- Chrysler boss Sergio Marchionne said he expects the new 2013 Dodge Dart will achieve a 40-mpg highway fuel-economy rating.
- That achievement could give corporate parent Fiat a final chunk of Chrysler stock.
- Fiat ultimately expects to control 58.5 percent of Chrysler.
NEW YORK — Chrysler boss Sergio Marchionne said he expects the new 2013 Dodge Dart will achieve a 40-mpg highway fuel-economy rating, which could give corporate parent Fiat a final chunk of Chrysler stock.
The all-new Dart debuts next month at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show and is slated to go into production next spring at Chrysler's Belvidere plant outside Chicago. Based on a stretched version of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, the 2013 Dart sedan effectively replaces the Caliber as Dodge's volume entry in the compact segment.
Marchionne, in an interview with Reuters, indicated he expects the new Dart will be rated by the EPA at 40 mpg on the highway. Fiat, which has controlled Chrysler since the U.S. automaker emerged from bankruptcy last year, is entitled to receive another 5-percent equity stake in Chrysler if it is able to certify at least one new car at 40 mpg, according to Automotive News.
The industry trade publication said Thursday that the 2013 Dart will be offered initially with a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, but will also come with a new ZF nine-speed automatic that could boost fuel economy by up to 16 percent.
Inside Line says: If the Dart wins the coveted EPA rating, it would mean each of the three Detroit-based carmakers is offering at least one 40-mpg compact.
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mdove1 says:
09:38 PM, 12/10/2011
A dart? come on it was junk back in the day!!!! bring the CUDA out!!!!!!!
pisswilly says:
11:14 AM, 12/10/2011
Is it called a Dodge Dart or a Dodge Fart? If it's the latter, the media will crucify the Dodge Fart! please Sergio, name it the Dodge Fart.
roiscuba says:
07:35 AM, 12/10/2011
Anybody else notice that this race for number of transmission gears is akin to the razor wars? More blades, er, gears is more better?
I prefer an "old" 5 or 6 speed manual to a gazillion speed auto any day.
cdc4 says:
07:25 AM, 12/10/2011
Ok... my 1987 plymouth duster was rated at 43 mpg highway new. Twice I got 46 mpg and I routinely get 43 mpg on long trips at 70 mph. I still drive it with 270k on the odo. What progress.
karz4life10 says:
06:03 AM, 12/10/2011
Once i told my dad bout this he really flipped out and said he wanted one, but they need to really offer a manual 9 speed that wud help the Dart beat a lot of its competitors.
duck87 says:
07:58 AM, 12/09/2011
@scottyscooter: CVTs technically are supposed to provide infinite gearing and the best efficiency. Theoretically. Unfortunately, since they are still relatively new technology and have several different methods of implementation, they are currently very bad in terms of reliability, and I'm sure you heard of the term "rubber band acceleration". There are a lot of parasitic losses that needs to be eliminated in the hydraulics, and better ECU control in all conditions as well. This will take time. In the meantime, the 9 speed shifts about as fast as a DSG, is smoother, and can skip gears. So although 9 gears does seem like overkill... why not? It's not like the transaxle is any larger than others currently on the market.
@rayzor: If you check Honda's press releases, they plan on introducing a 7 speed DSG w/ built in 40hp hybrid motor for their Acura vehicles; and a "greatly improved" CVT for their 4 and 6 cylinder engines. This is in 2-3 years. If they get the CVT right, it will be better than ANY multi-gear transmission in terms of efficiency, as I said in the above paragraph. Considering their fuel efficiency now, they might have a real chance of topping the fuel efficiency charts again in many categories.
kkear3 says:
07:55 AM, 12/09/2011
9 speeds? WTF? Most big trucks have 9- or 10 speed Eaton Roadranger transmissions, but those require the operator to know how to double-clutch and range-change. Of course we'll never see anything like that in a compact car because those transmissions weigh about as much as a compact car.
In all seriousness though, won't this thing be kind of a slug when you step on the accellerator because the transmission must shift down through a half-dozen or so gears?
I notice this on most new cars; the wait between the pedal press until the transmission drops to a gear suitable for the amount of accelleration requested.
Just asking....
scottyscooter says:
04:23 AM, 12/09/2011
"angry_mushroom says:
9 gears to hit 40mpg? Honda does that with 5... Why not just drop a CVT in?"
I kind of wonder the same thing; at what point is it just plain silly to have a ton of gears rather than using a CVT?
litewerk says:
12:22 AM, 12/09/2011
These are amazing times in which we are living. Within a matter of months, it will be possible to get at least one car from each of the Big3 which is capable of achieving 40 mpg highway. It will be possible to do so, but the ability to actually achieve it rests solely with the driver.
bankerdanny says:
09:33 PM, 12/08/2011
@rednsx: very cool. Try a compact front. The 50 tooth big ring vs the 52 that is probably on your triple combined with say a 12-23 or 25 rear means rarely needing anything but the big ring, at least here in flat Chicago.