Picture this: you own a performance car featuring complete SRT branding, but one of the most popular Google searches about it sees people wondering if it's fast. Well, the driver of this Dodge Neon SRT-4 decided to turn his example into one hell of an answer. And once the work was done, the enthusiasts naturally took the early 2000s hot sedan to the drag strip.
In factory trim, the turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder heart of the FWD machine delivers 215 or 230 hp, depending on the model year, allowing the vehicle to deliver mid-14s quarter-mile runs.
And while we're not aware of this particular example's spec, the fact that it can now deliver high-9s 1/4-mile sprints means this is as far from the underdog status of the original as possible.
The pumped-up Neon SRT-4 recently visited the Bristol Dragway in Tennessee, and, thanks to the clip below, we can see it battling three machines (lens tip to Drag Racing and Car Stuff for the footage).
The adventure started with the Dodge racing an ex-generation Ford Mustang Boss 302. The Blue Oval built this incarnation of the S197 pony with the circuit in mind, albeit while maintaining the live rear axle of the said iteration.
In stock form, the 'Stang can deliver respectable quarter-mile performance (it's a mid-12s car), but this was no match for the compact sedan.
Next up, the Neon battled a Fox Body Mustang. And, given the FWD vs. RWD take, the contrast couldn't have been greater, especially since both machines seem to sport Drag Pack wheels and tires featuring fat rubber on the driven axle and skinny units providing low rolling resistance on the other end.
Unlike the Boss 302, the Fox Body made full use of its RWD advantage for the starting phase of the race, while no tire in the world could've helped the Neon SRT-4 match the explosive takeoff of its opponent. As for what happened after that, well, there's no point in bringing too many spoilers in here, is there?
The final run shown in the clip brings an also-massaged Honda Civic whose wheels and tires could hint at the JDM toy being prepared to give the Neon SRT-4 a taste of its own medicine.
In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist. Full profile
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