Dodge Intrepid R/T sedan stocks a big six-pack and racy gear
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
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CHELSEA, Mich. -- Fifty miles west of Detroit at the vast vehicle test facility of DaimlerChrysler in Chelsea, Mich., automotive engineers have constructed a twin-lane oval course of multiple miles across rolling hills that incorporates virtually every type of pavement a motorist might encounter while steering a car over city streets and various highways around the country.
There are smooth asphalt sluices like those on an interstate freeway, slabs of poured concrete separated by bumpy joints of tar such as found on vintage state roads, plus stretches of pavement littered with cracked asphalt or broken concrete, a collection of potholes simulating neglected urban streets, even short swatches of cobblestones and paver bricks with mortar.
Engineers use these diverse surfaces to test the durability of a vehicle under development, as well as to measure the amount of noise and mechanical vibration generated by the vehicle when driven extensively over rough and smooth surfaces at different speeds.
We used the course to sample the power, poise and finesse of a new sport-tuned version of the flagship sedan from Dodge, Intrepid R/T.
Revamped with a slick new design in 1998, the mid-size Intrepid still looks as modern as any car on the planet. For the editions of 2001, Intrepid gains appointments and optional hardware for safety and comfort, then segments into three variations, each equipped with a different powerplant.
Intrepid SE packs the base engine, a 2.7-liter V6 out of an aluminum block with multi-valve technology inside and twin cams on top. Horsepower runs up to 200 points.
Intrepid ES also carries the 2.7-liter V6 as standard equipment, but offers as an option a 3.2-liter single-cam V6 that generates 222 hp and operates on regular-grade fuel.
Intrepid R/T increases the power quotient by packing aboard a single-cam 3.5-liter V6 rated at 242 hp, along with the Dodge AutoStick dual-mode automatic shifter.
Big 17-inch aluminum wheels mated to Michelin Pilot HX MX4X all-season performance tires also appear on the R/T equipment list, along with a large chrome-tipped exhaust outlet, front foglamps and special R/T insignia.
The independent suspension components in front and back, designed to deliver reactive and adaptive handling traits, tune to touring mode for Intrepid SE and ES but for R/T set tightly in a performance stance.
Further, the rack and pinion steering system has firmer performance tuning for R/T.
What's driving the performance-oriented R/T designation?
Read the R/T initials that tag special Dodge issues as "Road and Track" in recognition of Dodge's muscle car heritage tracing back to the 1960s. In that era of muscle cars, the most powerful and sporty Dodges bore names like Charger R/T and Challenger R/T.
The R/T treatment with specific R/T badges applies throughout the Dodge lineup for 2001, from the Intrepid flagship sedan to a compact-class Neon sedan, mid-size Stratus coupe and the Dakota pickup truck, with all vehicles in the fleet bearing styling cues on the prow in the image of raucous Viper, Dodge's exotic sports car.
One glimpse at Intrepid's sleek exterior reveals the wow factor effected by the sporty design.
In addition to the Viper-esque prow, Intrepid exhibits shapely hints of some vintage Ferrari or Aston Martin in the bold front treatment featuring a blunt-but-round-and-low nose and massive expanse of canted windshield glass.
The roof arches over sensuously shaped doors to merge rear roof pillars in a dip to the curt tail, where there's a rainbow trace of brake lamps.
Interior lines reflect the exterior's theme in curves through an airy cabin, due to the cab-forward design.
Although Intrepid's wheelbase measures to mid-size proportions, the interior space adds up to full-size dimensions because the arrangement constructs more space for riders and less for a front-mounted engine.
Advantage: Intrepid comes with a full-size cabin for passenger comfort but has mid-size outer dimensions with the platform extended in length and width beyond normal conventions and wheels pinned to outer fringes of the rectangular plan.
The wide track and stretched wheelbase combine to produce a highly stable platform and, when coupled to the spacious interior, amount to something special in terms of smooth-riding comfort and aggressive agility for steering through a wily course.
On the Chelsea test track, we found that the Intrepid R/T handled each of the diverse pavement applications with ease. Even on irregular footing rolling over broken concrete or the aggregation of potholes, the four wheels floated independently and absorbed all rough stuff, leaving the passenger compartment in smooth suspension.
Yet stiffer suspension settings for the R/T performance tuning transcended to the steering wheel a harsher reality for the driver to help maintain awareness of the changing road surfaces.
And, despite so much rough pavement, noise and vibrations -- filtering through the vehicle's precise mechanical tolerances and sound-deadening insulation -- were stifled to a bare minimum in the cockpit.
Superior control of noise and vibration inside Intrepid is the result of the car's development in the computerized virtual reality of cyberspace, as all aspects of Intrepid's evolution -- designing, engineering, manufacturing -- were channeled through supercomputers. As a result, the plan for Intrepid was created with far greater precision for component design and assembly, and the car derived from this virtual process was honed to perfection before its first part was ever cast.
The cabin layout sets a pair of high-back bucket seats on either side of a floor console where the transaxle lever mounts. In back, the three-place bench has indentions for two with a seatback that divides in 60/40 percent and folds down for access to the trunk.
Round analog gauges in the instrument cluster include a tachometer for the three trim versions.
Standard equipment for all Intrepids ranges from air conditioning and rear seat heat ducts to power controls for windows and door locks, plus an AM-FM stereo radio with cassette deck. The ES adds eight-way power controls for the driver's seat, a remote keyless entry, premium cloth fabric for seat upholstery and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and gearshift knob. The R/T goes further with an in-dash CD deck and four-wheel disc brakes with anti-lock and front-wheel traction control.
Optional gear includes side-impact air bags, leather seat upholstery, convenience packages and a power sunroof.
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| 2001 DODGE INTREPID VEHICLE SPECIFICATIONS |
| Description: |
Full-size sports sedan
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| Model Options: |
Full-size sports sedan
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| Wheelbase: |
113.0 inches
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| Overall Length: |
203.7 inches
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| Engine Size: |
DOHC 2.7-L V6
SOHC 3.2-L V6
SOHC 3.5-L V6
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| Transmission: |
3.5-L: Auto/4 AutoStick
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| Drive: |
Front
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| Braking: |
2.7: Power 4-disc
3.2: Power 4-disc/ABS opt.
3.5: Power 4-disc/ABS/TCS
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| Airbags: |
2 (front) + opt. 2 (side)
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| Gas Mileage: |
3.5: 18/27 mpg
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| MSRP Price: |
$ 21,000 to $ 30,000 |
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