- The 2013 Dodge Dart will debut on January 9 at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show, putting to rest rumors that the brand's new compact sedan would be called the Dodge Hornet, Duster or Camber.
- Dodge has resurrected the Dart nameplate, which had a 16-year run from 1960-'76.
- Dodge said in a statement that Dart buyers will get a choice of three four-cylinder engines, including a 1.4-liter MultiAir Turbo engine.
AUBURN HILLS, Michigan — The 2013 Dodge Dart will debut on January 9 at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show, putting to rest rumors that the brand's new compact sedan would be called the Dodge Hornet, Duster or Camber.
The new Dart is a critically important offering from Dodge, since it targets the Chevrolet Cruze, Ford Focus and Hyundai Elantra and marks the brand's most serious offensive into the compact sedan segment since the Dodge Neon — which has been off the market for seven years.
Even though the Dodge Caliber ends production in 2012, Dodge says the Dart is not an official replacement. "It's not a replacement because the Caliber is a hatchback," said Kathy Graham, a Chrysler spokeswoman in a phone conversation Tuesday with Inside Line.
She said the 2013 Dart will go into production in the first half of 2012 at Chrysler's Belvidere Assembly Plant in Belvidere, Illinois. A specific on-sale date has not been announced; neither has pricing.
Dodge is resurrecting the Dart nameplate, which had a 16-year run from 1960-'76. It is unlikely that the younger buyers who are undoubtedly targeted by Dodge would have much recollection of the Dart name. But it should make more sense than the Duster, which was a Plymouth model (it's also used by the Romanian brand Dacia).
Dodge said in a statement on Tuesday that the Dart is the first Chrysler Group vehicle based on a Fiat architecture. It is spun off the Alfa Romeo Giulietta. But Dodge noted that the Dart has a "lengthened and widened platform." Technical specifications were not released. The Dart gets four-wheel independent suspension and optional 18-inch wheels.
Exterior design cues include a split-crosshair grille, projector headlamps and foglamps. It also gets LED "racetrack" taillamps and dual exhaust said to be "inspired by Dodge Charger."
Dodge said in a statement that Dart buyers will get a choice of three four-cylinder engines, including a 1.4-liter MultiAir Turbo engine, a new Tigershark 2.4-liter MultiAir engine and a new Tigershark 2.0-liter engine. Fuel-economy numbers are not yet available because testing is not finished on the engines, Graham said.
Dodge said three transmission choices would be available, but details have not been released.
Inside Line says: The rebirth of the Dodge Dart — but will it be a storied or stale nameplate in the eyes of younger buyers?
Add A Comment »
ambushbug says:
09:31 PM, 01/03/2012
SRT4 = Demon?
lzks says:
06:40 AM, 01/03/2012
Dear Dizzi, for such a long comment, you said nothing about why this car's any good. So thanks for the useless long comment. About the car; well, not bad I suppose, but nothing is revealed yet so...
hugxxx says:
01:38 PM, 12/16/2011
i tought that this new dart would have at least a v6 engine...but 4 cilinder engine¡¡ gime a break
dizzi says:
08:04 PM, 12/14/2011
There are soooooooo many whiners in on this page, I just couldn't stand it anymore!!!
If it's not the name, it's got four doors no hatchback, only four cylinders, the Charger missed too.... Waaah waaaah waaaaah !!!! You all sound like a bunch of whiney democratz??
Dodge has set up the perfect storm, they'll have a Dodge Charger, a Dodge Challenger and a Dodge Dart. They all familiarize a classic name to Dodge brand of cars that were very strong in their field. The Charger has four doors GET OVER IT, it rocks and there isn't a car that comes close to it, want two doors look at the car next to it in the showroom. See Dodge Challenger, cut right from the 1970 mold. The mid-sized Avenger is coming and it will probably get pissed on if they call it a Colt or Coronet ...
This Dart (all pun) hits the target .... BULLSEYE !!! It's a compact car with plenty of current day conveniences, power, size, comfort, mileage and most of all price! I won't buy one unless I have to but to hear all these unbelievable WHINEY comments is one of the reasons I just had to say something. Have this or a Corolla, Civic, Cruze .... threatening Hyundai and Ford compacts...? Who really cares WHAT they call it or if the seat pictures look orange (they are RED with RED stitch) that pic sucks, see it on another web site, its better. This car WILL compete! It has to and will... if it was as lame a Corolla, Civic, Impreza.... or not even close to or possibly pass by the Elantra and Focus, then all you whiners would probably ...... naaaahhhh you'd still whine!
J.M.O. I could be wrong.
okiea says:
08:42 AM, 12/08/2011
It's a shame the English language is so limited that they feel the need to reuse a name that has not one part or even resembles the original 30 year old car. Shame on them! Wasn't the original car All American? It was not Alfa Romeo or Fiat. What is next a VW Roadrunner?
openeyes1 says:
12:57 PM, 12/07/2011
@qqt414; Both the Dodge Dart and the Chevy Nova were small classic cars. I remember driving a new 1974 Chevy Nova with the Police package (the public could buy that option in those days), and what a barn burner that was. I have a great deal experience with both cars, and they weren't bad automobiles, unlike the giant gas pigs that followed them.
As for the new Dodge Dart, its nice that Chrysler is finally giving us a vehicle that will get more than 22MPG in city driving. As for the design, it looks like a Sonic ripoff from the front photo, I thought Chrysler could get a little more creative with their own line of small cars.
joe_scuba says:
12:34 PM, 12/07/2011
The Dodge Dart and Plymouth Valiant were a pair and the Valiant gave birth to the Cuda, which in '70 gave birth to the Challenger.
Then there was the Duster yeah those were great cars hope that FIAT has improved their reliability from the old Fix It Again Tony days.
damaje says:
06:37 AM, 12/07/2011
I rememeber dialog from a tv show that went something like this "You hit a car..." "yeah bit it was a dodge dart so I did them a favor" I thought the new compact was going to be the Hornet, that would have been a better dodge name to bring back than the dart. Even the Daytona would have also been a better name to bring back, but Dart? Seriously? Are you tryingt o make it harder to sell these things?
rwright100 says:
06:16 AM, 12/07/2011
I'm really not sure how I feel about the name, but that car has some seriously fantastic lines on it! I'm In!
supremecrash says:
11:53 PM, 12/06/2011
Yeea Im one of those youngers buyers who dont fully apreciate the Dart name.
Anyways, this new Dart is lookin mean in my opinion.