"Dodge sets sights on new Caliber"

Dodge sets sights on new Caliber
Dodge's introduction of the Caliber, the Neon's successor and
replacement, indicates that in the context of SUV versatility,
customers now demand their entry-level vehicles not only to be
affordable, but also capable of transporting excess cargo and
passengers.
at http://www.washtimes.com/autoweekend/20060406-083648-1347r.htm

 

I think it's a great attempt for Dodge.

I haven't tried it yet, but overall, I really like the look/feel of the car,
especially considering the price.

I hope to see a day where American cars are once again the "benchmark".. I
haven't owned a US made car for quite a while; I'd probably buy this one
..

 

Saw my first one at a dealership this week. Very impressive. Different
enough to be interesting, but the differences look right. I can see why some
industry analysts are saying that this will kill the PT, because it fills
its role and has wider appeal as well.

 

This would be a good time for Chrysler to look at a replacement for the PT;
it's been around for 7 full years with no substantive design change. How
long can demand stay up for that design and, unless they are considering a
pickup version, there aren't any new variations on the current car that
might grow sales. Selling a new PT, other than (maybe) the convertible, has
got to be getting more difficult because all over town nearly identical used
cars are selling for much less.

I have a 2001 PT that I ordered in April 2000 and took delivery of in June
2000; there is no sense paying $10k with trade for another PT that looks
just like what I have (except the body colored bumpers are more to my
taste). I've had my fill of convertibles in the past 20 years and think
the PT variant is butt-ugly; besides, it eliminates the great flexibility of
the PT interior.

Though I haven't bought anything but Chrysler products since 1966 (it was a
lovely '37 Ford sedan, that looked a lot like a giant version of my current
PT), I've thought about stopping by the Chevy dealer to see if the HHR is as
flexible as the PT. The Caliber gives me something else to look at before
leaving the Chrysler stable.

 

I would give anything to have another Rampage-like pick up.
Just big enough to haul what I wanted to haul (plywood, washer/dryer,
camping stuff, etc), front wheel drive, economy, but not a gas guzzling full
size truck. I've been looking for another one (Rampage) for several years,
but they are hard to find. And the Dakotas are just to big, and not fuel
efficient enough.
D

 

That's not a bad idea. I never knew anybody that had one, but my Dad was
telling me the other day that some of his coworkers got 40 mpg in those
rampages back in the olden days. That's hard for me to believe.

There were some sidebars in Autoweek about this last week - it might be a
good time to bring something like that back. Now that all the small trucks
have moved up, the Ranger is the only "small" truck left in the US, and it's
not all that small. There's room under them all for a really small truck
that will carry half a ton and get 30 mpg. If Datsuns could do that with
1960's technology, then it ought to be possible now.

Footnote: The 1300cc Datsuns were actually rated to carry a *metric ton*.
Thought it was a typo at first, but it's not.

 

I know lotsa folks that would love to have a small truck, me included.
Everyone seems to be looking for those 1980's Toyota 4x4s w/ the 4-cyl.,
5-spd. setup - got decent mileage, you could beat the hell out of 'em, and
they got you where you needed to go.

Today's 'small truck' is way too big... might as well just get a full-size
truck. Hey automakers... bring back the 3400-lb 4x4 pickup truck that gets
30+mpg!

 

snip

There already IS a replacement for the PT. It will be built on the
same platform as the Caliber. I think I read that the new platform,
PM, will include replacements for PL (Neon), PT (Cruiser) and JS
(Sebring).

 

I would give anything to have another Rampage-like pick up.

isn't that the Subaru Baja?

 

I was just reading a car mag long-term test "update" on their Nissan
Frontier truck. That stupid thing got 14 mpg. No joke. That's real world,
their actual mileage.

 

Yes, but there's not much truck space there. The Baja is very close, though.
You're absolutely right. It needs a 2-door version that'll haul a sheet of
plywood somehow, or maybe a washing machine would be the right design idiom,
as suggested earlier in the thread.

 

It's kinda funny.

The oldest car in my fleet, a 1988 New Yorker powered by a v6 3.0 mitsubishi
engine , gets up to 34 mpg on the highway
I've gotten as good as 28 mpg with the 3.5 2000 3ooM
The PT Cruiser is getting 23 mpg highway with the 2.4 4 banger

People claim it is mostly due to weight differences.

I think there has been a trade off in the auto market over the last 10 - 15
years.
Until gas prices started to climb most people wanted faster, more powerful
vehicles with a powerful looking "presence" (like the SUV).
Mainstream cars designed in the early to mid 80's were still tweaked for
better mpg compared to brute force.

My sister in law recently purchased a hybrid minivan. She gets 28 mpg. No
better than my 3ooM or my 1995 4.6 v8 T-Bird.
Luckily for her she doesn't hang onto cars much longer than 3 or 4 years so
she should not get bit by the expense of battery change out.

I suspect it will be awhile before autos are re tuned for MPG rather than
torque and hp.
Then again I always thought that efficient engines equated to better overall
performance.

 

I'd be surprised at this, the Sebring is much larger than the others,
unless it is to become much smaller.

What I've heard is a RWD Sebring. UGH!
If so my wife says she'll keep her Sebring forever.

 

You didn't say what hybrid vehicle it is, but it must have a large
engine.
A number of hybrids out there are mainly for more acceleration, such as
the Honda V6 Accord hybrid. Manufacturers are taking advantage of the
hybrid appeal to sell anything.
A high mileage hybrid will need the electric assist for reasonable
acceleration and hill climbing from it's small engine.

It's mainly in urban stop and go driving where the hybrid gains fuel
mileage. Driving at a steady speed on relatively level roads there is
little or no gain from a hybrid.

 

The Sebring would've been fabulous had it been RWD with a nice V8,
especially the convertible. So maybe we'll see one yet...

 

There already is such a car, only it's called a Charger. Let's not confuse
the market segments.

 

The Sebring was never marketed with hi-po in mind, although it
could've/should've been as a RWD V8.

So tell me - where can I buy that Charger convertible?

 

Wrong car; see the 300, not Sebring. <

Fortunately Chrysler made the Sebring for those who want a reasonable
sized 4 dr with reasonable engine power.

 

There was a 300 convertible with a V8 and RWD.

It was the 300N concept shown at the 2000 Detroit Auto Show (and never
seen again).

The LH platform was designed for conversion to RWD, and this was one
very fine example.

People drooled over the car. It would have been ready for production
in 2002 or 2003 - at a time when Chrysler desperately needed better
sales.

But the German owners of Chrysler did not want to see Chrysler build
such a respectible, classy looking luxury-sports sedan as an evolution
from the 300M - in their twisted business sense it would compete with
their Merc cars. So they swept the concept under the rug and told
Chrysler to get Fisher Price or Tonka to help them design a
replacement for the LH platform. Oh, and yea - make sure it includes
lots of Mercedes parts. So the Tonka-toy-looking LX line was the
result.

Daimler executives breathed a sigh of relief - no way would the
rolling abortion that is the 300C compete (style-wise) with the Merc
line. The Chrysler Imperial has amplified this mentality. The glass
ceiling that separates Mercedes and Chrysler remains solidly in
place. Never again will Chrysler even come close to putting out a
high-style, classy, NORMAL looking sedan. Only the in-your-face
garrish, Fisher-Price-gansta-looking shit.

 

The new Sebring will be FWD.