Dodge Caliber SRT-4

[Vonie]

Higher Caliber
SRT team punches up new small car with turbo model

The paint ought to be just about dry on the first batch of Dodge Calibers when Chrysler’s Street and Racing Technology group reveals its paint-peeling version, the 2007 Caliber SRT4.

Making its world premiere at the Chicago Auto Show, SRT4 continues a legacy of a dozen performance-primed vehicles from SRT since 2002. The lineup includes the granddaddy of them all, the Viper SRT10, the Viper V10-powered Dodge Ram pickup, Chrysler 300C/Dodge Magnum/Dodge Charger SRT8s, Chrysler Crossfire SRT6 and the most recent addition, the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8.

Clearly, these SRT people can super-tune just about anything.

“We have SRT stamped on the butts of every one of our engineers,” assures Dan Knott, outgoing SRT director (replaced just this month by Kipp Owen). “We want the best performance at the best price.”
Caliber SRT4, which replaces the Neon-based SRT4 sold from 2003 to 2005, launches the company’s performance small-car formula to a new high. Under the hood (and functional hood scoop to direct cooling air into the engine bay), SRT4 features the first application of a turbocharged version of Chrysler’s global 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 300 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. It makes 70 more ponies than the 2005 SRT4 (and 85 more than the first 2003 model). Power runs to the 19-inch front wheels via a standard six-speed manual transaxle.

Brakes are borrowed from Chrysler’s big cars like the 300C, with 13.3-inch vented front discs with dual-piston calipers and 11.8-inch single-piston rears. Suspension is lowered about one-half inch compared to a stock Caliber.

SRT folks say all the extra bits translate into these numbers: 0 to 60 mph in 5.9 seconds, sub-14-second quarter-mile times and 60 mph to 0 in 115 feet. All this, while still delivering an estimated 28 mpg on the highway.

“With 300 horsepower under the hood, the Dodge Caliber SRT4 will dominate the sport-compact market,” says George Murphy, Chrysler senior vice president of global marketing.

Caliber SRT4 goes on sale in spring 2007.

Autoweek

Ewwwwwwwww......FWD+300hp?
It's on the new Evo platform, right? Why not AWD?

 

[xXSilencerXx]

Sounds fast at least in a straight line. But I still don't really like how it looks.

 

[ND4SPD]

Looks like a baby Magnum to me!

 

[Omnis]

I wish it looked less like a truck. 4wd would be nice too.

 

[Ev0]

Non-SRT Calibers will be offered with 4WD, so why the hell didn't they include that in the SRT package? This thing is going to have monstrous understeer; FWD stops being useful around 250hp before the car becomes too much of a handful exiting corners. 300hp though... you'll have to be pretty much in a straight line before you can give the car any significant amount of throttle. I would have loved this car if it had AWD, but unfortunately that's not the case. It looks like Dodge has pulled a GM; ruining an otherwise fabulous car by sending too much power to the front.

 

[Jay]

Higher Caliber
SRT team punches up new small car with turbo model

Small??!!! Thats what they call a small car .

 

[95GTIVR6]

Non-SRT Calibers will be offered with 4WD, so why the hell didn't they include that in the SRT package? This thing is going to have monstrous understeer; FWD stops being useful around 250hp before the car becomes too much of a handful exiting corners. 300hp though... you'll have to be pretty much in a straight line before you can give the car any significant amount of throttle. I would have loved this car if it had AWD, but unfortunately that's not the case. It looks like Dodge has pulled a GM; ruining an otherwise fabulous car by sending too much power to the front.

And yet, people here in the states will eat it up just as they did the previous SRT-4, regardless of the drivetrain.

Its too much Toyota Matrix and Pontiac Vibe for my taste. What ever happened to the good 'ol hatchbacks? All of this crossover crap gives me a headache!

And with those HUGE wheels, I can imagine that the overall agility is greatly reduced by the sheer size and mass.

 

[CodeRedR51]

Small??!!! Thats what they call a small car .

I've seen this everywhere, people complaining about the size. Someone on another forum posted the dimensions compaired to the Mazda3 5-door. The caliber is actually SMALLER than the Mazda3 except for the height which is 3" taller. It's shorter in length, smaller in width, and has the same wheelbase almost to the "T". I've also seen pictures of a caliber parked next to a neon, and it's not really any bigger.

 

[L8 Apex]

I think it's pretty cool...except of course for the front drive. 300 hp and 260 lb./ft going to the front wheels can't possibly be good news. Mash the throttle and you'd best have your thumbs clear of the steering wheel spokes!

 

[Vonie]

Small??!!! Thats what they call a small car .

Autoweek's words, not mine.

 

[L8 Apex]

Small??!!! Thats what they call a small car .

Small by American standards, mate.

 

[dropzone]

The cars size had me wondering what'd be comparable to, and since there's no more Neon SRT-4 it should be about the same size. When I read the 300HP and 260TQ figure I was like , but when they said it was front-wheel drive I was struck . I think BlazinXtreme should email Dodge about his accident being hit by an SRT-4 and how maybe if there car had 4WD it might have been avoided, but stupidity seems to override any safety at about anytime anyway. How good is all that power when you can only really use it on the straights? Then again, I never really thought of any Dodge vehicles to be good in handling, except the Viper.

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

I think BlazinXtreme should email Dodge about his accident being hit by an SRT-4 and how maybe if there car had 4WD it might have been avoided, but stupidity seems to override any safety at about anytime anyway.

And maybe he can send a copy of his "book".

 

[xcsti]

The cars size had me wondering what'd be comparable to, and since there's no more Neon SRT-4 it should be about the same size. When I read the 300HP and 260TQ figure I was like , but when they said it was front-wheel drive I was struck . I think BlazinXtreme should email Dodge about his accident being hit by an SRT-4 and how maybe if there car had 4WD it might have been avoided, but stupidity seems to override any safety at about anytime anyway. How good is all that power when you can only really use it on the straights? Then again, I never really thought of any Dodge vehicles to be good in handling, except the Viper.

You do know his accident was a farse don't you?

 

[dropzone]

You do know his accident was a farse don't you?

I didn't keep up with it after his name changed, wth.

 

[YSSMAN]

Ok, so I like the idea of having 300HP on tap, but I think its funny that the SRT-4 is slower than the larger Grand Prix GXP that has 303HP on tap... Poor gearing selections? Turbo lag?

This should have been an AWD car, there is no question there. However, DCX may have dropped that idea so that the SRT-4 doesnt go chasing after it's Evolution IX cousins...

 

[crimson_menace]

Sad.

A great idea destroyed by idiots. 300 hp to the FRONT wheels? WTF?!?!

It'd be a good idea to make it 4wd. A great one.

 

[Delirious]

They probably will...but aren't those back-lights from the Jeep Grand Cherokee? (Also from that Van with the 300C front)

 

[SRV2LOW4ME]

I like the front, but after seeing the Pontiac Vibe back end, it kind of makes me gag.

 

[95GTIVR6]

This should have been an AWD car, there is no question there. However, DCX may have dropped that idea so that the SRT-4 doesnt go chasing after it's Evolution IX cousins...

I believe that as well. Although I think they are deffinatley trying to take out GM's line of "SS" vehicles.

A great idea destroyed by idiots. 300 hp to the FRONT wheels? WTF?!?!

:cough: :cough: '06 Impala SS

 

[Jay]

I've also seen pictures of a caliber parked next to a neon, and it's not really any bigger.

Post the pictures up, I'm interested to see them.

Autoweek's words, not mine.

Yeah I know

 

[YSSMAN]

I dont know what threat the SRT team has recieved from the SS line, but the two types of "über" cars are completely different... Kinda like how the BMW M cars and Mercedes-Benz AMG cars are...

As far as the 303HP FWD GM sedans, they actually arent that bad. Surprisingly they engineered the cars to not have much torque steer, if any at all. The Pontiac Grand Prix GXP can actually keep up with the BMW 325il and G35 around the track, and if anything, it can blow the competition away in a straight line (okay, maybe NOT the Lexus IS350...). 0-60 comes in 5.7 seconds, and rips through the quarter mile in 14.3 sec @ 98 mph, and the top speed is governed at 143 MPH. The car also stops impressively, 70-0 in just 174 feet, and can pull .81g on the skidpad, which is respectable (but not the best) for a FWD car. Best of all, the car gets pretty good gas mileage, 18/27 in the city and highway, and it can run on "regular" pump gas.

...Conidering that the car can be had for under $30K, its a pretty good deal. If Pontiac's looks both inside and out are a turnoff, Chevrolet offers the more luxurious (but slightly slower) Impala SS, and the NASCAR-derrieved Monte Carlo SS coupe.

 

[Keef]

Here's a website with lots more pictures: www.rsportscars.com
Anyway, I really dislike this car. It is way too big, it seems bigger than a HHR or PT Cruiser in real life, mainly because it sits so high off the ground. I surely wouldn't call it "compact". Chrysler is odd in this way, though: Dodges Durango and the new Chrysler Aspen aren't Tahoe big, but aren't Explorer small, either. Right in the middle, just to confuse things a little more.
I really don't care if this thing has 300 horsepower and 260 or whatever torque--I didn't even remember the torque I care so little--because it's not something I would consider buying or driving. I don't think it will ever have the cult status of the SRT-4 or the meanness of it. It's neat seeing someone beat an Evo in their itty-bitty SRT-4 (albeit with a little tuning). It's a little less cool seeing someone beat an Evo in something that looks like it would beat it to begin with.
Another thing: The SRT-4 isn't, to me and any other understanding person, a Neon, it's an SRT-4. That's it. SRT-4. The Caliber "SRT-4" isn't an SRT-4, it's just a Caliber. Admittidly, it's a fast Caliber, but it's still a Caliber. I don't respect it, even if it can beat an Evo.

Other assorted arguments: The only SS vehicle that poses a threat to it's competitors is hte Cobalt SS. The supercharged version. Yes, they have a 2.4L version making 170 hp. WTF did they make two versions for!? They forgot about the Z24? Slap that on the puss version. This argument is pointless anyway, seeing as the SRT-4 killed the SS in everything.
I respect the Impala SS and Gran Prix GXP for their performance and price, they just are slathered with old-school (read: 30+ years old) technology. Pushrods, 4 speed autos. Sure, they work well and are cheap, but the tech has aged quicker than G.W. lately. How long does it take them to implement that new 6-speed crosstown asssociated auto? Lexus' new LS will have twice the speeds of the 4L!

 

[Cosmic]

The front looks great, the rest is crap.

 

[CodeRedR51]

Post the pictures up, I'm interested to see them.

 

[YSSMAN]

Other assorted arguments: The only SS vehicle that poses a threat to it's competitors is hte Cobalt SS. The supercharged version. Yes, they have a 2.4L version making 170 hp. WTF did they make two versions for!? They forgot about the Z24? Slap that on the puss version. This argument is pointless anyway, seeing as the SRT-4 killed the SS in everything.
I respect the Impala SS and Gran Prix GXP for their performance and price, they just are slathered with old-school (read: 30+ years old) technology. Pushrods, 4 speed autos. Sure, they work well and are cheap, but the tech has aged quicker than G.W. lately. How long does it take them to implement that new 6-speed crosstown asssociated auto? Lexus' new LS will have twice the speeds of the 4L!

Yes, the S/C SS is the only GM product (thus far) that has any chance of competing with the new Caliber SRT-4, and I would also agree that the previous SRT-4 completely blew it out of the water. That said, dont completely count out the Cobalt SS, as I would not be surprised to see the new Direct-Injection Turbocharged 2.1L I4 make it into the Cobalt SS after the engine debuts in the Solstice GXP and Sky Redline.

...As for the purpose of the 171HP 2.4L I4 in the N/A Cobalt SS, it was mostly done to keep the car compeditive with the "sportier" versions of the small-car market. Cars like the Scion tC, Ford Focus ST (US-spec), Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart, Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec-V, etc... The car does a good job of offering a great ammount of performance for a pretty good price, and will fare better at State Farm and Allstate for insurance...

Yes, the technology found beneath the "super" W-Body cars may be aincient by some standards, it still works, better even than some of the newest stuff from Japan and Germany. Yes, I would agree that it is dissapointing that the new 6-speed automatic has not been applied to the car, Ford has allready said that the transmission cannot handle much power over the 270 mark... But considering the relitively good fuel economy, the almost guaranteed bullet-proff driveterrain, and a good price, the cars are a great deal.

 

[niky]

Ye gods! It really is a compact!

Still think it's another "answer to a question no one is asking...", but cars like these have a way of suprising people.

300hp in an FWD big car is one thing, but 300hp in an FWD compact is another. But considering how well Dodge was able to make the 250hp (or so... I know it was supposedly 235hp) SRT4 handle, I'm waiting to see how this one does.

 

[CodeRedR51]

Ye gods! It really is a compact!

I believe I read on the SRT forums that the Caliber is actually a hair shorter in length than the Neon, slightly wider, and about 3" taller.

 

[Jay]

Wow, much smaller than the other photo's make it seem now that I see it referenced with a Neon.

 

[CodeRedR51]

There are a couple more photos on another forum comparing the size, but I have to register to get my hands on them, and I don't want to.