Chrysler's Street and Racing Technology (SRT) team aimed at creating a high-performance car out of its existing sports vehicles. The best candidate for customization was the
Caliber SRT4. Therefore, the boxy Dodge became the foundation for several modifications that gave it the look and feel of a racing muscle car.
Chrysler developed several accessories for improving the SRT4, but they weren’t very popular. Many people voiced their distaste for the bizarre modifications the carmaker had proposed for the model. Here are a few of the modifications that didn’t click with critics, according to
Car owners could have a custom hood installed on their Dodge Calibers to let them add functional upgrades and improve the exterior of the vehicle. The custom hood was also supposed to help cool the engine's internal parts, enabling it to run efficiently.
The hood has scoops that are designed to give the car an aggressive look and enhance its performance by increasing oxygen supply.
Unfortunately, the hood is a bit of a misfit for the vehicle. The add-on came in black; on top of the red body, it made the Caliber look plastic and fake.
The use of interchangeable parts may only be appealing to people who would like total car makeovers. The hood takes away from the original design, and the modified vehicle looks more like a toy than a sports car.
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For a style upgrade and enhanced durability, you could opt for the chrome mirror covers made of high-grade plastic. It looks pretty shiny and out of place for a tough sports car. The stick-on accessories don’t jive with the rest of the car's body and make it look tacky rather than athletic.
The carmaker marketed the duckbill spoiler as an accessory that you can install effortlessly and in a few minutes. You can add the spoiler to your Dodge without having to screw it onto the body of the vehicle. The spoiler supposedly gives your car a unique look.
However, since the vehicle has an elevated rear that will bounce when cornering, adding a spoiler didn’t improve its looks. Customers reported that the installation process wasn’t as easy as advertised, and the spoiler is prone to falling off.
The front splitter didn’t work well either
The Dodge Caliber has a pretty nice front-end, thanks to its meticulously designed grille. You could add a splitter on the front to make it more aerodynamic.
Unfortunately, the splitter wasn’t perfect, as reported by HotCars. Installing the splitter requires trimming and sanding for a perfect fit. The splitter also makes the car look like a ramming truck and not a sports car, which is not aesthetically pleasing.
Overall, the mods make the Dodge Caliber less effective and bland, which gives the car a cheap and gimmicky feel. The model had several complaints from customers, which include having too much plastic and issues when driving in summer. The mods make it look even worse, and the Caliber was eventually discontinued.
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