1998 DODGE NEON R/T
Go Fast On A Budget

By Aaron Gold

I've been a fan of the Neon since it was first introduced. Even in base form, it outperformed and outhandled my favorites in the "cheap thrill" class -- the Honda Civic EX and the VW Golf GL -- and it was a heck of a lot less expensive. The Neon is not without faults. Its noise and lack of refinement mean it isn't the best choice for everyone. But for folks who are on a budget and value performance, fun and practicality over refinement and civility, it's spot-on.

Since its introduction, thousands of people have realized the Neon's performance potential -- including the folks at Dodge. Early on, they introduced a variant called the ACR Neon, sometimes known as the Competition Package. The ACR (for American Club Racing - no ties to any official organization that I know of) had the 150-horsepower motor and 4-wheel disc brakes from the top-line Sport, along with super-stiff (and super-expensive) adjustable Koni shock absorbers. Outside, the car featured simple exterior trim from the base-model Neon. Many buyers chose to eliminate the air conditioner and even the radio to save weight, and took their ACRs straight to the track.

Dodge figured that some folks might want the go-faster bits and simple trim of the ACR, but without the expensive Koni shocks, so this year they've introduced the Neon R/T. Most folks will remember the R/T (Road and Track) badge from Dodge's fire-breathing muscle cars of the 60s and early 70s. Today, the R/T package endows the Neon with the 2.0-liter dual-overhead cam engine, 5-speed transmission, 4-wheel disc brakes (ABS is a $540 extra), performance springs and shocks, a rear spoiler, fog lamps, aluminum wheels, Good Year Eagle RS-A tires, a quicker steering ratio, and, of course, a trunk-lid spoiler. Inside, the R/T gets a leather shift knob, a cassette deck, unique seats, and air conditioning. Two wide stripes, as seen on the Viper coupe, start at the grille and run over the top of the car and down the trunk lid (they can be deleted if they're too much for you). All this adds $2,140 to the price of a base Neon coupe, for a grand total of $13,795. For those who travel in packs, $200 more gets you an R/T sedan. Not a bad price, considering you'll be able to kick the automotive butt of just about everyone on your daily commute.

Nothing this side of a $20,000 Acura Integra GS-R offers so much fun for so little money. Competitors like the Cavalier Z24, the Sunfire GT, the Nissan 200SX SE-R, and even the surprisingly competent Escort ZX-2 don't offer the cheeky character or the raw handlingand performance of the Neon. Nor do they offer a four-door variant, and they certainly don't come as well-equipped for a sticker price under 14 grand. Quite simply, if you're looking to go fast and you're on a budget -- heck, forget the budget, if you're just looking to go fast -- you can't get much more bang for your buck than with a Neon R/T.