Few stories rival the resurgence of Chrysler Corporation in the early 1980s. On the precipice of bankruptcy, the indomitable Lee Iacocca, Chrysler’s visionary CEO, saved the company. His persuasive prowess secured government loans that breathed life back into the ailing automaker.
The pivotal moment came with a shift in focus from producing large, rear-wheel drive behemoths to a fleet of nimble, front-wheel drive vehicles. Among them were the Plymouth Reliant and Dodge Aries, now revered for their ingenious 6-passenger dual-bench setup and beloved column shifter. Though they didn’t make an immediate impact, these compacts evolved into the backbone of Chrysler’s revival.
Fast forward to the present day, digital designers are having fun recreating vehicles from the past with modern touches, creating “what ifs.” One of them, Jim Lord (@jlord8) has an idea to recreate the iconic Dodge Aries using design elements of the new Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Banshee Concept.
Yes, gas prices are at record highs, and none of the Detroit Big-3 make affordable compact cars anymore. So it would make sense for such a vehicle to return. Where Jim’s idea caught our eye, is that it isn’t a sedan, no its an Aries Wagon. Just like the original K-car, this design can be had in a wagon. With the new full-size Charger Daytona becoming a hatchback, why the hell not bring a smaller wagon to market to utilize room. And before you say about how wagons don’t sell, aren’t SUVs and crossovers are nothing more than glorified wagons?
So instead of a fuel efficient 2.2-liter inline-four-cylinder, why not make it a compact Dodge electric car or make it available with the 270 horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four-cylinder engine from the Stellantis Global Medium Engine (GME) family.
Nevertheless, we like the idea. Are you listening Dodge?
1 reply
Loading new replies...
Join the full discussion at the Mopar Insiders Forum →