It's not how fast you go, it's how little you slow down.
"If you can't go fast with 90 hp 900 won't help you." Bob Hall father of the Miata another "underpowered go kart"

 

I think one of the funniest pictures I've ever seen was of
a Neon at the SCCA nationals. I think it was at Mid-Ohio
sometime in the nineties. In a corner the Neon outside of
two Neons in a curve was up on two wheels. /__ like that.
As I remember whoever was driving it managed to get
it back down, I think. I've done a search but can't find
the pic...if you can it is funny.

 

Order was: Dodge, Ford, MCS, Mazda.

They summarized the Neon: "Dodge has upped the ante with the SRT-4, which wins this comparison because of its raw, unadulterated, and muscular engine, which kicks sand into the intake manifolds of the competition.... What it does have is a very well-tuned chassis, one helluva powertrain, and the ability to blow everthing else into the wild mustard. Whether you're on a road course or a drag strip, that's all that really matters".

 

>>
>>They summarized the Neon: "...that's all that really matters".
>>

If that's all that's all that matters to them, that's all that will ever matter...

And to about throwing a turbo beetle into the mix, Motor Trend put a Turbo Beetle, a MCS and umm. something else (heh heh) against each other, and the Turbo Beetle posted times that were VERY similar to the MCS.. no clear winner...

Rocketboy_X

 

Had to jump in on this one becuase of my love of Detroit Iron from back in the "Golden Age" (or so I have dubbed it) from '67 to '72. Detroit had heavy duty muscle cars designed to do one thing - go. fast. And they did. Now the neon may use a turbo instead of 4 extra cylinders, but it has the same effect - it's a monster engine (relatively speaking) thrown into a standard car with some rebadging. Look at the Pontiac GTO. It was just a Le Mans with 3 2-barrel carb's and gobs and gobs of displacement. Given, the GTO was stylish and the Neon is a designer's flatulation, but...

Oh, and as far as Dodge's HEMI line goes, they're coming out with a $34,000 monster with 490 hp. It's called the Magnum SRT-8 Sports Tourer - it's a station wagon hat looks mean as :evil: :evil:

I'll post a pic for you guys, but I have to get to class. Rock on Cooper woman!

 

I think back to the original pocket rocket wars between the GTI and the hopped-up Omnirizon challenger and some other johnny come latelies. The Mopars had the edge in sheer power and performance but the GTI was always the clear connonsieur's choice - and rightfully so.

The GTI had 90 hp and we thought it was the greatest thing in the world at the time. The MCS has that spirit. If I had to compare the MCS to anything, it would be the CRX Si - as I think it has to be the best handling front driver since the old Si.

Cars like the GTI, the Mini, the Miata, even the early Hondas were never about being the ultimate in performance (That's why God made Porsche). They're about blazing trails, setting standards for everyone else to shoot at.

I traded my 2000 Civic Si coupe in on a 99 Miata and at the time I think I was the last Civic owner with a stock exhaust. I'm just funny that way.

Then again, I did order the SX package getting an extra 30 hp from my dealer. I don't think anyone should have to take crap from any punks in a PT Cruiser Turbo.

 

Although I did trash the neon and American Iron, I didn't really mean to be so nasty about it.

67-72 was a great era in American auto manufacturing. I love American V8s and will concur that they are mainstays in auto history, even today. I LOVE what Chrysler is doing with big Vs in the Viper and Ram trucks. I love that GM is bringing back rear-wheel-drive with the new GTO. I love that power is big in big cars again. I love that Cadillac showed a 1000hp car in Detroit this year.

But...

IMHO, and that's all it is, there's a Neon everywhere you go. They're not interesting, they're not cool, and they're not exclusive. If a Neon kicks sand in my face someday, then I'll eat sand. I'll still be motorin' in my MINI and the Neon will still be a Dodge.

 

>>I like cars. I've driven a Neon at speed around Lime
>>Rock and it was an enjoyable experience. Same for
>>a Formula Dodge. Don't forget who helped build OUR
>>engines!!! Chrysler engines are bulletproof and the
>>Neon has probaly gotten more people into racing in
>>the last few years than ANY other car. It will be interesting
>>to see the SRT forums. I'll bet fewer problems than any
>>BMW forum.....am I a heretic????
>> ) (no one was hurt)

 

I think the MINI is like the MIATA, They both may not have a bucket full of power but the MIATA is still unbeatable in its class when it comes to driving throught the twisties. Sure the NEON SRT-4 has a very very powerfull motor and handles well, but I think on a Solo II course the MINI will beat it. Power isn't everything. I had a '02 Civic SI that had 160 horse power and Koni shocks and race tires. I traded it in on a MINI Cooper because I know the MINI is faster...............well it better be, hahaha.

Anyway the MINI is not going to win all the performance tests out there, but it is still your MINI and thats what matters. It may be slower in a straight line than an SRT-4, but at leasts its not a NEON! I've owned a neon, and its a good thing the MINI isn't.......though the engine sort of is I guess.

Colin

 

This reminds me of the show on discovery about the Autoban.. twards the end of it, they compared it to the US's higway system, and talked about how the design of the roads influenced the design of the cars. Basically it came down to the less-curvy design of American roads gave us a lot of cars that go fast, but only straight, and in Germany, they made cars that were fast, (but not as quick off the line as the US cars) better in turns, and MUCH safer...

Rocketboy_X