Future Shock: 2014 Dodge Dart SRT4

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Although the Dart has just been released to great acclaim, you know Ralph Gilles and his SRT team are already honing a fine tip on the SRT4 performance variant. Here's what you can expect:

The base Dart borrows heavily from the Alfa Romeo Giulietta platform, so expect an upgraded version of the Giulietta Cloverleaf's dual-clutch, six-speed transmission to find its way into the Dart SRT4. The Cloverleaf's 1.7-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder probably won't come with it, as it makes only 230 hp. The Dart SRT4 needs to aim higher, since by summer, Ford's Focus ST will hit the streets with a 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder making at least 247 hp and 250 lb-ft of torque.

The last-generation Caliber SRT4 made 285 hp and 265 lb-ft from a turbo 2.4-liter, so for the return of the SRT4, expect no less. The all-aluminum, direct-injection, 300-hp four-cylinder engine that should arrive in the long-awaited Alfa Romeo 4C could be a perfect, though expensive, fit. A turbocharged and intercooled larger displacement version of the Dart's Tigershark 2.0-liter might be a better option.

On the chassis and aerodynamics side, expect SRT engineers to apply the same race logic they have across the Chrysler/Dodge line. The Dart SRT4 will have all manner of functional scoops and vents, an aggressive rear deck spoiler, and vertigo-inducing handling, thanks to stiffer springs and dampers, larger wheels, and upgraded rubber. Price? With a turbo Tigershark, figure close to Focus ST pricing; at 300 hp, it should price well north of that, but just below the AWD VW Golf R and Subaru WRX STI at just over $30,000.

"I'm pretty impressed. It looks like it has quite a bit of content. From a large -- over 8-inch -- display in the center console and additional displays in the gauge cluster. I'm always looking first and foremost for proportion. This car has a nice compact quality to it with wheels pushed to the corners. It has a really nice stance. They've done a pretty nice job with this car." - Derek Jenkins, Mazda's chief of design, when asked what he thought about the new Dodge Dart.

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