The idea of installing a powerful engine in a post WWII mid-size car was introduced in 1957. The American Motors (AMC) Rebel showcased AMC?s new 327 in³ V8 255 hp with a 4 barrel carburetor (fuel injection was to be optional), thus making it the first American factory hot-rod hardtop sedan. The Rambler Rebel came with a manual or automatic transmission, and dual exhaust. The Rebel was promoted as the fastest four-door car in America from 0-60 mph and ran the quarter mile in 17.0 seconds. It was one of the quickest production automobiles at that time.

The popularity of the muscle car grew in the 1960s. Among these was the Pontiac Tempest. For 1964 and 1965, the GTO was an option package that included Pontiac's 389 in³ (6.5 L) V8 engine, floor-shifted transmission with Hurst shift linkage, and special trim. In 1966, the Pontiac GTO was no longer an option, and became its own model. The project, spearheaded by Pontiac division president John De Lorean, was technically a violation of General Motors policy limiting its smaller cars to 330 in³ (5.4 L) displacement, but it proved far more popular than expected, and inspired a host of imitations, both at GM and its competitors.

This marked a general trend towards factory performance, which reflected the importance of the youth market. A key appeal of the muscle cars was that they offered the burgeoning American car culture an array of relatively affordable vehicles with strong street performance that could also be used for racing. The affordability aspect was quickly compromised by increases in size, optional equipment, and plushness, forcing the addition of more and more powerful engines just to keep pace with performance. A backlash against this cost and weight growth led in 1967 and 1968 to a secondary trend of "budget muscle" in the form of the Plymouth Road Runner, Dodge Super Bee, and other stripped, lower-cost variants.

Although the sales of true muscle cars were relatively modest by total Detroit standards, they had considerable value in publicity and bragging rights, serving to bring young buyers into showrooms. Automakers saw these as halo models and some, such as the AMC Rebel Machine, were factory upgraded to be turn-key drag racers. The 1970 Machine even came with flamboyant and patriotic red, white, and blue reflective body graphics for maximum street and racetrack visibility. The fierce competition led to an escalation in power that peaked in 1970, with some models offering as much as 450 hp (and others likely producing as much actual power, whatever their rating).

The Dodge Charger, known for its appearance as the villan's vehicle in the movie BullittAnother related type of car is the car-based pickup. Examples of these are the Ford Ranchero, GMC Sprint, GMC Caballero, and one of the most famous examples, the Chevrolet El Camino.

Dodge Neon: From Race Track to Exquisite Interior
Terry Brown
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From 1928 to present, the Dodge is a brand name of automobiles and light to heavy-duty trucks that is marketed by the Germany-based DaimlerChrysler AG. Although, by looking at the brand's history, it was named Dodge Brother Motor Vehicle Company back in 1914 up to 1927. Come the year 1998, the Dodge was then acquired by Daimler-Benz, along with all other Chrysler subsidiaries. Now part of the DaimlerChrysler company, the Dodge, as of 2005, has become primarily known for its trucks. The trucks manufactured by the company account for a whopping 78 per cent of the division's sales. However, the company is trying to change this status by introducing the new Dodge Charger.

One of the vehicles that is included in the Dodge brand's line up of creations is the Dodge Neon. Introduced in 1995, it had suffered a main criticism from patrons and enthusiasts – being a car that lacks refinement. It also suffered from a lousy engine and a great deal of cabin noise. However, all these disadvantages are overpowered by the Dodge Neon's sprightly performance and its spacious interior. Improvements had been done to the Neon that had updated the car's looks. Addition of gears and improvement of its transmission had also been included. The engine noise and vibration levels that haunted its owners during its early years were reduced. These improved the Neon's ride and handling.

Also known as SX 2.0 and SRT-4, the Dodge Neon is a compact car. It is a front wheel drive car and it had replaced the Dodge Shadow and the Plymouth Sundance. The first breed of Neon was crafted during the years 1995 to 1999. It was made available as a 4-door sedan or a 2-door coupe. It was given the power of either a 132 hp 2.0 liter SOHC or a 150 hp 2.0 liter DOHC 4-cylinder engine. Also, it had a 3-speed automatic transmission or a 5-speed manual transmission. This first generation of Dodge Neons are actually quite competitive in Solo I and Solo II autocross racing. Well known as an affordable amateur racing car is the two-door DOHC R/T variant.

In 2000, the second-generation version of the Neon was crafted and made more refined than the first wave. Frameless windows were replaced with a full-framed door. Other changes done to the Dodge Neon made the vehicle have a quieter and enjoyable passenger ride. However, it did not become competitive for races since the revised interior had come in with an increase in its weight. Come 2003, a turbocharged version of the Dodge Neon was then created. It was built on the same basic chassis as the regular second-generation Neon. It was a small, affordable, front-wheel drive economy car that was quite powerful.

Dodge parts shopping has been made easy by the simple-to-use site provided by the trusted and leading replacement, OEM, and aftermarket parts factory that does business online. A convenient shopping experience is catered by Auto Parts Information that offers Dodge parts that are affordable. Their vast collection of Dodge parts includes Dodge bumpers, bumpers, exhausts, floor mats, fuel tanks, and Dodge grilles.

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