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Dodge Avenger coupe adds optional package for sporty styling
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
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JACKSON, Mich. -- At major race tracks across the country during the 1994 season, champion racers like Dale Earnhardt, Rusty Wallace and Mark Martin risked their necks in IROC contests conducted in a Dodge stock car which bore the name of Avenger.
But when the drivers came to Michigan International Speedway near Jackson that year, they gathered in the winner's circle before the race to unveil a new Dodge compact sports coupe which also carried the Avenger label.
Unlike those angular Avenger stock cars -- stripped raw for tight-fisted racing and rigged with awesome rear-wheel thrust stemming from big Chrysler engines -- the consumer version of Avenger featured a cab-forward cockpit packed with passenger comforts and a choice of two economical engines which delivered power to the front wheels.
Also, Avenger, the street coupe, showed not a straight line in the sheetmetal.
Smooth as flowing water, Avenger appeared aggressive in front with a low nose and sharply canted windshield. It displayed muscular shoulders set atop contoured sides and a bulge in back at the high tail with racy spoiler attached.
From that debut at Michigan International Speedway Avenger moved into the Dodge lineup as a 1995 model to replace the aged Daytona coupe. In size, generous interior dimensions set Avenger ahead of Dodge's compact Neon and, unlike typical sports coupes, it rolled on a chassis long enough to leave room in the rear seat for legs of adults.
To prove the point, one tester crawled into the rear seat following Avenger's unveiling and discovered that long legs fit neatly -- even comfortably -- behind driver's front seatback. Further, you can extract yourself easily from that space because the front seat slides forward sufficiently to permit a quick exit.
No rival of Avenger provides such rear seat leg space, but who buys a racy sports coupe for back seat leg room?
In this class it's flashy sheetmetal shapes that count, along with some muscle under the hood to allow the slinky coupe to strut its stuff on the boulevards.
And strut before a broad consumer audience is exactly what Avenger has done since it entered the Dodge lineup in 1995. Now, after three subsequent editions, Avenger remains one sleek coupe, and 1998 versions provide even more pizzazz in terms of flashy appearance, thanks to the creation of a new sport package for Avenger Highline V6 with alloy wheels and body-colored spoiler.
A refresher course in Avenger occurred when an Avenger with the sport package appeared in the driveway one morning as prelude to a week of road tests.
Inspection of that car produced observations about Avenger's exterior character.
The front view, this car's best angle, reveals styling hints of the raucous Dodge Viper due to its long extension lines, muscular hood bulges and gunsight grille.
The tail treatment, with wrap-around monochrome bumper and accents from corner lights, seems brawny and sporty.
The windswept styling, flowing upward from front bumper to a slanted windshield and over the smooth roofline to rear spoiler, makes Avenger look poised and powerful.
Inside, Avenger's cockpit orients to a active driver, with ergonomic arrangement of analog instruments and control switches, a comfortable contoured bucket in place with firm edges to hold you in the seat, and a fat leather-wrapped steering wheel that's easy to grip for dynamic driving.
Important incidentals enhance Avenger's friendly interior, such as the floor-mounted console with padded armrest, dual cupholders, twin storage sections, a juice box cubbyhole and capped electrical power point.
Now let's take it on the streets.
So buckle up, adjust outside mirrors with the power button, set driver's seat like you like it, pop the optional tilt-and-slide sunroof and crank up Avenger's V6 powerplant.
That engine, built by Chrysler's partner, Mitsubishi, displaces 2.5 liters with single-cam configuration, 24-valve format and electronic injection. It produces 163 hp and drops into Avenger ES or Highline Sport as coupled to an electronic 4-speed automatic transaxle.
Out on the streets, Avenger exhibits a nice growl, and it packs a kick in acceleration bursts below 40 mph.
At highway speed it's quiet and controlled, yet the tester Avenger behaved best when hurled through curves.
With a stiff chassis, 4-wheel double wishbone suspension, variable-speed power rack and pinion steering and 16-inch rubber stuck on blacktop, Avenger puts a smile on your face when steering twisties.
In powering it at speed-limit pace through a favorite downhill challenge consisting of a steep slope for multiple blocks followed by 300-degree decreasing-radius right turn, Avenger didn't complain -- in fact, tires never squealed.
What's behind such agile performance?
Avenger's stiff chassis, designed by Mitsubishi, flows from an Illinois plant operated jointly by Chrysler and Mitsubishi. The wheelbase stretches for five more inches to produce that smoothness over rough spots.
Exterior styling and cockpit configuration emanate from Chrysler's design center north of Detroit.
Avenger ES provides all of the fancy features, but the entry-level Avenger, pared of air conditioning, power seat controls, electronic speed control and anti-lock brakes, becomes a bargain lure at $15,500.
For power, base Avenger has a 2.0-liter 4-in-line engine with dual cams pegging it at 140 hp. A 5-speed manual shifter comes with this base package, but you can add the 4-speed automatic optionally.
The new Highline Sport package for base Avenger, priced at $2,265 plus a required automatic shifter for $695, includes the V6 engine upgrade and ES comfort features stripped from base model (like air conditioning, power windows and door locks, power mirrors and cruise control), plus a leather-wrapped steering wheel, 16-inch alloy wheels with speed-rated radial tires, and the rear spoiler.
Avenger's bonuses stem from a spacious trunk, fold-down rear seatbacks to access that rear compartment, standard items like tilting steering column and sound package with four speakers, along with a long list of safety systems including dual airbags, plus the satisfaction of steering a sporty car that carves a smile on your face.
1998 DODGE AVENGER COUPE
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| Vehicle Specifications: |
| 1998 DODGE AVENGER COUPE Specs |
| Description: |
Compact sports coupe |
| Model Options: |
Compact sports coupe |
| Wheelbase: |
103.7 inches |
| Overall Length: |
190.2 inches
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| Engine Size: |
DOHC 2.0-L I4
SOHC 2.5-L V6
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| Transmission: |
I4: Manual/5, Auto/4
V6: Auto/4 |
| Drive: |
Front |
| Braking: |
Power disc/drum/opt. ABS
ES: Power 4-disc/ABS |
| Airbags: |
2 |
| Gas Mileage: |
I4: 22/32 mpg
V6: 20/27 mpg |
| Price: |
$ 15,500 to $ 21,000 |
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