2005 Dodge Caliber Concept

Dodge Goes Global

North Americans have long benefited from European auto imports, bringing the most advanced engine, safety and chassis technologies available to a market that has, up until recently, not been able to build domestic models to directly compete on its home turf, let alone even consider exporting its vehicles across the Atlantic to take on the Europeans. But this is in flux.

Now, car companies we associate with here at home are planning an assault overseas. In 2005, Chevrolet will be officially re-introduced into Europe as the purveyor of GMDAT (Daewoo-engineered) vehicles, and Cadillac will continue building its premium image with its Euro-intensive CTS and STS sedans. Likewise, Chrysler has received a boost to its European lineups, now bolstered with the overtly American 300-series luxury sedan and Crossfire sports car.

But unlike the previous examples, where reasonably established brands are being brought back to life in Europe, DaimlerChrysler wants to market the Dodge nameplate in Europe, totally new ground for the brand.

To many, the first thing that comes to mind when the name Dodge is spoken is either legendary muscle cars from the 60s and 70s, or tough pickups driven by tough people. With its current lukewarm lineup of rehashed Chrysler cars, Magnum and upcoming Charger excluded, its likely that Dodge would succeed if dropped into Europe today.

According to Dodge marketing boss, George Murphy, the brand is aiming to attract young, capable, bold and assertive people, looking for a bargain. Considering Dodges current lineup, the compact Neon would certainly fit the bill as a bargain, but its neither capable nor assertive.

Time for a change. At the 75th Geneva International Motor Show, Dodge will display an all-new C-Segment (Golf-sized) concept car, the vehicle which is set to launch the brand name in unfriendly European territory.

The Caliber project was specifically designed for Europe, and is the most recent addition in a string of concepts which focus on smaller, sportier passenger cars, sport utility vehicles and sports cars. The Caliber is said to be the spiritual successor of the part-SUV, part-hatchback Avenger concept of 2003. This evolution has seen a focus towards simplifying the vehicle for production, and as a result, it has lost most of its over-the-top styling.

Dodge has applied many of the same styling techniques to the Caliber that it learned from the Magnum wagon, the most noticeable being the large metal-to-glass ratio for the doors. This optical illusion gives the vehicle a sportier, swept-back look without actually resorting to reducing its overall height. The roofline of the Caliber is also similar to the Magnum, with an arched, flowing shape.

Like Dodges Durango, Dakota, Magnum and of course, the larger-than-life Ram pickup, the Caliber follows suit with the brands aggressive family face. Though not as large as on its trucks, the Caliber retains Dodges signature crosshair grille, while its chunky, offset headlamps are slightly smaller and more aerodynamically styled. Pumped-up wheel arches and a matte-black roof appliqué carry the imposing look to the tails blocky, jeweled lamps and spoiler-capped hatchback.

For such an unlikely vehicle, the Caliber certainly speaks the Dodge styling language. Whats more, the Caliber isnt to be confused with Chryslers PT Cruiser. The two have nothing in common. Where the Chryslers roots are looking to the past, the Dodge is sporty, chiseled and directed at the future.

According to Dodge head of design Dave McKinnon, every Dodge vehicle to prowl the streets should carry the same kind of in-your-face attitude as the Caliber.

McKinnon says, "Think of a Chrysler as a hand-built acoustic guitar; think of a Dodge as a bright red Stratocaster," a day-and-night difference between the sophistication and luxury that Chrysler is trying to evoke, and the rock n roll attitude of Dodge. That said, according to insiders, when the car arrives on European roads in 2006, most of what is displayed at Geneva will be put into production.

While weve yet to obtain any photos of the Calibers interior, the layout will take influence from the European SUV/crossover scene with tumble-fold rear seats and plenty of creative storage cubbies. Headroom, despite the low appearance of the roof, is claimed to be class-leading. DC knows that Europeans are particularly picky when it comes to build quality and material choice. Expect it to be head-and-shoulders above current offerings, with soft-touch plastics and top-quality fabrics.

Unlike most Dodge vehicles, the Caliber shares its DNA not with an existing Chrysler group vehicle, but with a Mitsubishi. The car will ride on the same GS architecture that the next-generation Lancer will use, which claims increased rigidity, balance and improved crash protection. The Mitsubishi link goes beyond the chassis; Dodge is collaborating with Hyundai on gasoline powerplants, and with Volkswagen for their TDI turbodiesel motors, both deals consummated by Mitsubishi.

Though Dodge will face an uphill battle against the typical American stereotypes when entering Europe in mid-2006, DaimlerChrysler isnt fazed. According to its accountants, the group wants to sell 100,000 to 200,000 vehicles in Europe by 2007, with Dodge accounting for half the sales. Its a rather lofty goal, but one that could be completely attainable, providing that the Caliber is on target with the quality, dynamics and specifications of its major competition.

When Chrysler pulls the plug on the Neon in Europe (marketed as a Chrysler there), predicted to be sometime in the next year, the only American representation in the C-Segment will be from the Dodge Caliber. Its prospective market is the largest segment in Europe, and as the first vehicle to wear the Dodge horns, it will single-handedly form the reputation of the brand for future vehicles and generations. Talk about pressure!

But first appearances, at least, make it look up to the task. The Caliber concept is a representation of what a car manufacturer can do when in sync with a target marketplace. The adaptation of practicality, an advanced turbodiesel engine and a European-flavoured chassis make it perfect for its surroundings, but as a result, its not necessarily in tune with what Americans are looking for, and thus its sale here is unlikely. The fact that the compact Dodge hatch will be built alongside European Chrysler 300s and Jeep

Grand Cherokees, in Graz, Austria, makes this point quite clear.

While an American company building a car for exclusive European sale seems a foreign concept, its not the first time that this has happened. Chrysler currently builds the 300 Touring, a European-only station wagon variant of the 300, while Cadillac is set to launch a 3-Series-sized sedan for European sale.

Instead of bringing the Caliber across the Atlantic, Dodge intends to use the same GS platform to build the next-generation Neon, which will resemble the Caliber in spirit, if not in the flesh. Look for it, and a compact SUV spinoff, to appear sometime in 2007.