Chrysler hopes to hit target with new Dart

Reuters ^ | 9 January 2012 | Deepa Seetharaman

[Army Air Corps]

When Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne introduces the Dodge Dart compact car this week, he will be showing off the first example of what a merger between Chrysler group LLC and Italy's Fiat SpA can create.

The 2013 Dart -- to be unveiled at the Detroit auto show -- is based on a Fiat-engineered platform that also will serve as the basis for the next generation of Jeep SUVs.

With the Dart, Chrysler aims to take market share from Toyota Motor Corp's Corolla and Honda Motor Co's Civic in an area the U.S. automaker has traditionally fallen short.

[Army Air Corps]

Now, THAT was funny.

[Noumenon]

My first car was a 1960 Dodge Dart. Push button transmission as I recall. Built like a tank, drove like one, got about the same mileage and had fins that gave it the name “Bat Mobile”.

[RightGeek]

[Army Air Corps]

I see an ad campaign...

“The new 2012 Dart; the Spaghetti Western of cars!”

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Looks like just another generic, bubble-like, low drag coefficient, Euro style, 4 cylinder toilet. Change the Logo and it could be a Hyundai or a Kia or a...fill in the blank.

[lgjhn23]

"...What next, a the new 2012 Plymouth Duster?..." Dunno about all that, but I'll be keeping my old blue '72 440-powered Dart Swinger for Saturday nite cruises just the same. Of course, it costs about $5 in fuel just to crank the ugly thing...lol. I do like the 470HP SRT-8 392 Challenger even better though, especially in red.

[Noumenon]

I remember those commercials with Ricardo Montalban. So easy to parody:

“I love to drink in the lush, wine-filled interior...”

[WayneS]

...will also serve as platform for the next generation Jeep SUVs

That's a pretty revolting thought, but in all honesty, as long as they don't screw with the Wrangler line, they can do whatever they want with their "SUV"s. As far as I am concerned, those "SUV"s are not real Jeeps, anyway.

In fact, I was in the "CJ7 was the last REAL Jeep" school of thought, until I test drove, and then purchased, a 2010 Wrangler Rubicon. It is, quite simply, the best Jeep I have ever owned. Over the years I have had a 1951 M38, a '52 CJ3-A, '57 CJ5 and a '71 Commando, among others (a total of seven).

The old military Jeeps, and the Willys, Kaiser-Fraser & early AMC CJs are very cool, and a lot of fun to own, drive and look at. However, with that said, my Rubicon can, just about literally, run circles around them on any off-road terrain I can think of. Also, where comfort, reliability and on-road manners/handling are concerned there is absolutely no comparison.

[WayneS]

I think you might mean “Superbird”.

I’m pretty sure the Sunbird was a small Pontiac from the ‘80s-’90s.

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

I seem to recall that my first van, a Dodge, had a slant six. Good mill! That van was surprisingly quick!

[Army Air Corps]

The original Advert for the Cordoba.

[WayneS]

I always liked the SNL car advert parody in which they demonstrated the incredibly smoooooooth ride of some big car by having a Rabbi perform a circumcision in the back seat while the car was being driven around the city.

[Army Air Corps]

Duh! Yep, I meant Superbird. My bad.

[Charles Martel]

Looks like just another generic, bubble-like, low drag coefficient, Euro style, 4 cylinder toilet. Change the Logo and it could be a Hyundai or a Kia or a...fill in the blank.

True, but it's still an improvement over the PT Cruiser and the Caliber.

[Army Air Corps]

That was the "1978 Royal Deluxe II." Here is the advert.

[sportutegrl]

I see they used the Edsel designers.

[Gaffer]

Yes....a Communist Red Decor with an IRON CROSS grill front, topped off with a Wiccan Pentagram of wheel struts.

Entirely appropos for an Obama Government Vehicle debut.

Choke on it Chrysler.

[Peter from Rutland]

Exactly. Awesome cars. These people clearly have their heads up their butts.

[blueunicorn6]

“It’s good! It’s bad! It’s ugly! Come in and test drive one today and we’ll give you an autographed picture of Clint Eastwood’s mechanic!”

[Army Air Corps]

Still, it is better than a Zaz or a Lada Riva....