Dodge Dart Returning - Fiat Based

unit731 · December 7, 2011

By Jerry Hirsch, Los Angeles Times

December 6, 2011, 5:52 p.m.

Chrysler is bringing back the Dodge Dart — Italian style.

The automaker's Dodge division last offered a Dart in 1976, when bell-bottom pants were popular and the angular Dart models had names like Swinger and Hang 10. This time, Chrysler says the Dart will be more curvy and stylish.

The new Dart, a 2013 model, will be the first Chrysler vehicle based on a Fiat architecture, in this case the Alfa Romeo Giulietta. Italian automaker Fiat owns Alfa Romeo and holds a controlling interest in Chrysler. All three companies are starting to share auto development and design.

The redesigned Dart joins a growing number of once defunct nameplates that are making a comeback.

Last year, Ford Motor Co. brought the Ford Fiesta compact car to the U.S. market after a 30-year absence. Chevrolet also reintroduced its sporty Camaro in the 2010 model year after last selling a version in 2002.

Automakers are playing off these older names on the belief that they still resonate with consumers or have good buzz overseas, said Brandy Schaffels, senior editor at auto information company TrueCar.com.

"Fiesta was not a popular car in the United States the first time it was sold here, but it has had a very good following in Europe," Schaffels said.

Chrysler introduced the Dart in 1960, and by 1963 it was part of a triumvirate of popular U.S.-built small cars — they would seem large by today's standards — that included the Chevrolet Corvair and the Ford Falcon.

Although the Dart was known as a smaller family vehicle, it also came in several muscle car trims that compared well to the other muscle cars of the early 1970s, giving it a vibe that might attract the youthful buyers Chrysler hopes will purchase the vehicle.

"They put some pretty big engines in them and made them pretty competent street machines," said Leslie Kendall, curator of the Petersen Automotive Museum.

The 1963 the Dart sold for $2,041, $1 more than the Corvair but $6 less than the Falcon, Kendall said. (Chrysler may announce pricing and availability of the 2013 Dart model at the Detroit auto show next month.)

"The Dart did pretty well. At the time, Chrysler was known for its engineering and they had one of the better engines of the day, the 'slant six,'" Kendall said.

Dart production peaked in 1974, when Chrysler built about 340,000 Darts, but the company quickly phased out the vehicle when import brands began to make inroads into the small-car segment of the U.S. auto market.

The Dart will be Dodge's reentry into the compact-sedan segment and will be an important vehicle for Chrysler as it works to improve the efficiency of its vehicle line to meet more stringent federal fuel economy rules.

This latest version of the Dart will offer buyers a choice of four engines, all four cylinders and ranging from 1.4 to 2.4 liters.

It will be produced at Chrysler's Belvidere Assembly Plant in Belvidere, Ill. The company is pouring $600 million into the site to reconfigure the factory to produce a range of autos. Chrysler said it is building a 638,000-square-foot body shop at the factory and installing new machinery, tooling and material handling equipment.

waumo1 · December 10, 2011

It doesn't interest me but I hope they sell a bunch of them so they can continue to make vehicles that do interest me. GM doesn't have any cars that interest me at all at this point. I could live with a CTS-V as long as I didn't look at it.

truckofwinandawesome · December 11, 2011

and then there was much rejoicing in Car Talk Plaza!

MikeNH · December 11, 2011

I wish they (not just Chrysler, automakers in general) would stop bastardizing classic nameplates with new models that don't "fit" the name. At least Malibu/Impala are still midsize/fullsize sedans.

Chrysler needs to focus on the small car market if they want to survive and I hope this works for them. I'm not overly impressed with the Fiat 500, nor is the buying public it seems. It also just got a crappy crash test rating which will doom the car's sales I bet.

Daryl LBZ · December 11, 2011

I wonder why the 500 sells so good overseas?

truckofwinandawesome · December 12, 2011

I wish they (not just Chrysler, automakers in general) would stop bastardizing classic nameplates with new models that don't "fit" the name. At least Malibu/Impala are still midsize/fullsize sedans.

Chrysler needs to focus on the small car market if they want to survive and I hope this works for them. I'm not overly impressed with the Fiat 500, nor is the buying public it seems. It also just got a crappy crash test rating which will doom the car's sales I bet.

I checked the specs on the 70s Challenger and the Current Challenger, and the Current one's Wheel Base is only 6 inches bigger, its 4 inches longer, Its actually an inch NARROWER than the original, and its 6 inches taller.

MikeNH · December 12, 2011

You missed my point entirely. I don't mean fit in a physical sense, I mean it in theme. The Challenger regardless of dimension is a V8 RWD muscle car, just like the old one. The name fits. I don't feel the same about attaching the Dart name to a model from Alfa.

W/T_Deluxe · February 3, 2012

well honestly I dont think usuing the the Dart nameplate for a small economy type car is really bastardizing the name plate. I mean back in the day thats what the dart was, yeah they were available with hot 340's and even 440s and HEMI's(nhra only) but for the most part if you bought a Dart it was just a slant six or 318. I think the new dart fits this bill well, I'm sure they will off some type of SRT package for it so even though its only a 4 banger it could still be peppy. Also its not all alfa, its very loosely based on the alfa with almost all new sheetmetal, a longer wheelbase, fiat based engines built in the states, and i've heard the car itself will be built here. Not too shabby if you ask me...