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2007 Dodge Caravan SWB Auto Cars Plus Infor

The 2007 Caravan SWB is a 4-door, 7-passenger mini van, available in two trims, the SE and the SXT. Upon introduction, the SE is equipped with a standard 2.4-liter, I4, 150-horsepower engine that achieves 20-mpg in the city and 26-mpg on the highway. The SXT is equipped with a standard 3.3-liter, V6, 170-horsepower engine that achieves 19-mpg in the city and 26-mpg on the highway. A 4-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is standard on both trims. The 2007 Caravan SWB is a carryover from 2006.

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Consider the car market as an amusement park. Every vehicle has an analogous ride, from the Tilt-A-Whirl Lotus Elise to the Jungle Cruise Ford Taurus. The Dodge Viper and the Chevrolet Corvette Z06, then, can feel a bit like driving the Raptor.
Its an experience not unlike doing motorcycle wheelies on a freeway. In short, driving hard in a car with 500-plus horsepower is not for the fainthearted. The appeal is an addictive mixture of scaring yourself within inches of your life and laughing at how easily you can get away with it. Both the Viper and the Vette have this characteristic in spades.

The last time these two cars met Motor City Bullies, December 2005, the Z06 beat the Viper handily on the road, track, and drag strip. Since then, the 505-hp Z06 hasnt changed much, aside from revised rear shocks, although the price has crept skyward. The 2007 Z06 seen here starts at $70,000, but options such as heated seats, a premium stereo, extra sound insulation, chrome wheels, and navigation bring the as-tested total to $77,230.

The Viper SRT10, on the other hand, has received a thorough makeover for 2008 in both coupe and roadster form.

The only visual change is a new hood with functional vented gills, and this achieves the seemingly improbable feat of making the Viper look even more aggressive. The V-10 engine has been bored out an extra 0.6 millimeter to increase the displacement to 8.4 liters. It also gets variable valve timing [see Tech Highlight], new cylinder heads, a new intake, electronic throttle control, hollow intake valves, coil-on-plug ignition, a 10.2:1 compression ratio (up from 9.6), and a larger oil pump with a swinging oil pickup. The result is 600 horsepower and 560 pound-feet of torque, improvements of 90 horses and 25 pound-feet. At 2500 rpm, the Viper makes more torque than the Z06 does at its peak.

The Vipers cabin remains unchanged but is much cooler now that the exhaust flows straight to each side pipe instead of crossing under the passenger compartment.

The Tremec T56 six-speed manual gearbox gets a revised shift linkage, triple-cone synchros, and a twin-disc clutch that has 18-percent-less rotational inertia than the previous single-disc setup. At the rear theres a new speed-sensing limited-slip differential. On the suspension front, the Viper gets new Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 tires set up with more negative camber, new shocks, higher spring rates, and a solid rear anti-roll bar replacing the previous hollow one.

The good news is that these changes come cheap. The Vipers base price of $86,845 is $150 less than that of the Viper in our last test, thanks in part to a lower gas-guzzler tax. And even at the as-tested price of $91,145, the Viper is the most affordable 600-hp car on the market.

For this evaluation, we performed our standard battery of performance tests and some real-world driving, and then we drove to Grattan Raceway Park to see how each car would handle the bumpy 2.0-mile road course. As it turns out, all the changes to the new Viper arent enough to better the Corvette, but the Z06s claim to the title of Americas top sports car is looking a bit tenuous. Read on for a full explanation.

   

   

 

2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 – Comparison Tests

Despite the myriad improvements, creature comfort has never been high on the Vipers list of qualities, and the usual list of complaints still applies. Getting in and out is a gymnastic exercise of hurdling the door sill and ducking under the low roof. The Viper has no cruise control, cup holders, traction control, or stability control. The center stack of the dashboard is surrounded with cheap plastic colored inserts are still optional. The deep buckets, however, make the most of the cramped interior, and the pedals are adjustable. Once youre in the Viper and moving, its actually pretty comfortable.
But enough complaining. If youre going to file a lawsuit over a few minor leg burns from the exhaust or whine about the heavy clutch, Dodge has an all-new Grand Caravan you might like. Stick with the Viper, and you can fly from 0 to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds. Its a 10th or two quicker than the Z06 all the way to 100 mph, but by 150, the Viper has a half-second lead. Its also more than two seconds quicker to 150 than was the previous Viper. Vette and Viper are pretty much even (and impressive) in roadholding, lane change, and braking distance, but the Viper wins on the track. Its easier to drive around the road course as well, thanks to great feel from the quick steering and solid brake pedal. The Viper is more benign than you would think. Theres so much rear-end grip that its difficult to get a little back-end slide using the gas pedal, although the Viper is harder to manage once it does go sideways. We still prefer the Vipers mild understeer to the Corvettes tank-slapping oversteer.

So why the second-place finish? Blame the cruelty of the real world. At lower rpm, the exhaust sounds like a tuba having sex with a vacuum cleaner, and the baritone thrum of engine and road at highway speeds gets annoying in a hurry. The trunk volume of 15 cubic feet seems optimistica road trip for two will require soft luggage. In a street or track race, the Viper comes out narrowly ahead, but in real life, the Vipers claustrophobic cabin and noisemaker mechanicals are too much of a handicap to overcome.

   

 

Chevrolet Corvette Z06 – Comparison Tests

Moving from the Viper into the Corvette is like taking off a pair of glove-tight spandex shorts its not that you werent comfortable, but the extra space is appreciated. Everything associated with normal driving is easily accomplished in the Z06: getting in and out, working the clutch, turning the lightly weighted steering wheel, or accessing the 22-cubic-foot cargo hold. We have our standard list of criticisms for the Z06 as well, however, such as the flimsy seats and vague shift lever. The shifter and the steering rack have been revised for the 2008 model year, but we werent able to get our hands on one. Its likely those changes would improve the Corvettes on-track behavior, where the steering gets a little too light and gearchanges turn into a distraction. Around Grattan, the Z06s time of 1:27.2 is half a second slower than the Viper%u2019s, and it took more work to keep the Z06 going in a straight line. Take note, letter writers: Lap times were slower than those of the previous comparo because of a damp track.

The LS7 V-8 in the Z06 might be down on power compared with the Vipers V-10, but it revs more freely to its 7000-rpm redline. The Vettes power comes on more explosively as well, which is handy for sliding sideways through corners but nerve-racking on a conventional hot lap. Sure, the Chevy is a bigger handful than the Viper on the track, and slightly slower in a straight line, but the Z06 is no slouch. Its 0-to-60 time of 3.7 seconds is only bested by ultra-expensive exotics and, of course, the Dodge Viper. But the fact is that the Corvette Z06 does not hurt for speed or comfort, and its exhaust note is one of the best in the business. If we had to choose between the Viper and the Z06 for a modern-day Cannonball, the Chevy is the easy choice. Plus, the Vette is almost $14,000 cheaper, the price of a Chevy Aveo. Even at 77 grand, the Z06 is one of the best performance bargains going.

   

 

Previews

The Dodge version of the Chrysler Sebring gets a new name, but does it face the same fate?

Although the mid-size-sedan segment is a cash cow for most players in the field, Dodge just hasn’t been able to get one right since the full-size Intrepid (remember that?) more than a decade ago. For 2008, Dodge is making a fresh start with an all-new mid-size sedan that will make you forget all about the old Stratus, which went away last year with few people noticing. Renamed the Avenger, an aggressive name that recalls that decidedly unaggressive Mitsubishi-based coupe that Dodge sold in the 1990s, the new sedan arrives at a party where it’s extremely hard to stand out.

Behold the “Chargerette”

The Dodge sheetmetal is as radically different from the Sebring as the Sebring is, well, different from everything else in the mid-size-sedan segment. Essentially, the new suit is a full-size Charger skin tailored for a smaller body, with a crosshair grille, tall body sides, broad shoulders, muscular fenders, and a kicked-up side rear window with ugly black plastic covering the corner where we think glass should be. The Avenger’s squared-off contours, especially up front, give it a small measure of distinction from its big brother, and it’s generally agreed in our camp that the “Chargerette” is way better-looking than the Sebring. Faint praise, perhaps, as it nevertheless fails to be either menacing or inviting. In a field that includes more elegant sedans such as the Toyota Camry and Saturn Aura, the Avenger looks rather overwrought. Inside, the story doesn’t get much better. Hard shiny plastics create windshield glare that would make polarized sunglasses a lifesaving investment. Dreary gray tones abound, and although the dashboard is completely different in design from its Chrysler cousin, it conveys the same discombobulated, rental-grade feel. Moreover, if you do wind up renting an Avenger, pack light: Its 13-cubic-foot trunk is a cube shy of both the Honda Accord’s and the Pontiac G6’s, and a whopping 5 cubic feet smaller than the Nissan Altima’s. On the upside, the rear seat offers legroom galore, and most Avengers come with a flat-folding front passenger seat to help accommodate extra-long items that won’t fit even after folding one or both of the 60/40-split rear seatbacks.

Trim Levels

The SE stripper model is clearly a bone thrown at National Car Rental, and as far as we’re concerned, that’s where it should stay—it’s about as basic as transportation gets in the mid-size segment. Folks who actually have to live with an Avenger shouldn’t even look at it unless there’s an SXT or R/T badge on the back. The SXT comes standard with 17-inch wheels (up from the SE’s puny 16s), a chrome grille, stain-resistant fabric, and a healthy amount of much-needed brightwork to dress up the drab interior. R/T models, however, get niceties such as automatic climate control, a leather-wrapped wheel, and padding for that hard armrest. R/Ts also get automatic headlights, fog lamps, and 18-inch alloys. SXTs and R/Ts have a healthy list of options, including a DVD entertainment system, leather upholstery, a Boston Acoustics sound system, and Chrysler’s bitchin’ MyGIG nav/audio combo system with Sirius radio, Bluetooth connectivity, real-time traffic reporting, and a full 20 gigs of hard-drive storage for MP3s and even a few photos.

Performance and Availability

Powertrains

We got our first peek at this car in Paris, where it debuted packing a diesel to lure Europeans to Dodge. However, we won’t get a diesel-powered Avenger here anytime soon. Rather, home-market Avengers come with the same three powertrains as the Chrysler Sebring. SE and SXT models come standard with the 2.4-liter Hyundai/Mitsubishi/DC-developed inline-four “World Engine,” mated to a four-speed automatic. Easily the most frugal of the bunch, this setup is also noisy and rather lethargic—no surprise considering the Avenger’s 3400-pound base curb weight. We didn’t get a chance to get into the 189-hp, 2.7-liter V-6 during our limited time on the press launch, but we did spend a considerable amount of time in the Avenger R/T, with its 232-hp, 3.5-liter V-6 and six-speed automatic with manumatic controls. Although somewhat gruff at high revs, the engine is thoroughly up to the task of getting the Avenger up to speed and has enough power to warrant the standard traction control. Expect a 6.8-second 0-to-60-mph time, which is what we recorded in a 3.5-liter-equipped Sebring. The highway is where the Avenger is at its best. The ride is comfortable and the cabin is admirably quiet, thanks in no small part to the stiff structure—roughly 60 percent stiffer than the outgoing Stratus. We would love more steering precision, but the suspension tuning seemed adequate, neither sloppy nor sporty. Stopping from those speeds is also fairly unremarkable, which is a good thing, although safety-conscious Avenger shoppers should consider that all but the R/T feature drum brakes in the back, and ABS is standard only on the SXT and R/T. Shortly after its launch, the Avenger R/T will be offered with all-wheel drive, which we don’t expect will liven performance too much but nonetheless should make the Avenger more appealing to Snowbelt residents. However, no matter which wheels are doing the driving, the Avenger R/T is still no match for the gutsy six-cylinder variants of the Nissan Altima or Toyota Camry. Of course, all that could change once the SRT folks get hold of it.

The Herd Is Safe

The 2008 Avenger will hit the market toward the end of 2007 at a starting price of $18,895—cheaper than the Stratus it replaces. The SXT offers more value for an additional $900. R/T models will set you back $23,545. From a feature-per-dollar standpoint, those prices are competitive, but they sit squarely in the middle of Camry, Accord, and Altima territory, each of which conveys a significantly better sense of quality and offers quieter, more refined powertrains (particularly in V-6 arrays). So, does the Avenger have what it takes to tip the herd of cash cows from Toyota, Honda, Nissan, and even Hyundai? Well, let’s just say the farmer is going to get a good night’s sleep.