FRANKFURT, Germany — Startech, the arm of German tuner Brabus that focuses its efforts on American vehicles from the Chrysler group, has produced its rendition of the Dodge Avenger for the 2007 Frankfurt Auto Show. Better they should have let this particular dog lie.
The Startech Starster, as it has been unfortunately christened, looks like a refugee from a back-alley chop shop, and not a particularly handsome one. The matte orange accents on the pearlescent ivory paint do little to improve the car's limited visual appeal. The add-on body pieces only seem to further clutter the exterior. Fender flares and a hood scoop appear to be a ham-fisted attempt to emulate Detroit muscle cars of the '60s. The high-tech LED head- and taillamps are lost in all the retro kitsch.
The orange-on-white interior is particularly offensive, with such mixed graphic elements as waffle-pattern flooring and orange-background gauges.
There is some good news: Under the hood, Startech has massaged the 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with a turbocharger and other modifications that lift output to 335 horsepower and torque to 295 pound-feet. Acceleration from zero to 60 mph takes less than 5.6 seconds, and top speed is clocked at 165 mph. A modified five-speed manual gearbox and locking differential are part of the Starster package.
The concept car rides on 22-inch Monostar IV five-spoke alloy wheels, shod with 245/30R22 tires in front and 295/25R22s in the rear. A height-adjustable coil-over suspension drops the ride height by up to 1.8 inches, while upgraded brakes provide extra stopping power.
What this means to you: Not surprisingly, this particular conversion does nothing to enhance the appearance of the ho-hum Avenger.
The Startech Starster, as it has been unfortunately christened, looks like a refugee from a back-alley chop shop, and not a particularly handsome one. The matte orange accents on the pearlescent ivory paint do little to improve the car's limited visual appeal. The add-on body pieces only seem to further clutter the exterior. Fender flares and a hood scoop appear to be a ham-fisted attempt to emulate Detroit muscle cars of the '60s. The high-tech LED head- and taillamps are lost in all the retro kitsch.
The orange-on-white interior is particularly offensive, with such mixed graphic elements as waffle-pattern flooring and orange-background gauges.
There is some good news: Under the hood, Startech has massaged the 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with a turbocharger and other modifications that lift output to 335 horsepower and torque to 295 pound-feet. Acceleration from zero to 60 mph takes less than 5.6 seconds, and top speed is clocked at 165 mph. A modified five-speed manual gearbox and locking differential are part of the Starster package.
The concept car rides on 22-inch Monostar IV five-spoke alloy wheels, shod with 245/30R22 tires in front and 295/25R22s in the rear. A height-adjustable coil-over suspension drops the ride height by up to 1.8 inches, while upgraded brakes provide extra stopping power.
What this means to you: Not surprisingly, this particular conversion does nothing to enhance the appearance of the ho-hum Avenger.
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