11:40 AM
Auto Car Design and Review
CHRIS DOANE AUTOMOTIVE, KGP PHOTOGRAPHY, AND THE MANUFACTURERWe’ve reported numerous times about Dodge’s highly anticipated replacement for the unloved Caliber. We knew it will be built upon a stretched and widened version of Fiat’s compact-car platform and wear a rakish sedan body. Power should come from a turbocharged version of Fiat’s 1.4-liter four-cylinder, and a reworked version of the Caliber’s current 2.0-liter remains a possibility. (For more powertrain info, head over to this story.)
The last time we saw the car, we got a good look at its front end—albeit sans headlamps—capturing a seemingly production-ready nose complete with crosshair grille. This time, the schnoz is well and truly camo’d, but the headlamps are partially visible through the disguise, and they appear to be less-complicated versions of the Charger’s squared-off units.
With the body covered in the squiggle pattern now common on prowling prototypes, the Alfa-esque body contours are less discernible than before. But we now have a look at the rear end, which features taillamps that stretch onto the trunk, although they don’t appear to span the width of the car, Ã la Charger. (Wouldn’t that be cool, though?)
We’re also getting our first glimpse of the dashboard through the passenger window, and it appears that Dodge’s little one will be more stylized without losing the brand’s decidedly American flavor. The center-stack controls are rendered in shapes that recall those of the aluminum-trimmed Charger, while the arching binnacle appears to be padded and covered in stitched-look vinyl—a huge leap from the Fisher Price–grade environs of the Caliber.
We still don’t know what Dodge will call its small car, which should appear early next year as a 2013 model, but we’ll again mention that it’s not likely to be named Hornet. That said, given Dodge’s penchant for insects that sting (see the recently announced Charger Super Bee and Challenger Yellow Jacket), who knows—maybe they’ll apply it to a future special edition?
