Chrysler is hard at work refreshing and reworking its line-up and to go a step further it has announced that it’s working on a small car for the Dodge lineup. This new vehicle is being built with fuel economy clearly in mind and should be capable of achieving a fuel economy well under 6.0l/100km. The mysterious new model will sit on a Fiat-sourced platform and is expected to be revealed sometime near the end of 2011.
Little is known about who the main rivals for this new Dodge will be but apparently a fuel-efficient small Chrysler has been planned for a long time and lead to the creation of the Dodge Hornet concept car (pictured) in 2006. The Hornet was seemingly given the go-ahead for production but never surfaced in finished form. Now may be its time.
Aside from the North American-specified Fiat 500, the new Chrysler/Fiat partnership has yet to produce any real joint vehicles. In the meantime, Chrysler has been reworking its product portfolio, offering new powertrains higher-quality interiors and improved refinement for the full slate of Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep products.
To read a recent Car and SUV review of the updated Dodge Caliber, click here. Continue reading “Dodge at work on fuel frugal hatchback” »
What makes the Caliber aesthetically different is a mixture of traditional Dodge DNA and a body shape that’s a mash-up of hatchback, crossover and sports coupe. Its styling talks loudly and offers a truly American take on the conventional hatchback. The Caliber announces its arrival with its signature Dodge crosshair grille. In profile it shows off pumped up wheel arches, a coupe like roofline and a front foot, pouncing stance. The squared-off rear features jeweled tail lamps a narrow back windscreen and a protruding chunky bumper. Exterior changes to the updated Caliber are minimal but do include some subtle chrome trim and a new 17-inch alloy wheel design which helps give the 2010 model an even sharper edge.