"Dodge has high hopes for Caliber"

Dodge has high hopes for Caliber
When the first-generation Dodge Neon appeared as an early 1995 model,
the "entry level" was still characterized primarily by small compact
coupes and sedans.
at http://www.washtimes.com/autoweekend/20060216-010813-3592r.htm

 

....and low estimation of North American customers, who get a seriously
decontented, de-specced, de-tuned version of the car compared to the
Europe/rest-of-world version.

 

This to be one of the ugliest vehicles yet from Chrysler and one of the
ugliest small cars this side of the Aztek.


Matt

 

Is it just me or does it look like a Chevy HHR ?

 

Bad enuf that they sacrificed a ton of cargo room in the Magnum with its
roofline but to do the same in such a small car is nonsense.

 

Have you seen one in person? If not you owe it to yourself to do so. It IS
one very sharp vehicle IMO. And I'll bet if it had a Toyota or Honda badge
on it people would break their necks to get it.
Larry

 

It looks like an HHR hit with an ugly stick.

Matt

 

Not yet. I doubt it. Last I knew, the Toyota Matrix wasn't selling
well at all compared to the standard Toyota. I suspect that the sales
of the Caliber will make the sales of the Neon look good. Sure, there
will be an initial sales bubble being a new vehicle, but check back in
a year and I'll bet it rivals the Aztek as a flop.


Matt

 

From the rear it's a Mazda. It's even got that roof spoiler.

 

I don't think it looks bad except for wasting rear cargo room with the
roofline. Also, the AT shifter on the dash can be real convenient and a
space saver but not the way they did it here. I have it on the Honda
Odyssey and it is well positioned.

 

Funny, i kinda think and HHR looks like a PT Cruiser, and the Caliber looks
nothing like a PT. Saw the Caliber at the Chicago Auto show, I want one....

 

I find that interesting too. The idea of an entry level car is not useful to
Dodge now. The reason is, I think, that little cars don't command enough
money in the marketplace to make them profitable. At NAIAS, the caliber
looked great for what it costs. I think you could say the same thing about
the PT cruiser and the HHR. These SUV versions don't cost more to build, but
they can sell them for more. They're still cheap, though.

 

Honda and Toyota seem to sell small cars at pretty high prices and make
money on them. Certainly crappy small cars don't command a high price,
but Corolla's seem to do pretty well.


Matt

 

It's generally accepted that car lines need an entry-level car to try to get
young buyers to establish brand loyalty as they move up the price scale. Of
course, if your entry-level car isn't very good, it doesn't work very well.
That may have something to do with the market now. Remember the Chevette?

Although I'm happy with my Focus (and plan to buy another when my present
one starts getting creaky) I plan to check out the Caliber too.

 

I recently drove a friend's Focus. He was raving about it. He bought it
used, several years old. One drive and I could understand why he raved
about it. Hard to believe it was a Ford.

 

Right - Dodge cannot do what Honda and Toyota do. Ford and GM have the same
problem. They can sell cars, they just can't sell them at a profit. Whether
they're crappy or not, the important thing is the perceived value.
Entry-level American cars aren't status symbols for anybody.

Good article in Time dated January 30th, I think, that said Ford overall is
losing money on cars.

 

That's why I thought it was so interesting that they phased them out. It has
kind of a death-spirally look to it, doesn't it?

 

huh? srt-4version is 300hp, and the r/t can be had with AWD...

 

Speaking of health care costs, I never hear just how it works in
Japan. Do they have private, or public health care?

(and I think that more cars are made now in Ontario vs Michigan...)

 

Perceived value tends to come from real value. The Japanese small cars
are simply better than most American small cars and have been for some
time. I disagree that Dodge can't do what Honda and Toyota do. They
could if they really wanted to.

Entry-level cars aren't status symbols for anybody. I don't know of
anybody who buys a Civic or Corolla for status, they buy them because
they want solid, dependable and economical transportation.

Why is that a good article?

Matt