Back in the distant year 1995, Dodge introduced the USA to a small-yet-sporty sedan known as the Neon SRT-4. It pumped out 218 PS (215 hp / 160 kW) and 340 Nm (251 lb-ft) and otherwise outdid the competition at the $20k starting price point. Fast-forward to the present day, and this low-mileage Neon just brought its seller $43,000.
Of course, it had to be special to bring home so much money. For starters, it was optioned with Dodge’s ACR (American Club Racer) package. It included 16-inch BBS alloys wrapped in wider tires, adjustable shock absorbers, a front anti-sway bar and new seats with racing harnesses. The owner had the OEM wheels swapped out for Enkei RPF-1 later, but let the rest of the ACR goodies alone.
More importantly, he also contracted Mopar to boost the engine. The tuner’s Stage 3R kit was considered one of the most extreme options available for the Neon at the time, lifting its output to 360 PS (355 hp /265 kW) and 495 Nm (365 lb-ft) of torque. It required ON100 gasoline to reach those figures, but still managed 314 PS (309 hp / 230 kW) and 440 Nm (325 lb-ft) on regular pump gas. For an otherwise unassuming car designed in the mid-90s, it surely went fast.
The example on sale had only covered around 7,250 kilometers (4,500 miles) in its entire life and had a clean record. As the years went by, it ended up with a replacement intercooler, a cat-back exhaust system and a blow-off valve. It also received new front brakes sourced from a Dodge Viper along with modern strut braces for more confident cornering.
CarBuzz believes this Neon could be one of the most expensive of all time – if not the most expensive. Well, we supposed it earned it with its well-appointed mods and solid performance even by modern-day standards.
