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The 2008 Dodge Caliber SRT4
The 2008 Dodge Caliber SRT4


Base price: $22,435
As Tested: $26,145
285-horsepower
2.4L 4-cylinder
turbocharged DOHC engine
119 city / 27 hwy

More info:
www.dodge.com



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Chrysler pulled out all the stops to make the all-new '08 Dodge Caliber SRT4 look like a sport compact that could run with the Evos and WRX's on the street. The macho hood air scoop, front brake cooling ducts, 19-inch aluminum cast wheels, rear spoiler and aggressive low stance add up to a ready-to-race demeanor. Subtle? No. Macho? Indeed.

Chrysler's SRT folks are all about the racing feel, and the Caliber SRT4's cockpit feels straight out of Talladega. Instead of the speedometer, the tachometer sits dead-on in front of the driver for rev-matching pleasure, the shift knob and shift boot are leather-wrapped, the seat bolsters keep the driver firmly in place through esse turns, and there's a turbo boost gauge to the left of the carbon-fiber-texture steering wheel (which we found basically useless, but it looks cool). The SRT4 also has an optional performance information display that spits out 0-60 times, 1/4-mile acceleration time and distance, braking distance and other fun facts.

The 2.4-liter turbocharged engine cranks out 285 ponies, and its 265-lb.-ft. of torque are plenty to leave rubber all over the road. The clutch on our tester's six-speed manual transmission was a little stiff, leaving us feeling like we'd done a series of one-leg squats after a long drive. Will the Caliber run with an Evo X? No, the Evo's probably a second quicker 0-60 than the Caliber SRT4's claimed six seconds. But then again, a loaded Caliber is also $10K less, at minimum. Comparing price to performance, Dodge's shot is pretty on the mark with the Caliber SRT4.

-- by Sam Jemielity

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