Playing with the Caliber SRT-4
We just had a Caliber SRT-4 delivered. It’s got more features and amenities than the Neon SRT-4, but when you put your foot into it, there’s a pause while the World Engine winds its way up into its effective operating range, and then it tosses the car a bit to the side and a good distance forward. While the car seems to be trying to change lanes whenever it’s under full power, it is controllable within reason. The sound is quieter than the original SRT-4, but it is tuned to sound surprisingly like the original while idle. Cornering is quite good, as one would expect, and the seats are more comfortable and probably better tuned to larger drivers and passengers. A handy new feature is the built-in accelerometer, which provides (on demand) 1/8 mile, 1/4 mile, and 0-60 times; but it doesn’t track them unless you’re in accelerometer mode. We’ll get you some times later, but right now the roads are busy and wet.
Here’s the video. The full review is coming soon.
are we forgetting that the caliber and the caliber srt-4 didnt replace the neon and neon srt-4?
if the caliber did not replace the neon, why is it built in the same plant and where is the neon? The neon should have been kept and improved. It may have lacked refinement but it got great fuel economy and was a great handling and performing car. Chrysler as usual doesn’t stick with a vehicle to fruition they abandom them whilest in development. How long did toyota take to refine the corolla or honda the civic? We should take note.
just because its built in the same plant as the neon dosnt mean jack squat! the caliber can be built at sterling heights as the avenger can be buit at belvidere. the avenger is acutaly more of a replacement to the neon. ex. the caliber is a hatch wich the neon was NEVER at all, it was a sedan like the avenger. so yea. it isnt right to compare the caliber to the neon. two complete diferent cars. and the caliber isnt the sucessor to the neon.
By that logic (sedan vs hatch), the Golf and Jetta are completely different and can’t be fairly compared.
not at all what i said.
Chrysler didn’t replace the Neon.
instead the abandoned that segment.
duh.
and Dave what you are saying isn’t at all what i said.
the Golf and Jetta are indeed on the same platform and made in the same plant at the same time and share the same interior and the same powertrain.
and the Neon and Caliber don’t. but the Avenger and the Caliber do.
but the Avenger is much to pricey and thirsty to be a replacement to the neon.
It is a better replacement than the Caliber.
the Neon in some form or another will return, soon you just wait and see.
with the meager sales of the Caliber and the Compatriot twins Belivedere will want to build somthing else, completely Chrysler engneered, not some re-worked Mitisubishi or some junck Mercedes.
Just wait and see.
and i do kno what im talking about for a kid.
stb/