Mopar Morph

Opinions are not changed overnight, whether it comes to politics, philosophy, and especially not with automotive loyalties. In the old days, it was the proverbial Ford vs. Chevy debates. Then came the Honda vs. VW rivalry. For a while, it looked like the domestic manufacturers were not seriously interested in pursuing the sport compact market, fielding such lackluster entries as the GM J-body cars, the Ford Escort, and the ubiquitous K-car derivatives. Then Dodge put everyone on notice by producing the Neon, a smartly styled, practical and surprisingly powerful entry that aimed straight for the jugular of the Civic, Corolla and Sentra. The car caught on with the SCCA club racer crowd and other grassroots enthusiasts, but never caught on with the show crowd to the extent of the Civic.

Derek Greco of B+G Suspensions set out to prove once and for all that the Neon could be made into a respectable all-around street/show car, able to take on the Civic head-to-head in terms of style and substance. The Neon "Blast" you see here is the result of that determination.

Of course, to be a legitimate show car, an eye-catching paint scheme is mandatory. Premier Autoworks stepped up with a smooth tri-tone Red, silver and black custom paintjob. To accentuate the new look, a Pro Design front body kit and AF/X fiberglass hood gave the car the menacing visage necessary to intimidate all those Civics. From the rear, a Konig V-Racing rear wing finishes off the aggressive styling ensemble. Filling in the wheel wells nicely are a set of 18x7 OZ Racing Superleggeras, the Italian company's newest lightweight wheel, shod with 215/35ZR-18 Falken ultra high-performance tires. Naturally, the car is suspended by B+G products, in the form of the company's brand-new S3 adjustable coilover system at all four corners. Energy Suspension urethane bushings eliminate any suspension slop, and KMAC front camber adjusters assure the car is ready for a few impromptu mountain runs.

Helping the Blast to live up to its name under the hood are a set of Unorthodox Racing underdrive pulleys and cam gear, with breathing assisted by a Kore Cool-Air intake and a Venom VC2000 Nitrous system, with Vitek plug wires delivering the pyrotechnic charge. Spent gases exhale through a Fox Sport Exhaust cat-back system.

To set the driver's mood, Cobra Daytona sport seats combine with Crow Industries 4-point harnesses and Momo pedals, door sills, floor mats and shift knob and boot create a fittingly sporting environment. Autometer gauges are nestled in the dashboard, along with an Ignited push-button starter. The B&M short-shifter responds crisply to enthusiastic driving. If the infamous Southern California traffic should rear its ugly head, driver and passengers will find plenty of entertainment in the form of a Sony Playstation, viewable via Rosen 6.8-inch display monitors, JVC headunit and Audiobahn amps, speakers and a thumping 15-inch subwoofer.

This level of equipment would make any import owner proud. The fact that this treatment was lavished on a domestic may strike some as strange, but to us, we like to see the performance compact gospel spread to the four corners of the world, including Michigan. Let's hope our home team OEs get the message and give us more of the style and substance we crave.