and it will be pronounced De'mon lol
Chrysler brings back the Dodge Dart
- Thread starter notenoughcash
- Start date
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Blue87D100
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With a blatant disregard to the first half of that statement? Believe what you want,but this is not the same platform as the 200.
Shane65
Well-Known Member
Funny you mention that, because Scion is getting ready to launch a new, honest-to-goodness front engine/rear drive small car, so it CAN be done. This is supposed to be around $25K. I don't think this is exactly the market the Dart is going after, but hey, this thing's going to have a 2.0 liter and a 6-speed or paddle shifter automatic. Geez, what's so hard about making a cheap, small rear-driver??
Cudavert made a really good point... There is an emerging market for a small RWD car that's fun to drive and gets good gas mileage... Toyota & Subaru joined forces to create this, and it's basically similar size to a miata, but better looking, with a hardtop, and with a back seat, and gets 33mpg's.
This would have been the perfect opportunity for Dodge to bring back the Dart as a compact RWD fun car, but with classic American styling. Considering the Toyota/Subaru has been in development for something like 3 years or more, I'm sure Dodge has known about it. Hopefully they have something up their sleeve. It doesn't have to be V8, cause they don't want to compete with the Challenger, but RWD is the answer. Stick a Turbo 4, or N/A 6, keep it around the 3000 lb mark (about the size of a neon), and it would be an awesome car.
Really? Gosh, that's so novel of you. You don't have to buy one. You don't even have to like it. Fact of the matter is, A-bodies were the economy cars of their era. And now they're an economy car in a new era.
Dodge is still Dodge. Yes, its partially owned by Fiat. But, it was partially owned by Daimler not all that long ago. Ford and Jaguar were linked up for awhile. Ducati bought a chunk of Harley Davidson. Toyota was designing some of their cars in California for awhile not all that long ago. Welcome to multinational corporations.
Hell, my '71 Dodge Dart GT was built in CANADA. Which I believe is still technically a foreign country.
And, last I checked, the latest "demon" concept looked like this (2007 autoshow). The front end is not all that different from the new Dart. Rumor has it that it could be out next.
the spy shot has rear door handles the alfa does not,the spy shot has a small trunk deck the alfa does not,the dart has a WIDER and Longer platform than the alfa.I never said it would be off the 200 platform but that it would be more like the 200 and all points towards that.It even has the same body lines as the 200 more so than the alfa,so yes I will "believe" what I want and you may do the same.BTW the new challenger is "based" off the charger platform but it is "not" the same platform because it is shorter.:thumbup:
Blue87D100
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Really cause it seems to me that you are saying "it is going to be a chrysler 200 with a front clip and tail lights" in that first statement.Its based off of the alfa platform but longer and wider,just like the challenger is based off of the LX/charger/300 platform but shorter. I couldnt care less what you want to "believe" I was just trying to correct your misconception,but if you still chose to believe otherwise;good for you
inkjunkie
Well-Known Member
Calm down tough guy. My point was/is, and is very well illustrated by your picture, is beyond the name plate these cars have ABSOLUTLEY NOTHING in common with the a-bodies. If the painfully obvious observation is out of your grasp I apologize.Aint got nothing to do with me likeing or buying, which neither will happen. At least the Challenger remotely resembles the original one....Really? Gosh, that's so novel of you. You don't have to buy one. You don't even have to like it. Fact of the matter is, A-bodies were the economy cars of their era. And now they're an economy car in a new era.
Dodge is still Dodge. Yes, its partially owned by Fiat. But, it was partially owned by Daimler not all that long ago. Ford and Jaguar were linked up for awhile. Ducati bought a chunk of Harley Davidson. Toyota was designing some of their cars in California for awhile not all that long ago. Welcome to multinational corporations.
Hell, my '71 Dodge Dart GT was built in CANADA. Which I believe is still technically a foreign country.
And, last I checked, the latest "demon" concept looked like this (2007 autoshow). The front end is not all that different from the new Dart. Rumor has it that it could be out next.
basher13
Member
Just cruised through 9 pages of...opinions. I don't like new cars so mine doesn't matter much. The only fact here is, I just lost 30mins of my life looking and reading about a Prius lookin thing with a 4 cylinder :wack:
back to A body tech
Dan
back to A body tech
Dan
abodyjoe
Well-Known Member
dodgedifferent2
Well-Known Member
the dodge dart was originally an econo box for fuel economy and to sell. The high end muscle cars were the big charger and etc..
The dart took the econo box to fight the vw beetle etc...
nothing changing just updated technology and there were 4 door darts so whats the issue?
The dart took the econo box to fight the vw beetle etc...
nothing changing just updated technology and there were 4 door darts so whats the issue?
Shane65
Well-Known Member
The issue is that it's FWD and called a Dart. Carries no heritage from it's past... My issue is w/ the name, not the car. Sure have a FWD that sells to the masses, but call it something else...
Whether or not Darts were great from the factory, the fact of the matter is, they've become somewhat legendary in their own right (I don't own one, so I am speaking without bias...). RWD 340, with 6 pack and 4 on the floor, makes for a pretty bad *** machine...
I wouldn't expect dodge to bring another V8 muscle car to the market when they have the Challenger, but a classicly styled light weight RWD (3000lb max) car with around 220-250hp, and 6 speed option would be a blast to drive. At that weight and horsepower 30 mpg's wouldn't be hard to achieve... Make a coupe and a 4 door, and that stays true to the Dart name. Why chase Honda and Toyota FWD compacts? Why not make an American competitor to the BMW 3 series (RWD)? Why is every car that BMW makes still RWD, and Dodge (and the rest of the big 3) messing around with FWD 'Japanese looking' cars. Put a stake in the ground and stand for something, especially when you're using a classic name.
What the hell is going on here? Can't we (me included) make a comment and give an oppinion without people getting their panties in a wad? so some like and some don't, it's not that big a deal' You either want one or will never buy one!
:supz:
cudavert
DARTAHOLIC
I totally agree! And don't forget that little "1-series" beemer......they are offered with an optional straight six and twin turbos! Just something to think about....
slantsixdan
=..=
Most people don't know or care.
Actually…no. This is one of the things the American automakers have consistently screwed up completely. What's Dodge's entry-level car? Why, it's the Dart! No, wait, the Aspen!, No, it's the Colt! No, the Aries! The Shadow! The Neon! The Caliber!
Meanwhile, Honda have built decades of brand equity and owner loyalty with the Civic and Accord nameplates. Toyota have done likewise with the Corolla and Camry. Today's Civic, Accord, Camry, and Corolla have nothing in common but make and model names, but they're still perennial top sellers. Most people who buy one of them buy another one. And another one. And another, and another, then give that one to their kid who finishes it off and buys another. Yet this lesson is lost on the American companies, who usually throw away whatever brand equity they've managed to build and start all over again from scratch every time. Almost as if they're embarrassed at their previous effort. Almost as if they want people to forget.
Agreed! You can buy such a car from Ford…in Australia. It's called the Falcon.
Take a look at BMW's market share -- or lack thereof.
'cuz that's where the money is.
Relax360
Well-Known Member
BMW's Market share worldwide is actually quite impressive
Thrashard340
Well-Known Member
I totally agree! And don't forget that little "1-series" beemer......they are offered with an optional straight six and twin turbos! Just something to think about....
That twin turbo BMW is in the $40k range and not where the Dart is going to be positioned. Dodge is not targeting the small luxury coupe segment. The Dart will be targeting the intermediate Ford Focus segment (low-to-mid 20-ish price range). Building a coupe to compete against the Toyota-Subaru FRS is one thing, but it's another to compare it to a BMW that's not even close to it's price range.
Thrashard340
Well-Known Member
Also, if Dodge decides to do an SRT variant of the Dart, they will tread with extreme caution as not to have it outperform a newer RT Challenger.
slantsixdan
=..=
Right, sure. Until you look at Toyota's, and Honda's, and VW's, and GM's, and Ford's, and
Shane65
Well-Known Member
Well the thing is though, the twin turbo 1 series is the top of the line model in the BMW...
you can get a base model 1 series for 31K... Dodge could easily make something that competes with the Toyota/Subaru (rumored to start between 23-25k) and the 1 series and I think they could reasonably do it for around 23-25k as well... especially considering the full size Charger starts at 25k.
And it doesn't have to be "Luxury", it just has to have perceived value (overall package: design, performance, mpg, interior)... And with the way dodge has stepped up their interiors lately, at a 25k price range I'm sure they could put something together that looks pretty damn good.
Shane65
Well-Known Member
You make some good points Dan, but you kinda reiterated the problem... and that's the equity upon nameplates... I'm sure Dodge has *some* equity in the 'Avenger' nameplate.... Which has been an economic FWD sedan with charger style cues (current style). Why not really make a name for the Avenger with this new model, and save the Dart name for something that has ALWAYS been a RWD car?
The enthusiasts have more brand loyalty than anyone, and if they are happy, then everyone's happy.
jdakota
Well-Known Member
An insult reproduction of a true classic.
superbee79
Well-Known Member
that little car looks like a 4 door honda crx. if they are going to bring names back they could at least use a little MOPAR MUSCLE when designing it.
ramenth
Gratis persona
Remember this?
View attachment '85 Charger.jpg
Front wheel drive, carried the Charger name, had very little to do with the B-body, no heritage from it's past.
But, what the hell, it was a piece of s*** before one unit was sold.
Or this?
View attachment 81dodgechallengermitsu.jpg
Or these?
View attachment 74dodgecoltline.jpg
View attachment arrow.jpg
Rebadging, or building cars off mult-make platforms has been going on for decades and some of you guys act like it's a brand new concept.
ramenth
Gratis persona
Seriously, some of you mother f***ers wouldn't be satisfied if you were hung with a brand new rope.
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