Dodge's incredibly smooth
sedan, the Dodge Intrepid is one of the most ubiquitous cars on the
American highway today. Introduced by
Chrysler (now
DaimlerChrysler) in 1992 for the `93 model year, the Intrepid has maintained its image as a sleek, good-looking, powerful
luxury sedan to the present. All models of Intrepid provide a very smooth ride, thanks to its
width and low ground clearance, with tons of
interior room. It claims to have enough room for six
full-sized adults; while I'm not sure you want to jam that many people in a sedan, it can definitely seat four people comfortably. Intrepids also have relatively large engines, more than capable of entering
sports car territory with the right
modifications.
Intrepid was also the model that Dodge selected for its foray back into NASCAR Winston Cup racing, after a twenty-year hiatus from the Chrysler-owned manufacturer.
Intrepid Models
All Intrepid models meet Low Emission Standards, and are equipped with 16" touring tires providing excellent traction, and four-wheel disc brakes (in case you need to stop).
Intrepid SE: The base model Intrepid, the SE is powered by a 2.7-liter V6 engine producing 200hp/5800rpm. This package starts at $21,700 new.
Intrepid ES: A step up from the SE, the ES gives the Intrepid a high-output, 3.5-liter engine which can output 232hp/6200rpm. Additionally, the ES (and also the SXT) introduces a four-wheel independent suspension, providing an even smoother ride than the SE. You can expect to pay around $25,500 for a brand-new ES.
Intrepid SXT: The top ride of all the Intrepids, the SXT utilizes a high-output V6 outputting 250hp/6400rpm -- sports car territory. As mentioned above under the ES entry, the SXT utilizes four-wheel independent suspension. Strangely enough, the SXT is less expensive than the ES; only about $24,400 new.
Intrepid ESX: A concept car made by DaimlerChrysler in 1997, the ESX was designed to be a hybrid vehicle. It seems at the moment that the ESX never came to fruition.