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DaimlerChrysler: The all new 2000 Plymouth Neon

All-New 2000 Neon Has Fun With Sophistication, Refinement, Performance

2000 Plymouth Neon

"The small car market is extremely competitive as the audience continues to evolve and demand a higher level of refinement," said Tom Gale, Executive Vice President and General Manager — Passenger Car Operations. "Like its audience, Neon’s design has evolved to keep it a segment benchmark, combining fun and features with a solid foundation of best-in-class performance, roominess and handling."

Over the next five years, more than 1.5 million Neons were sold worldwide, making it one of the most successful small cars in the world

"When you are trendsetter, as Neon has been in its market, you must continue to raise the bar," said Cindy Hess, Vice President, Small Car Platform. "The substance and style of the 2000 Neon is a reflection of where we wanted this all-new car to be while appreciating and augmenting all the things we did right with the previous model."

Significant features and changes to the all-new 2000 Neon include:

Room Where You Can Use It

Customers will find more comfort through increased hip room (1.6 inches front, 2.3 inches rear), interior volume (103.4 cubic feet vs. 101.7), rear head room (0.3 inches) and shoulder room (0.9 inches front, 0.5 inches rear), all of which keeps 2000 Neon as one of the roomiest cars in the segment. Increased trunk capacity (13.1 cubic feet vs. 11.8 cubic feet), coupled with standard 60/40 split rear-fold seats, provides the customer with unmatched space and versatility.

Making Noise About Being Quiet

The all-new Dodge and Plymouth Neon are among the quietest, most refined cars in their class. Adoption of full-framed doors for a tighter seal to the car body, baked-on mastics and expandable foam baffles were added to substantially reduce dB levels. An exhaust system, featuring a larger muffler and an exhaust flex joint, provides quieter engine operation.

Surprises Are Standard

The all-new Neon will stay fresh into the new millennium by providing customers with "surprise and delight" features that add to its big-car feel. An interior that emphasizes convenience and style adds to the overall feel of quality. Standard equipment on the 2000 Neon includes many features not traditional to the segment, such as:

• AM/FM cassette radio with six premium speakers, including dome tweeters to improve and broaden sound range

• Four cup holders for everything from large cups and mugs to juice boxes

• Rear defroster

• Floor mats

• A battery saver feature that shuts off the dome light if left on by mistake

• Theater-style dimming for interior lighting

• Body-colored door handles, bodyside moldings and front and rear fascias

• Illumination on all door-mounted switches to make it easier to locate and identify switches at night

• Driver foot rest, low-back front seats, improved

• front seat lumbar support and improved rear seat contours for improved seating comfort and appearance

Double-Takes Guaranteed

These changes give Neon a smoother, more substantial appearance. Full-frame doors not only improve and increase body stiffness, but provide a more precise, refined look to the exterior

Braking the Boundaries

A redesigned braking system features a larger power booster, stiffer front calipers and low expansion hoses, all designed to improve pedal feel. The thickness of the front brake rotors was increased for greater heat capacity while the rear wheel cylinders were made larger to improve rear brake output. A disc/drum brake system is standard, while a four-wheel disc system including anti-lock brakes (ABS), traction control and electronic brake proportioning is available as an option.

The 2000 Dodge and Plymouth Neons are made at DaimlerChrysler’s Belvidere, Illinois, assembly plant and go on sale in the first quarter of 1999.

Photo: DaimlerChrysler

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