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Brett_Murphy
Brett_Murphy GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
12/6/11 10:37 a.m.

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2011/12/cometh-the-hour-cometh-the-dart-dodge-reveals-its-new-small-car/#more-421541

Finding an Alfa in the states to cement your gearhead status can be difficult, especially if you know what pits of soul crushing despair they can be.

The new Dodge Dart wants to solve that problem for you!

No matter what happens, it'll be better than the Caliber.

Edit: Spelled "Alfa" right.

SyntheticBlinkerFluid
SyntheticBlinkerFluid Dork
12/6/11 10:41 a.m.

Just so you know, it's Alfa.

SyntheticBlinkerFluid
SyntheticBlinkerFluid Dork
12/6/11 10:45 a.m.

It looks kinda cool. Good to know it will be built in the Belvidere, IL assembly plant.

93EXCivic
93EXCivic SuperDork
12/6/11 10:47 a.m.

I would prefer just the straight Alfa but that isn't bad looking.

MadScientistMatt
MadScientistMatt SuperDork
12/6/11 10:49 a.m.

Needs moar slant six.

Seriously, while it's not nearly as awesome as if they'd created a modern DOHC slant six and stuffed it into a RWD compact, it's pretty good looking and ought to fit the same low priced, somewhat sporty niche the original Dart fit. And I can't blame them for reviving the name.

neon4891
neon4891 SuperDork
12/6/11 10:49 a.m.

So much potential.

DoctorBlade
DoctorBlade Dork
12/6/11 10:51 a.m.

Neat looking. Is this a Four door or two? The Alfa picture is a two, but the two above hint at four door. Which would be swell.

jstein77
jstein77 Dork
12/6/11 11:00 a.m.

Looks like a 4 door with the rear handles hidden ala Veloster. I think it looks very cool - good to see Chrysler putting some Italian-based product on the road.

failboat
failboat HalfDork
12/6/11 11:13 a.m.

I want to see moar pics. but what little I can see here, I like.

SyntheticBlinkerFluid
SyntheticBlinkerFluid Dork
12/6/11 11:15 a.m.

I like that they brought back the Dart nameplate. Seems appropriate for a compact car.

Donebrokeit
Donebrokeit Reader
12/6/11 11:41 a.m.

Check this site out some spy shots.

http://www.dart-mouth.com/

Paul B

mad_machine
mad_machine GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
12/6/11 11:58 a.m.

they really need to ditch that company grill....

RossD
RossD SuperDork
12/6/11 12:08 p.m.

they really need to ditch front wheel drive....

slantvaliant
slantvaliant Dork
12/6/11 12:13 p.m.

I have high hopes and low expectations.

slantvaliant
slantvaliant Dork
12/6/11 12:17 p.m.
SyntheticBlinkerFluid wrote: I like that they brought back the Dart nameplate. Seems appropriate for a compact car.

The '63 and up A-body Darts were considered compacts, but the early Darts were huge, finned, and not so pretty. Basically B-body Mopars.

SyntheticBlinkerFluid
SyntheticBlinkerFluid Dork
12/6/11 12:20 p.m.
slantvaliant wrote:
SyntheticBlinkerFluid wrote: I like that they brought back the Dart nameplate. Seems appropriate for a compact car.
The '63 and up A-body Darts were considered compacts

I know, that's why I said it!

integraguy
integraguy SuperDork
12/6/11 12:43 p.m.

The Dart will NOT be a "re-badged" Alfa (guess I'm not the only one here who can't spell that name?), but will instead use a few of the engines and transmissions that the Alfa Giulietta uses, along with a Chrysler sourced engine (the same 2 liter engine used in the Caliber and Compass/Patriot).

To say that the Dart is a "re-badged" Giulietta is to call the Ford Fusion a "re-badged" Mazda6. In Ford's case, they took the Mazda6 platform and stretched it a bit in length and width (which Chrysler will do to the Alfa platform) and used some of the same engines and transmissions. (Is Ford's 3 liter V6 the same engine as used by Mazda?)

Strizzo
Strizzo SuperDork
12/6/11 1:04 p.m.
integraguy wrote: The Dart will NOT be a "re-badged" Alfa (guess I'm not the only one here who can't spell that name?), but will instead use a few of the engines and transmissions that the Alfa Giulietta uses, along with a Chrysler sourced engine (the same 2 liter engine used in the Caliber and Compass/Patriot). To say that the Dart is a "re-badged" Giulietta is to call the Ford Fusion a "re-badged" Mazda6. In Ford's case, they took the Mazda6 platform and stretched it a bit in length and width (which Chrysler will do to the Alfa platform) and used some of the same engines and transmissions. (Is Ford's 3 liter V6 the same engine as used by Mazda?)

when unfortunately, they should have just rebadged the alfa. dodge is going to take all of the italian design out of the car and turn it into something that looks like a smaller sebring. they're trying to hide its actual hideous shape with the angles and cropping in those photos.

edit: the ford and mazda 3 liter were the same, but you couldn't get the manual trans in the v6 fusion, only the 2.3l four. not sure if they are still sharing engines or not, its been a while since i looked.

DrBoost
DrBoost SuperDork
12/6/11 2:00 p.m.

Dodge made it bigger because small cars don't sell in the volums they need it to sell at here in the U.S. Also, there was quite a bit of re-engineering because the Alpfhfa stuff didn't pass Chrysler's reliabitlity and durability testing. That's scary!

integraguy
integraguy SuperDork
12/6/11 2:04 p.m.

Wow, a Dodge that's supposedly MORE reliable than an Alfa...makes you wonder how low the "bar" was for Fiat, and it also makes you wonder just how much higher that bar went when it was Dodge setting the standards?

93EXCivic
93EXCivic SuperDork
12/6/11 2:10 p.m.

Why do people get so hung up on reliability?

integraguy
integraguy SuperDork
12/6/11 2:14 p.m.

BTW, the British mag CAR is currently running a Giulietta in it's long term fleet. So far, the biggest disappointment has been the fuel mileage they have gotten versus the government fuel standards. The "official" number in Britain is 37.2 MPG, while CAR's driver has only gotten 28.7 MPG. The current driver using the Alfa in CAR's fleet confesses it isn't quite the match of a Golf GTi, though there are several different GTis in the U.K. (including a diesel) so it's hard to say which one isn't as good as the VW. The model in question is the Giulietta Quadrifoglio...it's rated at 232 horsepower. The MultiAir engines that the Dart will use are rated at 44 MPG and 48 MPG, so if they are "only" as frugal as the top line model...expect mileage in the mid to upper 30s on the interstate.

amg_rx7
amg_rx7 HalfDork
12/6/11 2:31 p.m.

So they are going to take a nice looking Alfa. Remove the nice looking front and rear and Uglify it in Dodge/Chrysler style and expect it to sell?

Hmmm....

Why not just bring the damn Alfa over and let us buy a nice looking car w/o adding the Chrysler stink to it?

93EXCivic
93EXCivic SuperDork
12/6/11 2:48 p.m.
amg_rx7 wrote: So they are going to take a nice looking Alfa. Remove the nice looking front and rear and Uglify it in Dodge/Chrysler style and expect it to sell? Hmmm.... Why not just bring the damn Alfa over and let us buy a nice looking car w/o adding the Chrysler stink to it?

I keep saying that.

integraguy
integraguy SuperDork
12/6/11 3:27 p.m.

It's expected that the next gen. Alfa Giulietta (assuming Fiat/Alfa gets it act together) will come here. Another reason why Dodge is NOT just "re-badging" the Alfa.

The pictures don't show it, but I'm wondering if the Dart will be a sedan or hatchback?

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