I had one; red with black trim, and sunroof. It was a great car, still remember it. After driving it for several years, the turbo went out on it (which was after I had to have the auto transmission rebuilt for $1,200), and the turbocharger was going to be another $700 - $800 to replace, so instead I traded it in for something else. But it was a nice car, except for all of the expensive repairs.
A ,ot of people swore by these back in the day. The Civic and .Corolla were more refined, but if you wanted a hot hatch with some get, the Colt was it.
Around 1999 I bought a red 1988 Plymouth Colt, then a 2nd one identical to it, then for $60 a light blue 1986 Colt Turbo 4 door. It was a fun car that I drove for a month until I found a lot of rust in the drivers side firewall below the A pillar and had to park it. It was fun for a month.
Larry Wyatt was a family friend, back then I got to go to studios am weather, and the best Auto show ever MotorWeek.. I think John Davis , Craig S. remembers him..
You know what? Your people Motor Week, would have done a better job than GM's management. You had passion, knowledge, and knew both the spirit of the brands you tested, and what the public wanted. GM screwed up their brands, you would have done much better job, even if you didn't know what is being CEO like.
Neat vid! My dad bought a new black on black Daytona 5 speed turbo in mid 85. While not a Z car, it was loaded but had a different steering wheel. High marks included the super quick 14.7 to 1 steering and very good brakes, especially when we added semi metallic pads and linings to it. Tires were also good. Standard 205 60 15 Eagle GTs were later replaced by GT +4's then super sticky GSC 60's. Suspension was never touched, as it handled curves like a slot car. The 2.2 turbo was great as far as power and economy. We clocked our car at the IN 41 drag strip at 0-60 of 7.7 with a quarter time of 15.8 at 90 mph. City mileage w premium 93 fuel settled in at 21, while long highway trips w the cruise set at 70 reeled in 39-41 mph! No kidding! We had alot of trouble with headgaskets, and 1 turbo failure from 85-96, as well as multiple problems with the A525 5spd trans which ultimately lead to us ( me ) selling it,-- rust was another issue-- by that didn't stop dad from buying a 92 Daytona Iroc Shelby with the HO 2.5 turbo and its Getrag 5 speed.. which btw, was a much better car, with even better mileage and power, and reliability was much better. Rust took that car out as well,but in 177k miles, it never lost a headgasket, or turbo, and went through just 1 clutch.
Oh ya ! My first car waz a 1987 Daytona Shelby z . How fun that was ! 174 hours power. Never had any issues beating mustangs& camaros on the road. But that torque steer was not a joke . Would rip the steering wheel out of your hands sometimes . Still felt awesome to feel that power in your hands , literally !
My mother's 1st new car was an 87 Lancer ES turbo auto, black on red. Well, all I have to say is thank God for the extended 7/70 powertrain warranty. In 77k, it lost a turbo, 2 head gaskets, the a/c compressor, dropped a valve that luckily didn't hurt the piston, both upper strut bearings went bad,..... And we had constant water leaks in the taillights that would blow out the bulbs. Chrysler's fix? drill 2 holes in the bottom of the lenses where you couldn't see them, to let the water drain out! No kidding.
You can't turn these old videos into HD. You can probably clean them up a little but this was probably the best resolution at the time. And besides, the visual quality gives it a more gritty, historic feel. I like it! But then I'm an old guy and was watching these episodes back in the late 80's so it's all good.
Chrysler was putting turbos in everything back then, including New Yorkers and Caravans. Long ago, when working at a Dodge dealership, I absolutely roasted the front tires on a white Caravan w/ whitewall tires, wire hubcaps, and woodgrain sides. Too funny.
Bought a brand new 86 Colt Turbo and loved it. Despite regular maintenance and rust proofing, it started burning oil at 80k and the tailgate started rusting beneath the spoiler. Sure, I raced it on the street and and the track, I had better times than what Motor Week says. The only mod I put on it was a Stebro muffler. Awsome acceleration in second gear. Loved the torque steer! Made you drive the car. Good ol days😥
I think the reason that I love all of these Retro Reviews so very much & can't wait for each one is because I see uploads of cars that I can pretty much guarantee that the other magazines of the day would either not have even bothered to touch or ones that they drove years prior to you. I just never know what the next surprise vehicle is going to be, & that is exactly what I love about these Retro Reviews. Oh, & can you PLEASE upload the Astro/Safari test in the near future?!!! And the Colt Premier test?
Watching this guy fight the balky shifter brings back memories of my 88 Dodge Lancer 2.2 turbo with 5 speed. And that was supposed to be "improved" over past years.
I had a 1987 Colt Turbo. It was fantastic. With a bit of tuning and improved exhaust it had 125HP which made a world of difference in mileage as well.More torque meant it didn't work as hard to pull the tiny thing around.I was also surprised how nice it drove and rode compared to other small cars. I really miss that car.
Reminds me if a friends CSX turbo dodge - that little thing was very very quick for its day. I remember that giving other cars a run for their money at lights :)
I got a 87 dodge colt in silver for my second car. I was 17 and had a full time job at Hardees. I loved that car great on gas, reliability, never had one problem with it. From there I sold it for a thousand dollars and got a 84 cutlass supreme. I miss them both😢
Who knows? Maybe someone at Mitsubishi U.S.A. noticed that and decided that if they decided to build a sporty car, they'd call it the "Eclipse", and did.
Back then I bought a used 85 Lancer Turbo with the same engine and about 71K miles on it. It was a great little car but you had to keep a constant watch on your oil. I put almost 75K miles on mine and it never left me stranded. Great little car.....
Honestly, if they sold the Colt Turbo exactly the same now as they did in 85, I know I would buy one in a heartbeat. And so would many others. Crazy how that works. I know it doesn't have abs, Bluetooth, traction control and all the stuff we have now days(air bags)people would appreciate an affordable car that would be fun to drive. Sadly, now days there is absolutely nothing in that category. Maybe the Scion FRS and that's about it. For the money that it. Fiesta ST?? Maybe or maybe not.
Nothing with manual windows and fun. I would like something like my 92 GTI. The last true simple sporty hatch. A turbo Hyundai Accent would be interesting.
I live in a small town and when i was a kid growing up here quite a few high school kids had Daytonas. Ever since then i have always had a crush on them but have still never owned one. By the time i started driving nice ones were getting pretty rare, now you might see a nice one every 5 years.
I wish I could find cars like these for sale. Anywhere. Nobody has even heard of a Dodge Colt Turbo... Cash for Clunkers was the last nail in the coffin. I hate that.
@ Marty, if you ever see this comment, you sure are right! The A525 did have a bigger clutch in turbo models, but it was a very weak unit. They used them until 87 in regular 2.2 turbos, then switched to the Getrag A555 HD for the turbo II intercooled cars. After Chrysler switched to the 2.5 turbo, the A555 became std with that. That was a very good transaxle, even used on the 224hp R/Ts. The A555 also had bigger halfshafts, and a bigger intermediate bearing for increased durability. I had an 85 Daytona Turbo 5 speed, and broke 3 transaxles, and 2 sets of cable linkages.
Thanks for posting this video. I would love to see more videos of the Dodge Daytona. I've had two of them so far. They're fun little cars and they get good mileage. Even the V-6 90 Daytona I have now can get 30mpg. I used to have an 88 with the 2.2 Turbo. Mine was just the regular turbo model not the Shelby.
Speaking of the 1985 Dodge and Plymouth Colt, the five-door hatchback was available, but only in the E trim level and only for that particular model year; at the suggestion of Chrysler marketing gurus this bodystyle was discontinued for 1986 so as not to interfere with the domestically-built Omni and Horizon sales. Therefore, instead, a four-door notchback sedan with the same E trim took its place (the notchback was already available in DL and Premier trims).
Imagine walking in a Dodge Dealer with 8 grand and walking away with this Colt turbo 5sp, man this insane , everyone who bought one was blessed beyond belief.
Oh it's an adrenaline rush but not in a good way! I had one of these cars (Mitsubishi Mirage version). What a pile of junk! It sat it's first year behind the dealer after losing the first transmission because they hadn't manufactured enough spare transmissions yet that worked with the Turbo and Mitsubishi did not have a spare. I blew three turbos, 2 transmissions and constant major oil leaks; leaving me stranded on a deserted freeway one of the times out in the middle of nowhere! One of the worst cars I have ever owned.
I love how they talk up the Colt like it's better than the Turbo Z, and yet its performance specs are identical. You get a much more attractive car from Chrysler.
+Brysta Drift I had a Colt DL hatchback in the early '90s, it was my first less-than-10-year-old, non-clunker car. Even without the turbo and (presumably) suspension upgrades that came with it and on cheap tires it was a fun car.
Around the time of this video, I remember sitting in one of these at the state fair in the "car corral" area. Black with tan leather and T-tops. I can't remember if it was a Laser or a Daytona. Wonderful car, though. =)
They were great cars. Turbo or otherwise. We had a non-turbo1988 teamed up with a 5 speed. To the day that it went to the scrapyard, the entire exhaust was still in tact with no perforations. That’s insane considering most people would consider a Colt/Mirage a disposable car. This is why I bought a 2019 Mirage. I fully expect to be driving it ten years from now.
The Daytona Z was an awesome car for the era. I always liked the cleaner styling of the Chrysler Laser better, but that was a sales dud, and they all suffered from the dreaded Chrysler quality problems of the time, and that they're still trying to live down.
"even if it does weigh 2810 lbs", wow! Imagine if sports cars like the mustang and camaro weighed this today. It almost feels like we are going backwards.
For $60 I bought an 86 Colt Turbo 4 door in the late 90’s. It was a fun car but someone had replaced the 5 speed with a 4 speed. One day I was looking at the body and found lots of rust under the driver side A pillar. I had a body shop guy look at it and he said it would likely not hold up well in a front collision so I parked it.
I'm surprised MotorWeek spoke so highly of this car and the 5 speed downgrade vs the 1984 with the twin stick especially given how much quicker the 84 was than this car - IN THEIR OWN TESTS!!!! I remember when I was in the market for a new car - fall of 84 - I had been impressed by a friend's 1984 Colt Turbo and was considering the same car. Imagine my dismay when I found the 84 was no more, and the 1985 had been changed radically - a bit larger, ~200 lbs heavier, and eliminated the stump pulling 8 speed twin stick. The dealership touted that it was more spacious and more refined -they had no answer for me when I stated this one MUST be slower than the 84. I knew it would be substantially slower accelerating with the higher starting gear and heavier weight. It really ticked me off that the car I wanted was no longer available - it had been 'improved'. I left the dealer most unhappy. Improvement means faster, NOT slower!!! This test proves the 85 was a substantial downgrade - engine power should have been upped by Mitsubishi 15-20 hp to compensate for the extra weight and taller gearing - but it wasn't. O-60 on the 84 was 9.4 sec - this one was a much slower 9.8 - and a huge difference in the 1/4 mile time - 15.7 seconds for the 84 and 16.9 for the 85 - what a disappointment. 1.2 seconds is huge in the 1/4 mile - even with the grippier wider tires on the 1985 for better launch, the 84 would have eaten this car's lunch. I'm glad I didn't buy an 85 - I knew from the numbers it had to be worse, and it was. The 84 even got better mileage - 31 mpg vs 25 mpg for this sluggish pig. It was like a human who had eaten too many twinkies and hohos over the winter - it had packed on serious pudge.
The Daytona Turbo Z and the Colt Turbo look like they would have been a whole lot of fun, but if I could have any turbocharged Chrysler product, I would have to pick the Dodge M4S. That car was as aerodynamic as they came and the 2.2 pushed out more than 440 hp. Plus, it was by far the best part of that cheesy movie called The Wraith, where it was the real star. Yes please!
Funny how the performance oriented Daytona Z has a speedometer that reads up to 85 mph, while the economy car Colt Turbo has one that reads up to 120 mph. Odd. Probably a function of the instrument clusters' origins.
+ywe3 You may be mistaken. There was a Shelby Daytona, a Shelby Omni GLH (and GLHS), and a Shelby Charger, but nothing in my research, or memory (started driving and noticing cars in the '80's) would indicate the existence of a Shelby Colt. If I am in error, please let me know, it has happened before.
Andrew Taylor I owned an 85 Shelby colt [1st car] it was a solid car with minor issues mainly in the drive train as the Shelby options were not integrated properly but I believe it made 140hp and 160 torque really a joy to drive reminded me of my 85 chevette with a turbo [aftermarket of course]...fun little car it might have been a one off but I'm only 25 so I very well could be wrong...
The 85 MPH speedometer was part of the law around that time - I wonder if they got a non-US version of the Colt or if the requirement was only for US-manufactured cars.
I also owned an '85 Dodge Colt Turbo, and an '86 Daytona Turbo Z (CS) Both cars were EXTREMELY FUN to own and drive....one thing I did not like at all about the Colt was it's miserable (truck driver) shift linkage. The only thing I didn't like about th Daytona was it's tendency to torque steer badly on hard acceleration!, but sometimes you have to take the good with the bad....The C/S handling package on the Turbo Z made the car incredibly FUN to toss into curves and pass other cars at a fast rate really exciting... Worth every penny!..
I enjoy how 'impressive' a 9.8 second 0-60 time was in 1985. Today, any car bragging about that would be laughed off the lot. Most SUV and CUV makes can hit 60 well ahead of that, even in 4 cylinder models.
Tom, Don't know if you'll read this but your analogy would be like comparing these cars to a '55 car with four wheel drum brakes, no power steering, no A/C, at best a small block V8 (probably a 70 hp straight 6) solid steel dash and no seatblets. 😰
Aren't those " a Symmetric" Yokohama tires A006? I loved that car3.. and a 14 year old kid looking at those tires .. these Turbo Dodges did like the Datsun Z car kid " one of these day's "
1981 and I'm 19 buying my first new car. Dad works at Chrysler and I have 2 cheap choices: 024 or Colt. Same price [6000!] for either and I order my black 024 miser with sunroof and cargo carpet. Waiting in showroom for delivery and on the radio is news that Reagan has been shot in DC. Get the car home and install my preordered rear window louvers and beauty rims[trim rings] on the freshly spray painted black stamped steel wheels. I then used a Qtip to paint the tire lettering white. Threw on a red pinstripe and blacked out all the chrome as well as the taillights. It was 118 a month for 4 years and it got totaled after 6. Only problem was the vapor lock that would happen on really humid Detroit summer days. A bottle of Bacardi 151 would make it start most of the time. Fun little car and I was always glad I picked over the ugly Colt.
wiibaron The Colt was ugly. Especially the metallic blue Vista wagon I had. I wasn't even a though in 1981, but I had my beat up used Colt from summer of 2003 - January of 2006 when the head gasket went.
I can't believe nobody has yet brought up the "twin-stick" mentioned at 5:20. Man, I would love to drive one of those if I had the chance! I remember reading somewhere that someone said "Yeah, it would chirp second gear....both of them" XD Is there any chance you guys have a review of one of those few vehicles offered with the twin stick transmission?
Fast forward to 2019. An "Import" manual hatchback weights about 800 pounds more, has about 70 more horsepower, 0-60 2 seconds faster and gets 15 miles to the gallon more. Let's play name that car..
The '85 Colt Turbo was slower and thirstier than the previous generation, but better balanced. I had a prior generation '84 Colt Turbo - a lot lighter, so it was a lot faster and also got much better MPG, but not well balanced with the new turbo engine. Mitsubishi didn't really upgrade the suspension/brakes/tires adequately to compensate for the additional power that 1st year, so it was really easy to get into trouble real fast. From what I recall, driver fatalities in the '84 car were pretty high.
Am I the only one that finds the Colt Turbo appealing? I would buy one in a heartbeat.
I had one; red with black trim, and sunroof. It was a great car, still remember it. After driving it for several years, the turbo went out on it (which was after I had to have the auto transmission rebuilt for $1,200), and the turbocharger was going to be another $700 - $800 to replace, so instead I traded it in for something else. But it was a nice car, except for all of the expensive repairs.
A ,ot of people swore by these back in the day. The Civic and .Corolla were more refined, but if you wanted a hot hatch with some get, the Colt was it.
Ford Fiesta ST
Around 1999 I bought a red 1988 Plymouth Colt, then a 2nd one identical to it, then for $60 a light blue 1986 Colt Turbo 4 door. It was a fun car that I drove for a month until I found a lot of rust in the drivers side firewall below the A pillar and had to park it. It was fun for a month.
I had an '84 model. It was pretty quick for the time. Now, I have a tuned Fiesta ST that makes 240 hp, 320 tq. Still love my little hot hatches.
This is as HD as this stuff gets
MotorWeek can you guys put up the reviews of the 90s and 2000s buicks? Especially the 2000-2005 lesabre. Thanks guys!
Larry Wyatt was a family friend, back then I got to go to studios am weather, and the best Auto show ever MotorWeek.. I think John Davis , Craig S. remembers him..
You know what? Your people Motor Week, would have done a better job than GM's management. You had passion, knowledge, and knew both the spirit of the brands you tested, and what the public wanted. GM screwed up their brands, you would have done much better job, even if you didn't know what is being CEO like.
TV is shot on tape not film, so it's understandable. Same goes for episodes of Star Trek TNG it's the same boat..
Lol
Brings back tons of memories. This was my very first car when I was 17. Same color and everything except for the interior. Fall 1985. Love it!
ugh.. i cant stop watching these video's ... sooo many videos!!!
Sometimes I let them play when I'm falling asleep at night lol
Neat vid! My dad bought a new black on black Daytona 5 speed turbo in mid 85. While not a Z car, it was loaded but had a different steering wheel. High marks included the super quick 14.7 to 1 steering and very good brakes, especially when we added semi metallic pads and linings to it. Tires were also good. Standard 205 60 15 Eagle GTs were later replaced by GT +4's then super sticky GSC 60's. Suspension was never touched, as it handled curves like a slot car. The 2.2 turbo was great as far as power and economy. We clocked our car at the IN 41 drag strip at 0-60 of 7.7 with a quarter time of 15.8 at 90 mph. City mileage w premium 93 fuel settled in at 21, while long highway trips w the cruise set at 70 reeled in 39-41 mph! No kidding! We had alot of trouble with headgaskets, and 1 turbo failure from 85-96, as well as multiple problems with the A525 5spd trans which ultimately lead to us ( me ) selling it,-- rust was another issue-- by that didn't stop dad from buying a 92 Daytona Iroc Shelby with the HO 2.5 turbo and its Getrag 5 speed.. which btw, was a much better car, with even better mileage and power, and reliability was much better. Rust took that car out as well,but in 177k miles, it never lost a headgasket, or turbo, and went through just 1 clutch.
Yes, it’s interesting to see how the Daytona has improved between '84 and '93.
"Eclipsed" He said eclipsed when describing the Colt holy shit they predicted Mitsubishis future!!!
😮…. That’s all I have to say… lol
I love love love these old MW reviews! Many thanks for uploading them!
Maaaan! I want a Colt Turbo! Too bad 30 years later, they're pretty much extinct.
Oh ya ! My first car waz a 1987 Daytona Shelby z . How fun that was ! 174 hours power. Never had any issues beating mustangs& camaros on the road. But that torque steer was not a joke . Would rip the steering wheel out of your hands sometimes . Still felt awesome to feel that power in your hands , literally !
Camaros yes, but a 5.0 Fox body with a 5 spd? No ya didn’t 😂.
@@jerrysmith1887 they were all automatic. That's why I beat them. Those old 4 speed transmissions were not good .
@@jerrysmith1887i love Motor Week Retro Reviews, 1980s is my favorites
I had the 85 Dodge Lancer Turbo. It was one of the best cars I ever had. The car never let me down!!!
My mother's 1st new car was an 87 Lancer ES turbo auto, black on red. Well, all I have to say is thank God for the extended 7/70 powertrain warranty. In 77k, it lost a turbo, 2 head gaskets, the a/c compressor, dropped a valve that luckily didn't hurt the piston, both upper strut bearings went bad,..... And we had constant water leaks in the taillights that would blow out the bulbs. Chrysler's fix? drill 2 holes in the bottom of the lenses where you couldn't see them, to let the water drain out! No kidding.
You can't turn these old videos into HD. You can probably clean them up a little but this was probably the best resolution at the time. And besides, the visual quality gives it a more gritty, historic feel. I like it! But then I'm an old guy and was watching these episodes back in the late 80's so it's all good.
i never had one of these daytonas but i always thought they looked cool.
Chrysler was putting turbos in everything back then, including New Yorkers and Caravans. Long ago, when working at a Dodge dealership, I absolutely roasted the front tires on a white Caravan w/ whitewall tires, wire hubcaps, and woodgrain sides. Too funny.
Crazy how complaints of no oil and volt gauge has turned into the new Jetta only having a fuel gauge.
Bought a brand new 86 Colt Turbo and loved it. Despite regular maintenance and rust proofing, it started burning oil at 80k and the tailgate started rusting beneath the spoiler. Sure, I raced it on the street and and the track, I had better times than what Motor Week says. The only mod I put on it was a Stebro muffler. Awsome acceleration in second gear. Loved the torque steer! Made you drive the car. Good ol days😥
I worked for Chrysler those years,drove all those cool cars back then!
I think the reason that I love all of these Retro Reviews so very much & can't wait for each one is because I see uploads of cars that I can pretty much guarantee that the other magazines of the day would either not have even bothered to touch or ones that they drove years prior to you. I just never know what the next surprise vehicle is going to be, & that is exactly what I love about these Retro Reviews. Oh, & can you PLEASE upload the Astro/Safari test in the near future?!!! And the Colt Premier test?
Almost bought a Colt turbo in 1985 as my first new car. I can’t remember why I didn’t buy it. Thanks for the memory.
Watching this guy fight the balky shifter brings back memories of my 88 Dodge Lancer 2.2 turbo with 5 speed. And that was supposed to be "improved" over past years.
I had a 1987 Colt Turbo. It was fantastic. With a bit of tuning and improved exhaust it had 125HP which made a world of difference in mileage as well.More torque meant it didn't work as hard to pull the tiny thing around.I was also surprised how nice it drove and rode compared to other small cars. I really miss that car.
Reminds me if a friends CSX turbo dodge - that little thing was very very quick for its day. I remember that giving other cars a run for their money at lights :)
Chris Dooley I'm familiar with that car...Dodge Shadow platform. Very rare and quick indeed
I got a 87 dodge colt in silver for my second car. I was 17 and had a full time job at Hardees. I loved that car great on gas, reliability, never had one problem with it. From there I sold it for a thousand dollars and got a 84 cutlass supreme. I miss them both😢
it's amazing how many weird mid size cars was produced in the late 70s and 80s. like a mid size challenger
Man, I'd love to have that Colt Turbo now.
No reason why you can’t get one? I’m guessing for a couple grand?
@@nighthawk0077 I haven't seen a Colt Turbo in years!
@@JDsHouseofHobbies of course not no one has. U need to look for one
I like how John used "eclipsed" when revealing the Mitsubishi's 0-60 time. Like he was predicting the future and stuff.
Who knows? Maybe someone at Mitsubishi U.S.A. noticed that and decided that if they decided to build a sporty car, they'd call it the "Eclipse", and did.
I see you there Volvo DL Wagon.
Jamal K. ....along with all the Subaru Foresters with the rear hatch covered in lefty bumperstickers
those colts were a surprise to others at the light when dialed up a bit.
Back then I bought a used 85 Lancer Turbo with the same engine and about 71K miles on it. It was a great little car but you had to keep a constant watch on your oil. I put almost 75K miles on mine and it never left me stranded. Great little car.....
I miss my 87 colt turbo. Wish I kept it.
one of the coolest-looking fwds of its day, it looked the way the omni glh should have
Mine got too expensive after the auto tranny, then the turbo, crapped out... but I still wish they made cool, fast, econoboxes like that now.
@@rachelblack3816 How many miles did you get before your tranny crapped out?
Honestly, if they sold the Colt Turbo exactly the same now as they did in 85, I know I would buy one in a heartbeat. And so would many others. Crazy how that works. I know it doesn't have abs, Bluetooth, traction control and all the stuff we have now days(air bags)people would appreciate an affordable car that would be fun to drive. Sadly, now days there is absolutely nothing in that category. Maybe the Scion FRS and that's about it. For the money that it. Fiesta ST?? Maybe or maybe not.
Miata?
Nothing with manual windows and fun. I would like something like my 92 GTI. The last true simple sporty hatch. A turbo Hyundai Accent would be interesting.
new Mitsubishi Mirage is slow but fun like a go cart.
I live in a small town and when i was a kid growing up here quite a few high school kids had Daytonas. Ever since then i have always had a crush on them but have still never owned one. By the time i started driving nice ones were getting pretty rare, now you might see a nice one every 5 years.
I wish I could find cars like these for sale. Anywhere. Nobody has even heard of a Dodge Colt Turbo... Cash for Clunkers was the last nail in the coffin. I hate that.
+Indigo8086 Nope. Only cars with
I may know where a 1985-1/2 Chrysler Laser XT is for sale. If he hasn't sold it yet, in North Carolina.
You gotta head down south for rare older cars.
Hey, Motorweek! Do you happen to have a test on the 1992-1993 Dodge Daytona IROC R/T, the one with the turbo-4 from the Spirit R/T?
Thank you Motorweek, I asked for the Daytona and you provided! Love those turbos. But those 5 speeds trannys were crap!
@ Marty, if you ever see this comment, you sure are right! The A525 did have a bigger clutch in turbo models, but it was a very weak unit. They used them until 87 in regular 2.2 turbos, then switched to the Getrag A555 HD for the turbo II intercooled cars. After Chrysler switched to the 2.5 turbo, the A555 became std with that. That was a very good transaxle, even used on the 224hp R/Ts. The A555 also had bigger halfshafts, and a bigger intermediate bearing for increased durability. I had an 85 Daytona Turbo 5 speed, and broke 3 transaxles, and 2 sets of cable linkages.
c'mon lets see the review of a Ford Festiva!
Man..the more I look at a Daytona Z or a Shelby Charger..I really really want one. I think it's on of the best looking 80s design ever.
Here's a MotorWeek Retro Review of the Dodge Colt Turbo and Daytona Turbo Z from 1985.
Thanks for posting this video. I would love to see more videos of the Dodge Daytona. I've had two of them so far. They're fun little cars and they get good mileage. Even the V-6 90 Daytona I have now can get 30mpg. I used to have an 88 with the 2.2 Turbo. Mine was just the regular turbo model not the Shelby.
Loved the Daytona!
04:44 "E.T. phone home." - what an antenna for such a small car.
Speaking of the 1985 Dodge and Plymouth Colt, the five-door hatchback was available, but only in the E trim level and only for that particular model year; at the suggestion of Chrysler marketing gurus this bodystyle was discontinued for 1986 so as not to interfere with the domestically-built Omni and Horizon sales. Therefore, instead, a four-door notchback sedan with the same E trim took its place (the notchback was already available in DL and Premier trims).
Imagine walking in a Dodge Dealer with 8 grand and walking away with this Colt turbo 5sp, man this insane , everyone who bought one was blessed beyond belief.
MY FIRST CAR WAS A PLYMOUTH COLT. What memories. I wish it was still around. I'd buy it back from who ever had it.
Fantastic video. He’s getting older now...but so am I 😂! Loved it!,,❤️❤️❤️
Oh it's an adrenaline rush but not in a good way! I had one of these cars (Mitsubishi Mirage version). What a pile of junk! It sat it's first year behind the dealer after losing the first transmission because they hadn't manufactured enough spare transmissions yet that worked with the Turbo and Mitsubishi did not have a spare. I blew three turbos, 2 transmissions and constant major oil leaks; leaving me stranded on a deserted freeway one of the times out in the middle of nowhere! One of the worst cars I have ever owned.
I love how they talk up the Colt like it's better than the Turbo Z, and yet its performance specs are identical. You get a much more attractive car from Chrysler.
If i found one, (Daytona) the first thing im doing is changing that speedometer. I miss these little rockets
My dad have a Dodge Colt E, i love his car!
+Brysta Drift I had a Colt DL hatchback in the early '90s, it was my first less-than-10-year-old, non-clunker car. Even without the turbo and (presumably) suspension upgrades that came with it and on cheap tires it was a fun car.
+nlpnt Awesome, the colt its just amazing!!
thats a turbo engine of that size only made 105hp thats alot for 1985 tho crazy
Yeah, my 85 Mazda 626 5 speed only had a 2.0 carb'd engine that made 83hp. And I loved chirping 2nd gear even in that little slug lol
Around the time of this video, I remember sitting in one of these at the state fair in the "car corral" area. Black with tan leather and T-tops. I can't remember if it was a Laser or a Daytona. Wonderful car, though. =)
They were great cars. Turbo or otherwise. We had a non-turbo1988 teamed up with a 5 speed. To the day that it went to the scrapyard, the entire exhaust was still in tact with no perforations. That’s insane considering most people would consider a Colt/Mirage a disposable car. This is why I bought a 2019 Mirage. I fully expect to be driving it ten years from now.
Do you have the review of the 2nd Gen Dodge Intrepid by any chance?
Is it possible get a Retro Review of the Alfa Romeo GTV6 (1981-1986)? I'd love to see your take on it back in the day...
The Daytona Z was an awesome car for the era. I always liked the cleaner styling of the Chrysler Laser better, but that was a sales dud, and they all suffered from the dreaded Chrysler quality problems of the time, and that they're still trying to live down.
I had a 86 Colt turbo back in the day it was a lot of fun
"even if it does weigh 2810 lbs", wow! Imagine if sports cars like the mustang and camaro weighed this today. It almost feels like we are going backwards.
the current gen mustang is heavier than the previous
Lambs love how the Daytona gets better mileage than the Colt.
lol dude I've seen you in other videos hahah 😂
back before America starting riding on the late 90's "they'll buy it anyway, why be innovative" and truly competed with world class vehicles.
For $60 I bought an 86 Colt Turbo 4 door in the late 90’s. It was a fun car but someone had replaced the 5 speed with a 4 speed. One day I was looking at the body and found lots of rust under the driver side A pillar. I had a body shop guy look at it and he said it would likely not hold up well in a front collision so I parked it.
I always wanted the colt with the 4×2 transmission. Still think that was the coolest transmission.
Back when car design was limited by us spec headlamps...
I'm surprised MotorWeek spoke so highly of this car and the 5 speed downgrade vs the 1984 with the twin stick especially given how much quicker the 84 was than this car - IN THEIR OWN TESTS!!!!
I remember when I was in the market for a new car - fall of 84 - I had been impressed by a friend's 1984 Colt Turbo and was considering the same car.
Imagine my dismay when I found the 84 was no more, and the 1985 had been changed radically - a bit larger, ~200 lbs heavier, and eliminated the stump pulling 8 speed twin stick. The dealership touted that it was more spacious and more refined -they had no answer for me when I stated this one MUST be slower than the 84. I knew it would be substantially slower accelerating with the higher starting gear and heavier weight. It really ticked me off that the car I wanted was no longer available - it had been 'improved'. I left the dealer most unhappy. Improvement means faster, NOT slower!!!
This test proves the 85 was a substantial downgrade - engine power should have been upped by Mitsubishi 15-20 hp to compensate for the extra weight and taller gearing - but it wasn't. O-60 on the 84 was 9.4 sec - this one was a much slower 9.8 - and a huge difference in the 1/4 mile time - 15.7 seconds for the 84 and 16.9 for the 85 - what a disappointment. 1.2 seconds is huge in the 1/4 mile - even with the grippier wider tires on the 1985 for better launch, the 84 would have eaten this car's lunch. I'm glad I didn't buy an 85 - I knew from the numbers it had to be worse, and it was. The 84 even got better mileage - 31 mpg vs 25 mpg for this sluggish pig. It was like a human who had eaten too many twinkies and hohos over the winter - it had packed on serious pudge.
man, this turbo colt simply stole the show for me. Incredible to see a american car that looks good with the 1980s obligatory headlamps hahah
Colt is rebadged mitsubishi, no way americans can build cars like that
I like the Colt. I had a '87 mitsubishi version until 2016 with the 1.2 motor and GL spec. Very reliable and good looking. Didn't like the seats tho..
The Daytona Turbo Z and the Colt Turbo look like they would have been a whole lot of fun, but if I could have any turbocharged Chrysler product, I would have to pick the Dodge M4S. That car was as aerodynamic as they came and the 2.2 pushed out more than 440 hp. Plus, it was by far the best part of that cheesy movie called The Wraith, where it was the real star. Yes please!
Turbo charged 4 bangers before they were the staple of swap shops and enthusiast of today
Love the Daytona Z and the little Colt. Turbo engines long long before Ecoboost or modern GDI
I was a Chrysler tech in the 80s I owned a 85 turbo z what great car very fast
The old 80s Hot Hatches you cant beat em
0--60 in 9.8 is rampant. Now that's funny. Oh how I miss that turbo "lag" . LOL.
306,000mi on that Colt? lol damn
Funny how the performance oriented Daytona Z has a speedometer that reads up to 85 mph, while the economy car Colt Turbo has one that reads up to 120 mph. Odd. Probably a function of the instrument clusters' origins.
actually the Colt is MUCH more sporty and had a Shelby option
+ywe3 You may be mistaken. There was a Shelby Daytona, a Shelby Omni GLH (and GLHS), and a Shelby Charger, but nothing in my research, or memory (started driving and noticing cars in the '80's) would indicate the existence of a Shelby Colt. If I am in error, please let me know, it has happened before.
Andrew Taylor I owned an 85 Shelby colt [1st car] it was a solid car with minor issues mainly in the drive train as the Shelby options were not integrated properly but I believe it made 140hp and 160 torque really a joy to drive reminded me of my 85 chevette with a turbo [aftermarket of course]...fun little car it might have been a one off but I'm only 25 so I very well could be wrong...
The 85 MPH speedometer was part of the law around that time - I wonder if they got a non-US version of the Colt or if the requirement was only for US-manufactured cars.
I also owned an '85 Dodge Colt Turbo, and an '86 Daytona Turbo Z (CS) Both cars were EXTREMELY FUN to own and drive....one thing I did not like at all about the Colt was it's miserable (truck driver) shift linkage. The only thing I didn't like about th Daytona was it's tendency to torque steer badly on hard acceleration!, but sometimes you have to take the good with the bad....The C/S handling package on the Turbo Z made the car incredibly FUN to toss into curves and pass other cars at a fast rate really exciting... Worth every penny!..
I loved my Daytona turbo Z! Very fun car for my first one
$7,800
in 1984 →
$19,319.53
in 2019
Your the best MotorWeek!
awesome vids
Video tape quality. Way different than film, it was the era of the technology
A by goodness stamped metal data plate on the Daytona!!
Before the Eclipse and the Evo, there were the Mirage Turbo and the Starion Turbo!! I know they are Mitsubishi, but they were the same at some point!!
Damn I haven't seen this car in years
I enjoy how 'impressive' a 9.8 second 0-60 time was in 1985. Today, any car bragging about that would be laughed off the lot. Most SUV and CUV makes can hit 60 well ahead of that, even in 4 cylinder models.
my car has 0-60 in about 17s and was made in 2000
Tom Smith yes & they are miserable to drive lol..
@Tom Smith Fiat Uno Turbo 1.3l 1985 0-60 8 second
Tom,
Don't know if you'll read this but your analogy would be like comparing these cars to a '55 car with four wheel drum brakes, no power steering, no A/C, at best a small block V8 (probably a 70 hp straight 6) solid steel dash and no seatblets. 😰
I drive an 06 cobalt ss. Not sure the time, but surely less than 9.8 to 60.
aaaahhh nothing is comfier than old motorweeks
The M4 turbo was a crazier 80’s turbo car. It made the power of a boss 302 from 2013. 444hp and it was a 4 cylinder.
Love to have a Turbo z in that color scheme.
Dodge? They're Mitsubishi's!
The Chevy sprint turbo with a 3 cylinder motor did 9.7 0 to 60.
Love this Daytona!
Daytonas used to be everywhere.
That Colt is Soo nice!!
Aren't those " a Symmetric" Yokohama tires A006? I loved that car3.. and a 14 year old kid looking at those tires .. these Turbo Dodges did like the Datsun Z car kid " one of these day's "
My first car: Dodge Colt
Great video.
1981 and I'm 19 buying my first new car. Dad works at Chrysler and I have 2 cheap choices: 024 or Colt. Same price [6000!] for either and I order my black 024 miser with sunroof and cargo carpet. Waiting in showroom for delivery and on the radio is news that Reagan has been shot in DC. Get the car home and install my preordered rear window louvers and beauty rims[trim rings] on the freshly spray painted black stamped steel wheels. I then used a Qtip to paint the tire lettering white. Threw on a red pinstripe and blacked out all the chrome as well as the taillights. It was 118 a month for 4 years and it got totaled after 6. Only problem was the vapor lock that would happen on really humid Detroit summer days. A bottle of Bacardi 151 would make it start most of the time. Fun little car and I was always glad I picked over the ugly Colt.
wiibaron The Colt was ugly. Especially the metallic blue Vista wagon I had. I wasn't even a though in 1981, but I had my beat up used Colt from summer of 2003 - January of 2006 when the head gasket went.
So, the Shelby Charger was 1 second quicker than the Colt Turbo in the 0 to 60mph 😬
Nice looking Daytona
I can't believe nobody has yet brought up the "twin-stick" mentioned at 5:20. Man, I would love to drive one of those if I had the chance! I remember reading somewhere that someone said "Yeah, it would chirp second gear....both of them" XD Is there any chance you guys have a review of one of those few vehicles offered with the twin stick transmission?
i drove a previous-generation, non-turbo one a few times in the late 1980's. a relative owned it.
The Daytona looks like a cross between a Mustang and Camaro of that era.
I love these DSMs
Didn't know import restrictions on Japanese cars were lifted in 1985. Highly doubt Chrysler ever imported 200,000 Mitsubishi products in a year
Fast forward to 2019. An "Import" manual hatchback weights about 800 pounds more, has about 70 more horsepower, 0-60 2 seconds faster and gets 15 miles to the gallon more. Let's play name that car..
The '85 Colt Turbo was slower and thirstier than the previous generation, but better balanced. I had a prior generation '84 Colt Turbo - a lot lighter, so it was a lot faster and also got much better MPG, but not well balanced with the new turbo engine. Mitsubishi didn't really upgrade the suspension/brakes/tires adequately to compensate for the additional power that 1st year, so it was really easy to get into trouble real fast. From what I recall, driver fatalities in the '84 car were pretty high.
Does anyone remember this car being used in the IROC series?