Latest Automobile Mag: Neon SRT-4 vs Mazdaspeed Protege vs SVT Focus vs Mini Cooper S

[NFS4]

1st: Neon SRT-4
2nd: SVT Focus
3rd: Mini Cooper S
4th: Mazdaspeed Protege

 

[vi edit]

Mazda really pussed out on the protege speed. 170HP W/ a turbo? Pffffffft! The focus makes that without it.

 

[Mr.IncrediblyBored]

Originally posted by: NFS4
1st: Neon SRT-4
2nd: SVT Focus
3rd: Mini Cooper S
4th: Mazdaspeed Protege

Whoa, short article.

 

[WinkOsmosis]

What about Nissans Sent.... wait nevermind.

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: KnightBreed

Originally posted by: NFS4
1st: Neon SRT-4
2nd: SVT Focus
3rd: Mini Cooper S
4th: Mazdaspeed Protege

Whoa, short article.

That is short

The Neon would spank the sh*t out of all of them. Dodge seriously raised the bar this round.

 

[Ryan]

No civic Si, hehe

 

[Mr.IncrediblyBored]

Originally posted by: vi_edit
Mazda really pussed out on the protege speed. 170HP W/ a turbo? Pffffffft! The focus makes that without it.

I agree. FlyinMiata has a turbo package for the Protege that puts out around 200hp(?) to the wheels.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

My guess for 1/4 mile times:
14.1
15.9
16.5
16.4

How close was I?

 

[geno]

Are they ranking overall? Or just the performance aspect of it all? If It's overall, I'm surprised that the Cooper came in behind the SVT...although I have been hearing really good things about the SVT's handling capabilities... I'm not surprised that the SRT came in first though, that car has such a great bang/buck ratio

BTW: here's a C&D review of the SRT-4 (video) if anyone's interested Vid

 

[BigSmooth]

Gotta give props to Dodge, they didn't mess around with the horsepower in the Neon SRT.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: WinkOsmosis
What about Nissans Sent.... wait nevermind.

hey yeah that little POS was winning comparos all the time last year

 

[StageLeft]

Just watched that vid. I really want one of these. 0-60 in under 6 seconds at $20k is just phenomenal. The little buggars are fast. It's the first time, other than a viper as a dream, that I'd actually consider a dodge.

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: KnightBreed

Originally posted by: NFS4
1st: Neon SRT-4
2nd: SVT Focus
3rd: Mini Cooper S
4th: Mazdaspeed Protege

Whoa, short article.

Neon SRT-4: "Turbo lag? MIA" "Dodge delivers smooth, sustainable, serious power at any speed" "Underwhelming Neon cabin" "Cabin is strictly Neon-grade, which means such indignities as wind-down rear windows"

SVT Focus: "Steering loads up beautifully, and the chassis always communicates its intentions"

Mini Cooper S: "Flat as its roof in the autocross" "The Mini is fun to toss around at low speeds but is hardly a speed machine" "Very composed in the autocross" Handling is remarkable for a FWD car, with astounding turn-in and cornering"

Mazdaspeed Protege: "Protege sloppy amid the cones" "The Mazda is nimble, rides OK, and has low-effort steering with good feel" "The brakes are superb"



Bottom Line:

What we're really waiting for, however, is a car that combines the style of the Cooper S, the audio system of the Mazdaspeed Protege, the chassis of the Focus, and the engine of the SRT-4

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Just watched that vid. I really want one of these. 0-60 in under 6 seconds at $20k is just phenomenal.

ummm... z28

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Just watched that vid. I really want one of these. 0-60 in under 6 seconds at $20k is just phenomenal.

ummm... z28

A base camaro only has 200 HP, although it is $19k.

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: Demon-Xanth
My guess for 1/4 mile times:
14.1
15.9
16.5
16.4

How close was I?

0-60

Neon SRT-4 - 5.7
SVT Focus - 7.5
Mini Cooper S - 7.3
Mazdaspeed Protege - 7.3

1/4 mile

Neon SRT-4 - 14.2 @ 102
SVT Focus - 15.8 @ 90
Mini Cooper S - 15.6 @ 92
Mazdaspeed Protege - 15.7 @ 90

 

[SgtBuddy]

Camaro Z28
starting at
$23,430*

http://www.chevrolet.com/camaro/index.htm

maybe...

Camaro
starting at
$19,015*

Couldn't find any data for the 2003 or 2004 Camaro...oh wait..

I couldn't find any quick 0-60 data the on the 200HP 2002 base model with all these blasted Websense filters at work!

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: SgtBuddy
Camaro Z28
starting at
$23,430*

http://www.chevrolet.com/camaro/index.htm

maybe...

Camaro
starting at
$19,015*

Couldn't find any data for the 2003 or 2004 Camaro...oh wait..

I couldn't find any quick 0-60 data the on the 200HP 2002 base model with all these blasted Websense filters at work!

Probably high 6's. Or maybe 7.

 

[vi edit]

Probably high 6's. Or maybe 7.

Nah. It's probably more along the lines of 7.5 for the 3800 series V6.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: SgtBuddy
Camaro Z28
starting at
$23,430*

http://www.chevrolet.com/camaro/index.htm

maybe...

Camaro
starting at
$19,015*

Couldn't find any data for the 2003 or 2004 Camaro...oh wait..

I couldn't find any quick 0-60 data the on the 200HP 2002 base model with all these blasted Websense filters at work!

they must have raised the MSRP on them in the final year... they had been right about 21 for a stripped Z28 so if you weren't getting them under 20 you were doing something wrong.

or maybe thats just how GM's $3500 rebates work?

 

[Wingznut]

14.2 1/4 mile Neon? Wow!

 

[spacelord]

besides the Neon being a speedy car for the price.. its still a Neon.
"Hi. I'm Neon!"

how cute. now get the hell out of my way, or I'll run you over with my truck.

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: spacelord
besides the Neon being a speedy car for the price.. its still a Neon.
"Hi. I'm Neon!"

how cute. now get the hell out of my way, or I'll run you over with my truck.

If u can catch the thing

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: spacelord
besides the Neon being a speedy car for the price.. its still a Neon.
"Hi. I'm Neon!"

how cute. now get the hell out of my way, or I'll run you over with my truck.

LMFAO! Funniest thing I've read this week!! That actually made me LOL b/c I still remember those "Hi. I'm Neon!" commericals from '95

 

[bozack]

Yeah, I agree that I personally could never own a Neon no matter how great of a car/bang for the buck..whatever it is simply because of its name, those old commercials, and the crap interior, personally would rather spend an additional 5K + if I had to for something else...maybe if Dodge changed the name and the styling a little bit it would be a consideration but why Dodge decided to make the Neon into this is beyond me, they should have brought back the Avenger, at least that is a somewhat respectable name....heck even the Focus SVT doesn't sound as bad as "Neon"