2013 Dodge Dart leaked

Just ahead of its debut at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, images of the all-new 2013 Dodge Dart compact have been leaked.

2013 Dodge Dart. Scroll down for more images.

Their emergence follows Dodge’s teaser campaign last month, so perhaps we’ll never know how ‘official’ the release of these latest pictures is.



Whatever, it seems that the heavily-cropped teaser shots really didn’t do the Dart’s styling justice.



Thanks to a low, wide stance, a prominent rising beltline along the side and a neat arrangement for the headlights and Dodge crosshair grille, it manages to look pretty good from just about any angle. Certainly in terms of design, the Dart moves things on immeasurably from its Caliber predecessor.



Based on a stretched and widened Alfa Romeo Giulietta platform - known as Compact U.S. Wide (CUSW) - the Dart is going to be available with a choice of three four-cylinder petrol engines. Two of those feature Fiat’s MultiAir valvegear technology, which should mean significantly improved fuel consumption and emissions.

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2013 Dodge Dart teased

Dodge Charger Redline

Dodge has revealed the 2012 Charger Redline, which comes complete with three performance kits from sister brand Mopar.

The first is purely cosmetic, and consists of a two-piece grille with black inserts, 20” Mopar Black Envy wheels and a matte black vinyl roof panel that contrasts nicely with the Redline tri-coat paint. Also featured are various carbon fibre components, including a pair of rather big door scoops, a three-piece rear wing and a chin spoiler. The interior hasn’t been forgotten, and it gets some aluminium trim pieces and stainless steel pedals.



Stage two introduces some additional performance to go with the more aggressive look. It comprises Mopar brake linings, a cross-brace for the front suspension towers and a tuned exhaust system.



But it’s with the third kit that things start to get really interesting. That’s because it substitutes the R/T’s usual 5.7 litre Hemi V8 engine for Mopar’s special Gen III High Output version.



With a capacity of 6.9 litres (426 cubic inches) and a lightweight aluminium engine block, this upgraded Hemi V8 produces a whopping 590 bhp (440 kW / 598 PS) - an output that easily eclipses the 470 bhp (351 kW / 476 PS) of the Charger SRT8. Unfortunately, though, the effect of such a power hike remains a mystery for now, as Mopar has yet to release any performance figures.



The 2012 Dodge Charger Redline makes its debut at this month’s North American International Auto Show, and the Mopar performance kits are expected to go on sale later this year.



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2013 Dodge Dart teased

8 January 2012 Update:

To see a full view of the 2013 Dodge Dart, please click here.

For its new compact car, Dodge has decided to revive the Dart nameplate. It’s also going to be using a stretched and widened Alfa Romeo Giulietta platform - known as Compact U.S. Wide (CUSW) - to underpin it, emphasising the ever-closer links between Fiat and Chrysler Group products.



The 2013 Dart is due to be revealed at next month’s North American International Auto Show in Detroit, but in the meantime a few images have been released by Dodge as part of a teaser campaign.

These show the trademark crosshairs front grille, flanked by distinctive projector headlights. At the back, there’s a Charger-inspired ‘racetrack’ LED light array and prominent dual exhausts.



For the interior, decent soft-touch materials are promised, while an 8.4” Uconnect touch screen and a customisable Thin Film Transistor (TFT) gauge cluster will be available. The Dart gets ten airbags as standard, and it’s claimed to have best-in-class hip and shoulder room.



A choice of three four-cylinder petrol engines is going to be offered, two of which come with Fiat’s MultiAir valvegear technology for significantly improved fuel consumption and emissions.



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Challenger Yellow Jacket

Dodge has unveiled the Challenger SRT8 392 Yellow Jacket.



It’ll only be available in Stinger Yellow, the same shade that’s being used for another limited edition, the 2012 Charger SRT8 Super Bee. Perhaps someone at the factory ordered too much of that particular colour by mistake?

Due to make its public debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show, the Yellow Jacket takes its name from a 1969 show car that was created to highlight various pieces of Dodge performance equipment. Like the Super Bee, today’s version carries a number of cosmetic changes that distinguish it from the standard Challenger SRT8 392.



In addition to the distinctive paint, these include exclusive 20” aluminium alloy wheels and a rear fender graphic for the outside, while the interior gets memory front seats and special leather upholstery that features a yellow accent band, silver stitching and embroidered Yellow Jacket motifs.



The ‘392’ suffix indicates that power comes from the latest 6.4 litre (or 392 cubic inch) Hemi V8 that produces 470 bhp (351 kW / 476 PS) and 637 Nm (470 lb/ft) of torque. Connected to the standard-fit Tremec TR-6060 six-speed manual gearbox, it allows the 2012 Challenger SRT8 to run the quarter-mile in under 13 seconds, before going on to a top speed of 182 mph (292 km/h).



For those who don’t like changing gears themselves, a five-speed automatic transmission with steering wheel paddle-shifters is on the options list.



Sales of the Dodge Challenger SRT8 392 Yellow Jacket are due to begin in the United States during the first quarter of 2012. Pricing has yet to be confirmed.



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Charger SRT8 Super Bee

For any manufacturer wanting to shift a few extra units, a special edition is usually a good idea. Reviving a badge with plenty of history can often have the same effect.



The 2012 Dodge Charger SRT8 Super Bee ticks both of those boxes, as it resurrects a nameplate that first appeared back in the late 1960s and since then has been synonymous with high performance.

2012 Dodge Charger SRT8 Super Bee. Scroll down for more images.

Compared to the regular Charger SRT8 the differences are purely decorative. They include black, silver and yellow cloth upholstery, Pitch Black or Stinger Yellow paintwork with contrast graphics and unique five-spoke 20” aluminium wheels.



Naturally, there are plenty of Super Bee logos, which appear on the rear fenders, a dashboard plaque, the Electronic Vehicle Information Centre display and the front seats. The grille - finished in gloss black - also gets a special SRT badge incorporating a helmeted bee in its design.



Mechanically things are left unchanged, although it’s not as if the standard Charger SRT8 powertrain needed enhancing. Its 6.4 litre Hemi V8 produces 470 bhp (351 kW / 476 PS) and 637 Nm (470 lb/ft) of torque, resulting in a sub-five second 0-60 mph (96 km/h) time and a top speed of 175 mph (281 km/h).



Even with the new Hemi’s various fuel-saving technologies, estimated consumption figures are a modest 14 mpg US (16.8 mpg imperial / 16.8 l/100km) City and 23 mpg US (27.6 mpg imperial / 10.2 l/100km) Highway.



Dodge isn’t saying exactly how many examples of the limited edition Charger SRT8 Super Bee are going to be built, or what the price tag will be. But it has confirmed that deliveries are due to begin during the first quarter of 2012, and availability will be restricted to the United States.

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Mopar ’11 Charger

Dodge has announced a limited edition, high performance Mopar version of its 2011 Charger.



Appropriately named the Mopar ’11 Charger, only 1,000 examples are going to be built. 100 of those are destined for Canada, while the rest will be for the US market.

Power comes from the same 5.7 litre Hemi V8 as used in the R/T models, which means 370 bhp (275 kW / 375 PS) and 535 Nm (395 lb/ft) of torque. However, acceleration is improved thanks to a 3.91:1 final drive ratio and a recalibrated ECU. Consequently, the claimed zero to 60 mph (96 km/h) time for the Mopar edition is ‘in the low five-second range’.



The chassis set-up has also received attention, with the package featuring the Super Trac Pac which includes upgraded brakes, sports suspension and performance steering. Also fitted are thicker anti-roll bars, as well as cross-car braces that join the suspension turrets front and rear for extra rigidity.



It shouldn’t be too hard to spot a Mopar ’11 Charger. Only available in Pitch Black paintwork with a pair of Mopar Blue stripes running the length of the body, the look is completed by a rear spoiler and 20” Envy five-spoke wheels finished in gloss black.



On the inside, the seats are covered in Katzkin black leather with Mopar Blue stitching and details, and there are premium floor mats and door sill guards that both feature the Mopar logo. As a finishing touch, the dashboard gets a special plaque to commemorate the car’s limited edition status.

MSRP in the US for the Mopar '11 Charger is $39,750, including destination fee. That’s $4,580 more than the current Charger R/T Max.



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2012 Dodge Charger SRT8

When the all-new Dodge Charger was announced last October, there was one thing absent from the range: a high performance SRT version.



That omission has now been remedied with unveiling of the Charger SRT8 at the Chicago Auto Show, which opens to the public on 11 February.

As expected, power comes from a Hemi V8, although capacity has been enlarged to 6.4 litres (392 cubic inches) allowing it to now produce 465 bhp (346 kW / 471 PS). Torque has risen too, with 630 Nm (465 lb/ft) available.



Consequently, Dodge estimates that the Charger SRT8 should be good for a sub-five second 0-60 mph (96 km/h) time and a 175 mph (281 km/h) top speed.



The engine is hooked up to a W5A580 five-speed automatic gearbox which, for the first time on an SRT vehicle, comes with paddle shifters. For those not keen on such innovations, the good news is that a floor-mounted gear stick remains.

Although no fuel consumption figures have been released, Dodge is keen to emphasise the mileage-enhancing features of the Charger SRT8. The most significant is a four-cylinder running mode for the engine, which will now be able to operate over a wider rev range thanks to an active valve exhaust system.



To help deal with the increased power an adaptive damping system is fitted, but this can be manually overridden by switching between ‘Auto’ and ‘Sport’ modes. The steering has also been beefed up and recalibrated to give a more direct feel.

Styling-wise, the Charger SRT8 is said to be ‘aggressive’ - a description that few would argue with given that reworked front grille and bonnet. Other unique features include new front and rear bumper valances, a larger rear spoiler, side skirts and 20” polished aluminium alloy wheels.



On the inside, the front seats - which are both heated and ventilated - have perforated suede inserts and more substantial side bolstering to keep their occupants in place. An 8.4” touch screen dominates the dashboard and, for the SRT8, it can display ‘Performance Pages’. These bring up data items such as g-force, quarter-mile time, 0-60 mph time, braking performance and various engine parameters.



The 2012 Dodge Charger SRT8 is due to go on sale in North America during autumn 2011.



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Fiat Freemont unveiled

Following December’s announcement that the revised 2011 Dodge Journey would be rebadged as a Fiat for European markets, the first details of the new Freemont MPV have now been released.



Visually, the result is just a Journey with some Fiat badges stuck on, with no attempt at a redesign apart from revised bumper valances. There’s even what looks like the remnants of Dodge’s trademark crosshairs grille up front.

Not that that matters, of course, because the two vehicles will never be sold alongside each other. It helps that the Journey isn’t a bad looking thing to start with and, importantly for Fiat, the conversion method used is simple, quick and cheap.



The Freemont will only be offered in two trim levels, with both featuring keyless entry, triple-zone automatic climate control, tyre pressure monitoring, cruise control, trip computer, fog lights and a touch-screen radio with colour screen and steering wheel controls.



Seven seats will be standard too, although the third row can be folded down below floor level when not in use.



Customers going for the higher spec model will also get Bluetooth telephone connectivity, 17” alloy wheels, electric fold-in door mirrors, roof bars, darkened rear windows, automatic headlights, rear parking sensors and a better radio with a larger screen, SD card reader and DVD compatibility.



As expected, the engine line-up will be mainly diesel powered. When sales begin during the second half of 2011, buyers will be able to choose from either a 138 bhp (102 kW / 140 PS) or 167 bhp (125 kW / 170 PS) MultiJet turbo diesel motor. Both are 2.0 litre units which will be combined with a manual gearbox to drive the front wheels.



It’s planned that all-wheel drive versions with standard automatic transmission will become available later. These will have either the 167 bhp MultiJet engine or Chrysler’s 272 bhp (202 kW / 276 PS) 3.6 litre Pentastar petrol V6.



Unfortunately, no performance, economy or emissions figures for the Freemont have been published. Likewise, Fiat has yet to confirm prices.



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Volt is Car of the Year

The Chevrolet Volt has been declared the 2011 North American Car of the Year. 49 jurors from across the United States and Canada gave it 233 points, making it the fourth time that GM has won the title.

Images © GM Corp.

In second place was the Hyundai Sonata, which received 163 points. Third went to the electric car that took the 2011 European Car of the Year award, the Nissan Leaf. It picked up 94 points.



Meanwhile, the 2011 North American Truck of the Year is the Ford Explorer, which earned 253 points. It comfortably beat the Jeep Grand Cherokee, which scored 138 points from the jury. The Dodge Durango, with 99 points, was third.

Journey becomes a Fiat

Dodge will stop offering its Journey in Europe, choosing instead to market the vehicle as the Fiat Freemont on this side of the Atlantic.

Such a move comes as no surprise. Indeed, when Fiat Group Automobile unveiled its 2010-2014 Business Plan earlier this year, it was made clear that for Dodge ‘outside of the US, only models consistent with the strong American image of the brand, such as the Challenger, Charger and Viper, will be distributed. In addition, some products will be gradually integrated with the Fiat brand in Europe…’



The good news for potential Freemont customers is that Dodge gave the Journey an extensive overhaul for the 2011 model year. Changes included retuning the suspension for improved ride and handling, recalibrating the steering for more feel and increasing the soundproofing for more refinement.

Interior quality - arguably a factor that has prevented recent Chrysler Group products from performing better in Europe - received attention too, and Dodge is now claiming ‘world-class levels of craftsmanship and comfort’ for the Journey. If true, that should help the Freemont succeed in an extremely competitive market sector.



North American buyers can currently specify either a 173 bhp (129 kW / 175 PS) 2.4 litre I4 or 283 bhp (211 kW / 286 PS) 3.6 litre V6 Pentastar engine for their Journey, both of which are petrol-powered. It’s unclear whether these will also make it into the Freemont, but a 168 bhp (125 kW / 170 PS) 2.0 litre diesel engine from Fiat is a certainty. To help extend the Freemont’s appeal, expect all-wheel drive to be offered as an option, as it is for the Journey.



The Freemont, which will be built alongside the Dodge Journey in Toluca, Mexico, replaces the ancient and slow-selling Ulysse MPV. Originally introduced back in 2002, the Ulysse shares its underpinnings with the Lancia Phedra, Citroën C8 and Peugeot 807.



Sales of the Fiat Freemont are due to begin in June 2011, following a debut at next March’s Geneva International Motorshow.



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Challenger’s new engines

Going against the grain of downsizing, Dodge has revealed that the Challenger SRT8 will be getting a bigger Hemi V8 for 2011.



And, just so everyone knows, it’ll be known as the SRT8 392 - a reference to the engine’s capacity in cubic inches, which equates to 6.4 litres.

The new engine boasts 470 bhp (350 kW / 476 PS) and 637 Nm (470 lb/ft) of torque which, compared to the 6.1 litre Hemi that it replaces, is a useful increase of 45 bhp (33 kW / 45 PS) and 67 Nm (50 lb/ft). The newer model will be identifiable by its modified front spoiler and larger splitter, while underneath the suspension has been tweaked to cope with the extra grunt.



To celebrate the new arrival, the first 1,492 SRT8 392s off the line will be Inaugural Edition models which have 20” SRT wheels and ‘392 Hemi’ badges. Colour choice is Bright White Clear Coat with Viper Blue stripes or Deep Water Blue with Stone White stripes, both of which come with a Pearl White leather interior that features blue stitching.



The 2011 Dodge Challenger SRT8 392 is scheduled to arrive in dealers during the fourth quarter of 2010.



It’s not just the Hemi that’s been revised, though. The V6 models are set to get the new Pentastar engine that was first introduced in the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee. It’ll also be seen in the Dodge Charger, Avenger, Durango and Journey, as well as the Chrysler Town and Country, 200 and 300.



Using one engine across so many models is all about manufacturing efficiency and cost saving. Incredibly, the Pentastar will eventually replace seven legacy V6 engines, and it’s expected that it’ll be found in a third of all Chrysler Group vehicles built.



Power and torque will be tuned for specific applications, and in the 2011 Challenger it’ll break the 300 bhp barrier. 305 bhp (227 kW / 309 PS) to be exact, which is a big increase versus the 250 bhp (186 kW / 253 PS) that today’s car has. Torque is also up, from 338 Nm (250 lb/ft) to 363 Nm (268 lb/ft).

2011 Dodge Charger

Dodge has announced the arrival of an all-new 2011 Charger.

The ‘Coke bottle’ styling remains, although it’s less pronounced than before, and there are now large scallops along the body sides. Continuing the theme, the aluminium bonnet also features dual scallops which replace the single air intake of the previous version.



Like the recently revealed 2011 Durango, the Charger also gets the new-style Dodge crosshair grille. But it’s around the back that the most striking change has taken place, an array of LED tail lights which is designed to accentuate the wide stance of the car.



Interior quality was an area where the old generation Charger didn’t score too highly. Bravely, though, Dodge is saying that ‘premium’ and ‘world class’ materials have been used inside the 2011 model. Less bravely, though, it hasn’t released any interior images yet - a strange tactic that was also deployed when the updated Durango was first unveiled.



In a further effort to enhance refinement, Dodge engineers spent a lot of time improving the sound quality within the Charger’s cabin. This was achieved by isolating wind, engine and road noise, together with other measures that included injecting the body cavities with silencing foam and fitting dual-pane acoustic glass to the windscreen and front doors. As a result, the bold claim is that the Charger will now stand comparison against the best in its class.



In SE and Rallye spec the 2011 Charger is powered by a new 3.6 litre Pentastar engine, while the R/T gets the familiar 5.7 litre Hemi V8. All-wheel drive is also available for the R/T, and the system features front axle disconnect. That basically means the car remains rear-wheel drive until extra traction is needed, at which point the AWD system kicks in automatically.



There is a faint glimmer of hope that the Charger could make it across to Europe, as Fiat’s 2010-2014 business plan said of Dodge that ‘Outside of the US, only models consistent with the strong American image of the brand, such as the Challenger, Charger and Viper, will be distributed.’



If the car is as good as Dodge says it is, it would be a shame if it wasn’t exported. Ominously though, the launch of the 2011 Charger coincides with the company ceasing to offer cars in the UK. The Journey, which was the only model still being sold here, has just been withdrawn.



In North America, the 2011 Dodge Charger will go on sale during the fourth quarter of 2010. Pricing has yet to be confirmed.

2010 Dodge Challenger models

For 2010 models, the vehicle will cost $515 to $1,010 higher than 2009 cars.
The color, HEMI Orange, has been dropped for the 2010 model year. Two new color schemes will be available for November 2009 for the 2010 model year including the Plum Crazy and Detonator Yellow. A third new color, Furious Fuschia was announced in February 2010. But unlike previous special editions, the Furious Fuschia version will have significant changes to the interior with white leather instead of the usual black seats.


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