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 DODGE
INTREPID R/T
Let me take you back three-plus decades for a short trip down the
memory lane of a car lover. I'll fire up the trip with two letters: R and
T.
They stand for "road and track" and back in the last Sixties
they were paired with the Dodge Coronet two-door hardtop and convertible.
Back before the '73 oil crisis, the Coronet R/T and big block Hemi V8s
were the stuff of a young man's dream's.
Four hundred and twenty-six cubic inches of engine rumbled up 425
horsepower. And in those days, one horsepower per cubic inch was something
serious to brag about.
Sprints to 96 kilometres and hour (60 miles an hour in those days) in
about six seconds gave a guy the neighbourhood. Mine, at least. The
biggest challenge with a car like that was to find some traction for tires
torqued to the max by that mean powerplant under the hood. It was easy to
light 'em up in those days.
Alas, the Coronet R/T went away just about the time the sheiks of the
Middle East started turning down the oil taps. But if that crisis hadn't
happened, strict emissions regulations would have choked the life out of
that R/T anyway.
 Which
brings us to today, the era of miraculous computerized engine controls and
modern emission-reduction devices. It's not a great surprise, then, to
have an R/T version of the 2000 Chrysler (Dodge in the U.S.) Intrepid come
along. At $29,995, this is an affordable five-passenger sedan, albeit with
a performance difference.
Back in the Sixties we thought one horsepower per cubic inch was awesome.
I'm here to tell you that the 242 hp. Intrepid R/T does better than that.
How does 1.13 horsepower per cubic inch sound? That's what you get when
you do the conversion for the 3.5-litre V6 standard on the Intrepid R/T.
Yet unlike the old Coronet R/T, the Intrepid doesn't jerk and rumble when
resting at a stoplight. So it's not a showoff. Oh, I suppose the rear
spoiler and Viper Red paint might get you some attention, along with the
dual chrome exhaust tips, foglamps and R/T badging. But generally
speaking, Chrysler's engineers and stylists have been admirably restrained
with this package.
What I mean is, they've focused on tweaking what matters most -- what car
lovers often refer to as the "dirty parts." That means the
suspension gets a performance handling setup, there are larger front brake
rotors (or discs) and calipers to boost stopping power and bigger tires
and wheels deliver better grip and control.
They've been able to keep the sticker within reason by borrowing the
brakes and anti-roll bars from the much pricier Chrysler 300M sports
luxury sedan. The 3.5-litre V6 engine, too, is borrowed from the 300M.
 That
gives the 242-hp. Intrepid R/T an eight per cent horsepower edge over the
225-hp. 3.2-litre V6 optional on the Intrepid ES ($26,615) -- and about a
one second edge in 0-100 km/h times.
That said, those who know their cars will note that the Intrepid R/T is
slightly less powerful than the 250-hp. 300M with the same engine. Why?
The engineers recalibrated the engine's spark advance and fuel-injection
timing to allow the R/T to run on regular gas - another money-saving
effort on behalf of owners.
On the other hand, if you opt for premium, the R/T gets an extra kick when
you dip you toe into the throttle. To a point. And that point is at
wide-open throttle, when the computer runs a performance program designed
for regular gas. On the other hand, the Intrepid R/T weighs 34 kg. (75
pounds) less than the 300M, so 0-100 km/h times are a wash at about eight
seconds.
All the way, the R/T sounds good (nice sport exhaust note) and feels
remarkably agile for a genuinely large sedan capable of seating five
adults in comfort -- not to mention toting all their golf clubs in the
trunk. The AutoStick semi-manual transmission allows drivers to have some
control over gear choices without using a clutch. Or the four-speed can
operate in full auto-mode.
 The
brakes? Outstanding. Stopping distances are substantially shorter than
those of the Intrepid ES. Good look inducing fade, too. Take a hard look
at the Intrepid's open-wheel design. Look closely and you'll see the front
brake rotors vent outward, so fade resistance is way above average. Go
ahead, use those brakes all you want and they won't go away any time soon.
The rest of the Intrepid story is pretty well known. This car, along with
the Chrysler Concorde, was introduced back in '98 with swoopy new styling.
The pouty, sharp-edged nose and choppe-off tail make for an aggressive
stance. The sloping windshield and graceful roofline are both handsome and
aerodynamically efficient.
Inside, the R/T's cabin is nicely equipped, though the R/T embroidered
grey cloth upholstery and black dash look more glum than sporty. Leather
seating is not available.
Quality issues have dogged the Intrepid since it arrived in the early
'90s, but it's worth noting that in the latest J.D. Power quality study,
the Intrepid had considerably fewer problems than the industry average.
Of course, J.D. Power wasn't even in business when the Coronet R/T was
launched. And this latest R/T has more oomph per cubic inch than that car.
 2000
CHRYSLER INTREPID R/T 4-dr sedan
Engine: (front-engine/front-wheel drive) 3.5-litre V6 w/four valves
per cylinder operated by single overhead camshaft (SOHC; electronic engine
management/sequential fuel injection; 242 hp at 6,400 rpm; torque rated at
248 lbs-ft at 3,950 rpm.
Transmission: four-speed electronically controlled automatic.
Steering: power-assist rack and pinion.
Brakes: power-assisted front disc/rear drum with four-wheel
anti-lock system.
Tires: 225/55VR17 all-season radials.
Fuel economy (litres/100 km): 13.1 city/8.3 hwy. or 22/34 mpg.
Wheelbase: 2,870 mm (112.9 in).
Curb weight: 1,583 kg (3,490 lbs).
Price (MSRP base): $29,755; Freight: $890.
Key standard features: sport ride suspension, performance tires,
AC, premium AM/FM stereo w/single CD, cruise control w/steering wheel
controls, power two-stage door locks, 1 power accessory outlet, leather
wrapped tilt steering wheel, power windows/side mirrors, cloth seats.
Key Options: full size spare tire ($295), power sunroof ($790).
J.D. Power & Associates Initial Quality Study (number of
owner-reported problems in first 90 days; lower number is better) average
154:
Chrysler line: 151
Intrepid: 133
Performance in 0-100 km/h: 9.2 seconds
Consumer Reports Predicted Reliability: better than average
(recommended).
Safety/security: dual airbags; anti-lock braking; poor rating for
headrest effectiveness; four stars/four stars for driver/passenger crash
test rating; four stars/three stars for front/rear side impacts; average
collision claims rating; better than average comprehensive claims rating;
better than average theft claims rating anti-theft device.
Warranty:
Basic: 3 years/60,000 km
Major components: 3 years/60,000 km.
Rust perforation: 5 years/160,000 km.
Roadside assistance: 3 yrs/60,000.
Pros
* Aggressive looks and performance, right down to the fat tires
* Oceans of room inside
Cons
* Might be too big for some
* Glum-looking interior
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