2001 Dodge Stratus R/T

High volume, high utility vehicles may have greater prominence, but there's nothing like a pretty face to elicit true visceral response among car buyers. Sport coupes, in particular, offer the most tangible proof of that axiom. But history shows that shoppers in that visually high-profile niche are a notoriously fickle bunch. Even a successful new entrant's glory days tend to last only about 18 months before the first-on-the-block trendsetters start turning their attentions elsewhere. With the arrival of the new Stratus R/T, Dodge marketing types are hoping to forestall that process. This high-styled 2-door goes well beyond being a mere "pretty face." It's a total package that bolsters elegantly aggressive sheetmetal with a host of desirable design elements and a genuinely enjoyable driving experience.

Smooth, clean lines of the Stratus coupe are tastefully accented by 17-inch wheels and wider, low-profile tires in the top-line R/T model.

Completely restyled and reengineered for 2001, this front-drive platform previously wore the now-defunct Avenger nameplate in the Dodge lineup. Like its predecessor, the new Stratus R/T shares much in common structurally with the Mitsubishi Eclipse. For starters, both are built on the same assembly line in Normal, Illinois. Visually, the car's tastefully athletic styling echoes themes that also established the Avenger as one of the best-looking entries in its class. However, the Status R/T has a more aggressive attitude and even stronger Dodge family DNA than its departed forebear does. As with the 2001 Stratus sedan (which shares its equally new platform with the Chysler Sebring lineup), the R/T also benefits from a stronger and far stiffer unibody that helps ride and handling prowess. Significant improvements in the NVH department also yield a far quieter passenger compartment.


Historically, Dodge has reserved its "R/T" designation for the high-performance variant of any given model line. That holds true here as well. This Stratus comes standard with a new, 200-horsepower, 3.0-liter SOHC V-6. It replaces the mild-mannered 163-horse, 2.5-liter V-6 that was the sole engine offered in the previous-generation Sebring. It also boasts 53 more ponies than the 2.4-liter DOHC inline four used in the base Stratus SE coupe.

Motivating the Stratus R/T is this Mitsubishi-sourced 3.0-liter SOHC V-6 that makes a solid 200 horsepower and 205 pound-feet of torque.

Although biased more toward sporty touring machine than legendary musclecar, the new Stratus R/T does a pretty solid job of upholding the honor of its illustrious namesakes. At the core of its competence is the aforementioned V-6 engine. Designed by Mitsubishi and shared with the Eclipse GT, it delivers both aural excitement and broadband power that runs from low in the rev range right on up to its 6,200-rpm redline. Paired with a standard 5-speed manual gearbox (a 4-speed AutoStick transmission is optional), our tester managed a 0-60 mph best of 7.7 seconds. Given the engine's claimed power and the car's 3,254-pound curb weight, we expected that figure would be closer to 7.0 ticks. However, with 205 lb.-ft. of torque on call, there's more than enough twist to churn the tires on any hard launch and keep stress levels low on freeway merges. Kudos also to the light-yet-positive mechanical action of the R/T's shift-linkage that makes energetic cog-changing a genuinely pleasant exercise. On the stopping front, the R/T's standard 4-wheel disc brakes with optional ABS halted our 3,189-pound test car from 60-0 mph in 129 feet.


The R/T's chassis, too, conspires to instill a palpable degree of fun into your daily commute. A well-sorted double-wishbone front/multi-link rear suspension imparts equal measures of control and compliance, while bigger, stickier tires (215/50HR17 Goodyear Eagle RS-As on our test car versus Stratus SE-spec 205/55HR16s) develop significant cornering forces when pushed to their limits. Dodge also upgraded the wheels on the R/T variant, moving from cast to forged-aluminum rims. We found the R/T's rack-and-pinion steering a bit over-assisted for our tastes, but generally speaking, its response is linear and progressive. Although our car jinked through a 600-foot slalom course at a respectable 63.4 mph, we quickly discovered that the Stratus R/T responds best to a steady hand and well-modulated throttle. Dramatic inputs of the former or exits of the latter can elicit uncomfortably high levels of tail twitch during max-effort maneuvers. That caveat aside, in regimes that more closely fit its typical driving profile, the Stratus R/T was a model of good deportment.