While most folks are quick to associate Mopar Muscle with big old American V8s, the Chrysler Group has put together an impressive resume of high performance 4-cylinder cars that offer both stunning performance and incredible potential. Just like the crazy fast Dodge Neon SRT4 in the video below.
The stock Neon SRT4 was one of the quicker cars of the early 2000s, serving as a massive headache for Mustang GT owners while also being one of the most impressive American compact performance cars ever. While the SRT4 was pretty quick in stock form, Mopar got the modification ball rolling early with their own lineup of high performance “stage” packages that made the Neon big competition for not just the stock Mustang GT…but the whole performance world.
The Dodge Neon SRT4 shown in the video below is one of the best examples I’ve seen of an ultra fast modified SRT4 in action with quarter mile times in the low 9 second range and trap speeds of 163 miles per hour. The video starts off with a quick, healthy burnout followed by the same incredible quarter mile pass from two different angles. What is even more impressive than the 9.16 quarter mile pass is the fact that this run sounded like it had room for improvement. There is a bit of a hesitation between first and second gear followed by what sounds like the rev limiter engaging – both of which could have made enough of a difference to keep this Neon out of the 8s.
Check out this Neon SRT4 screaming down the quarter mile with a trap speed of 163.61 miles per hour and make sure that your speakers are cranked up so you can hear the sweet sound of this super-boosted Dodge 4-cylinder mill.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
