove 70,000 miles on each of them, and neither was ever back to the dealer for anything other than rooutine maintainance. Civic, Corolla, now THOSE are some fun to drive cars...NOT
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John P. 12:26PM (2/02/2007)
Chris, Congrats to you and being able to outrun a couple Neons. It has to be your driving skills, as this Neon can run rings around any stock Accord, even with a sleeping driver at the wheel.
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John P. 12:29PM (2/02/2007)
By the way, I know of two Neons personally that have over 300,000 hard run miles. They were cheap, yes, but for the price, the performance was/is amazing.
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Zippy 12:41PM (2/02/2007)
Seems like Mr. Hurst is doing some smart modding, and kudos to him!
I like to see people focusing on the engines rather than interior/sound system. The progress on this car is smart, but has he done suspension too? The car is cursed with some serious bodyroll.
I think most people's dislike of this car are the 16 and 17 yr old hot shots who ruin the rep of it. Having never driven one, I can't say I like or dislike it, but I do know I don't like most of the drivers I've met. Its a pity.
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epp_b 12:43PM (2/02/2007)
That supercharged four-banger develops amazing torque for its size and configuration that will blow the doors off of any rice-burner.
The only thing I have to wonder is: how do you plan to avoid torque-steering into a tree with 300 lb-ft driving the front wheels??
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RamSport47 12:37PM (2/02/2007)
Oh, and before y'all get bent out of shape over the Civicorolla comment...I had one of each of those at various times too...didn't keep either near as long at the Neons...the Neons were just more...FUN
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Celly 12:54PM (2/02/2007)
Why is it staring at me like that? It's eyes follow me around the room! Make it stop! Dear god! Make it stop!
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Enapa 12:55PM (2/02/2007)
It seems to me that generally the people who bash SRT4s have either A. Been beat down badly by one, or B. have sand in their vaginas and are jealous. Also it is turbocharged and does not have torque steer. I know I have a 04 and had an 03. Anyone who even admits to driving a Honda Accord has more problems than I even care to address. An Accord is not something that we SRT4 drivers even consider wasting gas on. You obviously have never driven one. See you in the rear view.....
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Eoot 2:54PM (2/03/2007)
The "its still a neon" attitude is so stupid.
Don't get me wrong, a regular neon sure wouldn't be my pick for transportation but the SRT-4 is different. It's a great turbo engine in a dirt cheap wrapper that is hugely tunable and abuse-able.
I'm sure not everybody who owns a SRT-4 necessarily likes neon's but they all enjoy true bang for the buck performance.
When it comes to racing the only thing the matters is the clock, and nobody says to the MANY SRT-4 Auto-x, One Lap of America, Rally, Drag and Road Race winners "It's still a neon"
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