2007 Dodge Caliber SRT4 Review

Specifications

300-HP Caliber SRT-4 to Humble Premium Players

There was so much to like about the outgoing Neon-based SRT-4 that Im almost sorry to see it go. Its racy Viper-esque grille and hood scoop, fabulous 18-inch rims and snarly exhaust note almost overshadowed its hyperactive 230-horsepower 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, still number one in the class after two years of production. This said, the four-cylinder in the upcoming Caliber SRT4, while still sporting 2.4 liters of displacement is an altogether otherworldly beast.

I suppose, there is precedent in the compact class for upwards of 300-horsepower, but only two production vehicles come to mind, and both are priced way higher than the Caliber SRT4s expected MSRP. This in mind, I dont think Dodge is targeting Subaru WRX STi customers, nor those who opt for Mitsubishis EVO IX in introducing a super-compact model that matches the former cars horsepower rating and eclipses the latter. After all, somehow the engineering skunk works team that has developed the car will send the engines power through to the front wheels without engaging those in the rear, despite offering an all-wheel drive variant in the Calibers top-most naturally-aspirated version, the R/T. The trick will be to minimize the steering systems natural tendency to torque when full throttle compromises input at the wheel, a difficult but not impossible hurdle to jump.

Personally, Id be willing to put up with the odd tug on the steering wheel just to get a chance to sit in its highly bolstered racing-style seats, slide my palm over its leather-clad six-speed shift lever, press down on the aluminum clutch pedal (with rubber studs, no less) and rev the little powerhouse until its performance-tuned exhaust let out a bark that no doubt will be even more pronounced than the previous SRT-massaged four-cylinder. I get tingles just thinking about it.

I think the exhaust note was my favorite attribute of the Neon-based SRT4. It was so obnoxious… so, impudent in its obstinate attitude that if it possessed a middle finger it would no doubt be saluting the more obvious politically correct establishmentarian passersby in a gesture of utmost respect and reverence. Yes, the new Caliber SRT4, despite its pragmatic five-door liftback configuration, is the new bad boy of the automotive underworld, ready to lay prey on ultra-premium sports models at five times its sticker price. Its a Magnum SRT8 on a budget, yet its smaller dimensions and lighter curb weight, matched by a sophisticated fully-independent suspension, with MacPherson struts up front and a five-link setup in the rear, should make it much more agile than the already surprisingly fleet footed full-size sport wagon - but more on this in a minute.

Like the old SRT4, the Caliber-based super compact gets a few racy add-ons to distinguish it from its more proletarian roots, but once again these arent merely styling details but functional elements of the cars inner workings.

A brooding hood scoop for feeding air into the engine bay sits above the slightly more aggressive body-color crosshair grille, flanked between twin reversed vents, designed to let air escape the engine compartment.

“Exterior design that works as well as it looks is a requirement for all SRT vehicles,” said Creed.  “The hood design includes the functionality of bringing cool air in and getting hot air out.”

The large grille opening is ideal for keeping all things behind it cool.

“From the very first sketches of the all-new 2007 Dodge Caliber SRT4, we wanted an aggressive, SRT-signature look,” commented Trevor Creed, Senior Vice President, Design.  “For example, because the intercooler is positioned so high behind the front grille, we moved the fascia slightly forward and extended the walls of the grille.  The result is a much more aggressive look than the standard Dodge Caliber.”

A deep lower valance not only sports large circular fog lamps for lighting the road ahead, but feeds air to the radiator and onto the brakes, while sending excess flow down either side of the car toward a new aero extension that covers the rockers. A massive rear wing, almost sixty percent larger than that on the standard Caliber, so that it can maximize downforce, is also added, but in Caliber trim its not as ostentatious as that on the Neon-based SRT4. Rather, it appears like a natural extension of the cars sporty five-door profile, and as importantly it doesnt obstruct the view out of the rear window like the previous models airfoil did.

From the rear, a more pronounced bumper sits atop a functional black-matte diffuser, designed to direct underbody airflow away from the car, enhancing stability at high speed, also incorporates a thick, fat, 3.5-inch chrome-tipped exhaust pipe, looking every bit as purposeful as a WRC rally car.

And wouldnt a WRC-tuned Caliber be the perfect way to show the world that Dodge is firmly planted on the global stage? While hard to believe, not everyone watches NASCAR - for the uninitiated, NASCAR is a motorsport conglomerate that oversees a few series that have plastic-bodied, remotely similar replicas of everyday entry-level sedans or pickup trucks running around on ovals, passing each other ever few seconds until one crosses the finish line, after 200 to 500 laps, before the others. Actually, outside of the U.S., as well as parts of Canada and Mexico, even Winston Cup, NASCARs elite series only gets noticed when one of its talented drivers, such as Jeff Gordon, enters a “Series of Champions” event or tests an F1 car. Dodge, a long-time participant in Nextel Cup and NASCARs other series, such as Busch, now entered with a facsimile of its new Charger, also fields a RAM pickup in the Craftsman Truck Series. But the brand is now going global, trying to attract European buyers as well as those from other markets outside of North America, so a new non-NASCAR motorsport presence, such as the World Rally Championship, could give what will without doubt be its most promising new model overseas, real street credibility.

Of course, some will argue that the mere mention of an affordable 300-horsepower compact model will do more to establish street cred than the hundreds of millions spent on a racing program that may or may not produce a winning car. After all, Mitsubishis fabulous EVO has been on- and off-again over the last few years, the Japanese automaker simply not capable of fielding a competitive team during its financial crisis. But the thought of a North America brand taking it to the Europeans on their own turf, just like Ford did with its Le Mans winning Cobras and GT40s in the 60s, with Carroll Shelby at the racing divisions helm, is enough to plaster a smile across this domestically grown rebel.

And its not like the Caliber wouldnt show up with class-leading underpinnings either. I drove the regular Caliber at a press event in Scottsdale, Arizona last week, and found its handling to be extremely competent despite being set up for less entertaining errands than charging across tight, winding tarmac at 180 mph or launching into the air off the crest of a dirt road before pounding its suspension through a series of washboard ruts while powering sideways through a corner with all four wheels spiting rocks at grinning spectators - you call NASCAR entertainment? Snore…

The SRT4 will without doubt up the stock Calibers performance threshold to racecar-like levels, a suspension architecture that came to fruition through a great deal of cooperation with Mitsubishis next-generation Lancer team - yes, the same car that will be the basis for the upcoming EVO X. No wonder it handles so well, and this side of equipping it with all-wheel drive, the Caliber SRT4 is a rally car in the making.

The trick will be in launching it without burning up the front tires, now that a maximum of 260 lb-ft of torque is on hand. Dodge says that it can zip to 60 mph in less than six seconds, but my guess is that this is a conservative estimate. While it wont be a match for the much more powerful Magnum SRT8, or a lighter car with similar power, it should be able to accomplish the task in the mid-fives.

“We couldnt wait to infuse Dodge Caliber with the SRT formula,” said George Murphy, Senior Vice President, Global Marketing, Chrysler Group. “The all-new 2007 Dodge Caliber SRT4 delivers a strong dose of all-around performance while delivering at least 28 miles per gallon on the highway. Our new SRT pocket rocket will be a hoot to drive.”

The engine comes via Chrysler Groups all-new “World Engine” family, available in naturally-aspirated 1.8-, 2.0- and 2.4-liter configurations in base, SRT and R/T trim levels. Made at the Global Engine Manufacturing Alliance (GEMA) facility in Dundee, Michigan, the world engine is the result of a joint effort by DaimlerChryslers Chrysler Group, Hyundai Motor Company and Mitsubishi Motors Corporation. By pooling resources the three automakers have developed an engine that is truly world class, featuring top-tier technologies to help them compete with Japanese leaders.

“The all-new 2.4-liter turbocharged World Engine delivers a level of power youd expect from a V8,” said Pete Gladysz, Senior Manager, Powertrain, SRT.  “With the engine in the all-new 2007 Dodge Caliber SRT4, we were able to take advantage of tried-and-true performance improvements, such as increased cylinder-head flow and higher compression ratio, as well as newer technologies such as Variable Valve Timing (VVT).”

But theres more to the upgraded 2.4 than merely the addition of a turbocharger and intercooler, as the all-aluminum engine also features a machined block for improved water and oil flow, specially made cast pistons that are fixed to forged connecting rods before being encased in iron cylinder sleeves and cooled via oil squirters. Those connecting rods, as well as the engines crankshaft, feature tri-metal bearings for reduced friction and therefore higher performance with less metal degradation, while an exclusive oil pump/balance shaft module keeps the moving parts well-lubricated. The SRT engineers keep the oil temperature within prescribed levels via an external cooler.

The engines aluminum cylinder head gets high-temperature exhaust valves, while its variable valve timing system features computer mapping to “open and close intake and exhaust valves at optimal points for efficient combustion and flow”, says the automaker. The camshaft and micro-alloy steel crankshaft arent unique to the SRT4, but while stock 2.4-liter Caliber R/T components, are heavy-duty enough to handle the SRT4s high-horsepower loads.

Feeding air into the engine is essential for maintaining its high performance threshold, and the SRT4s new air cleaner system wont impede its free flow into the turbocharger where it is first compressed before arriving at a 57 mm throttle body via the intercooler. A high-flow fuel pump feeds special SRT4 injectors, controlled by an all-new Siemens engine management system.

Freeing up exhaust flow is also critical to an engines performance, therefore the SRT4s powerplant boasts two catalytic converters in tandem, the first just aft of the turbo and the second further down the three-inch diameter exhaust pipe. The twin catalytic converters reduce harmful emissions, while helping to remove exhaust air as quickly as possible, enhancing performance.

The engines massive power passes through a dual-mass flywheel on its way to a six-speed manual transmission before reaching a limited-slip differential for what Dodge is calling a “uniform side-to-side power transfer”, enhanced via equal-length halfshafts pulled from the automakers larger midsize car line due to the components larger size and more capable power-coping capabilities, in effect answering that dreaded torque steer question posed earlier. Whether or not SRTs engineers were able to eliminate steering wheel lockup, a common problem when accelerating out of tight corners in a powerful front-wheel drive vehicle, remains to be experienced. Of course, theyve made 4,000+lb sedans, plus a wagon and an SUV, handle like go-karts, so anything is possible.

Go-kart-like handling in mind, the Caliber SRT4 should be sensational in the corners. First of all, like I mentioned in my road test review of the conventionally powered versions, its no flyweight compared to others in this category. Still, its also no heavyweight contender either, weighing in at a manageable 3,189 lbs, which is more than the base 1.8-liter Caliber that features roll em yourself windows and other reminders of a simpler era, at 2,966 lbs, but quite a bit less than the CVT- and AWD-equipped R/T that weighs in at 3,308 lbs.

Overcompensating for a plus-3000 pound curb weight is a classic set of 19-inch five-spoke alloys, wrapped in 225/45R19 W-rated Goodyear performance tires at each corner. Like some running gear components, the SRT4s wheel hubs and bearings were sourced from larger front-drive midsize models for increase strength and durability.

The SRT team also upgraded the regular Calibers MacPherson strut front suspension with new knuckles and retuned dampers featuring reworked spring rates. Sway bar diameters, front and rear have been increased too, providing less body lean when cornering aggressively. Overall grip should go up further thanks to a one-half inch reduction in overall ride height when compared to the purposely tallish conventional Caliber, a simple but effective solution that also makes the car appear sleeker than its less powerful sibling.

The Calibers standard rack-and-pinion power steering system has also been tuned, ironically to allow for easier maneuverability during low-speed driving, “without compromising performance at speed,” or so says Dodge. Its overall steering ratio of 18.0:1 should provide for a good balance between real-world activities and out-and-out performance driving.

Give the automaker high marks for including Boschs well-executed Electronic Stability Program (ESP) as standard equipment, specially calibrated for the SRT4s unique application.

ESP couldnt do anything without the help of antilock brakes, so therefore the SRT4 comes equipped with ABS at all four wheels, specially calibrated for the cars sporting nature. Again, the SRT gang pulls braking components from Chrysler Groups many parts bins, the front calipers derived from its LX cars, the Chrysler 300, Dodge Magnum and Dodge Charger, while its rear calipers come from the brands midsize Stratus - all painted in signature Dodge SRT red. The vented rotors are large, by the way, measuring 13.4 by 1.1 inches (340 by 28 mm) in front and 11.9 by 0.4 inches (302 by 10 mm) at the rear.

Now that were on the subject of safety, its pretty clear that Dodge doesnt want its precious new Caliber SRT4 owners from getting hurt or worse while enjoying their ride. Ill only touch on these items as there are too many to go over in much detail, but in short the new model incorporates Brake Assist, working in tandem with the SRT4s ABS system, a slew of airbags including one for the drivers knees, how thoughtful, height-adjustable seatbelts, also enhancing comfort levels, seatbelt pretensioners, the SmartBeam Intelligent headlamp system that “adjusts to ambient light and oncoming traffic to deliver maximum lighting,” a tire pressure monitoring system, the ParkSense rear back-up system, enhancing convenience and the safety of pedestrians, the Sentry Key Engine Immobilizer, and the Enhanced Accident Response System (EARS), which, in the event of an crash, “makes it easier for emergency personnel to see and access occupants by automatically turning on interior lighting and unlocking doors after airbag deployment,” plus it also shuts off fuel flow to the engine.

A few convenience items, some of which could improve safety include power-adjustable foot pedals, remote keyless entry with a panic alarm, and an auto-reverse glass sunroof.

Purists probably wont opt for the sunroof as it will add weight to the topmost area, raising the cars center of gravity. These folks will love the cars more purposeful additions, such as highly bolstered sport seats mentioned earlier, the thick leather-wrapped steering wheel, featuring a faux carbon fiber design on its upper portion, incidentally. Other niceties make for a pleasing environment, but one that never forgets youre in a track-ready super-compact.

“The 2007 Dodge Caliber interior is unique with sophisticated and contemporary appointments,” added Creed. “When we enhanced it with SRT cues, we followed design themes that had been successful with the previous Dodge SRT4, including the graphic design of the instruments, separate boost gauge, and silver finish on the center stack and interior trim.

Interestingly, the SRT4 cant be had with the more basic models optional 450-watt audio system, although the available SRT/Kicker high-performance system, which includes 13 speakers in seven locations throughout the car, seems up to the task of drowning out any highway drone the throaty exhaust system may conjure up. Incidentally, a standard AM/FM radio with a multi-disc CD changer comes standard - not bad at all. The SRT4 also gets the UConnect (Bluetooth) hands free communications system, plus SIRIUS satellite radio.

While the interior can be had in Dark/Light Slate Gray, a total of four exterior colors can be had, starting with Brilliant Black, and then followed closely by Sunburst Orange, Bright Silver and Inferno Red.

No matter the color, the new SRT4 should provide one of the best values for the dollar available, although prices have yet to be announced.

“The all-new 2007 Dodge Caliber SRT4 achieves the SRT mission of offering benchmark performance for the best price,” said marketing man Murphy.  “With 300 horsepower under the hood, the Dodge Caliber SRT4 will dominate the sport-compact market.”

And the original SRT-4 didnt do all that badly, with some 25,000 plus cars sold in only two full years of availability. This might be a good time to point out that the current SRT-4 is available with a host of MOPAR performance accessories to take it from fabulously fun to outrageously silly, pumping up horsepower way beyond even the new model. Dont put it past MOPAR to do much the same with the new Caliber SRT4, and remember that with this “aftermarket” tuning brand, the warranty remains untouched despite the modifications, as long as a dealer does the installation - the most obvious reason to deal with an OEM parts supplier. The added power, suspension upgrades and other mods come cheap too, relatively speaking.

But even in stock trim I think the new Caliber SRT4 will clean up well against the ultra-hot import tuner crowd. Its a car with no immediate rival, thanks to an expected low sticker price, and the added functionality of a liftback configuration opens up to an extremely accommodating cargo area; making it the practical powerhouse needed by youngish dads not willing to go quietly into wagon-life. Look for a road test of this car as soon as its available.