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Dodge Desperately Needs a New FWD Passenger Car

Dodge Desperately Needs a New FWD Passenger Car​

A Turbocharged Comeback Under $35K Could Win Back Young Buyers​


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Dodge has muscle cars, SUVs, and electric performance, but what it doesn’t have is a true entry-level car that speaks to younger drivers or people who just want something fast, fun, and affordable. It’s time for Dodge to build a new front-wheel-drive (FWD) car that revives the spirit of the old Avenger and Stratus, but with modern power and attitude.

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Dodge Desperately Needs a New FWD Passenger Car

Discover why Dodge desperately needs a new FWD passenger car to attract younger drivers seeking fun and affordable options.
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AlexB said:
Jeep is the main brand in North America.
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Yeah, that seems to be their goal at this point, doesn't it?

Jeep isn't the main brand. It's just the one with the most global footprint, hence it gets all the new models instead of Chrysler & Dodge.

While FCA was around,there were vehicles to sell.
- Dart, 200 --- cut instead of fixed
- Journey --- cut instead of replaced/fixed
- Caravan, T&C --- both replaced by Pacifica, moved to Chrysler and now pretends to be 3 models.
- Durango --- probably on the chopping block next without investment - and [pikachu-shock meme] losing sales
- Charger, Challenger, 300. -- last ones left, all got replaced by the EV Charger.

Like -- Jeep is not the main brand. It was just made into that because they chopped off all the vehicles that Chrysler & Dodge made that weren't Charger, Challenger & 300, and even the 300 lost out because they stopped investing in it and were shocked by the lack of sales. Same with Durango, I'm sure. The only Dodge vehicle with an optional v8 left in the lineup.

And Chrysler? Oh yeah, that company exists still. One minivan pretending to be three minivans, and then instead of feeding it more product, they were made to apparently share a design studio and allllll the development money went to Jeep instead because the aforementioned global footprint (most likely), but it leaves the US high & dry while the full portfolio goes Europe. We don't even have all the models that they do in other markets. So no..

That's piss-poor planning, not "Jeep is the main brand in NA." They did it to themselves.
 
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suzq044 said:
Yeah, that seems to be their goal at this point, doesn't it?

Jeep isn't the main brand. It's just the one with the most global footprint, hence it gets all the new models instead of Chrysler & Dodge.

While FCA was around,there were vehicles to sell.
- Dart, 200 --- cut instead of fixed
- Journey --- cut instead of replaced/fixed
- Caravan, T&C --- both replaced by Pacifica, moved to Chrysler and now pretends to be 3 models.
- Durango --- probably on the chopping block next without investment - and [pikachu-shock meme] losing sales
- Charger, Challenger, 300. -- last ones left, all got replaced by the EV Charger.

Like -- Jeep is not the main brand. It was just made into that because they chopped off all the vehicles that Chrysler & Dodge made that weren't Charger, Challenger & 300, and even the 300 lost out because they stopped investing in it and were shocked by the lack of sales. Same with Durango, I'm sure. The only Dodge vehicle with an optional v8 left in the lineup.

And Chrysler? Oh yeah, that company exists still. One minivan pretending to be three minivans, and then instead of feeding it more product, they were made to apparently share a design studio and allllll the development money went to Jeep instead because the aforementioned global footprint (most likely), but it leaves the US high & dry while the full portfolio goes Europe. We don't even have all the models that they do in other markets. So no..

That's piss-poor planning, not "Jeep is the main brand in NA." They did it to themselves.
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The one person above the CEO position don't align with your thoughts of Jeep in North America, his views was form by Sergio his right hand man.... ("the stump").
 
patfromigh said:
The problem with the C-segment models from Stellantis is that they’re all either the small CMP or the Smart platform. There are no production lines existing or planned for here. I also don’t know if any of our North American built engines would fit under the hood.
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STLA Medium can underpin C-segment cars and is planned for Brampton starting with the Compass.
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EMP2 platform - Wikipedia EMP2 platform - Wikipedia
 
suzq044 said:
It doesn't *need* to be front wheel drive. In fact, they could leverage the performance aspect in making a fleet of RWD/AWD models for Dodge; leave 4x4 for Jeep and FWD/AWD for Chrysler. 🤔
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I long thought, back during the FCA days, that a RWD Avenger midsizer could have been a game-changer (just like the RWD full-size Lx cars were in 2005-2006). The 2009 Chrysler 200C EV Concept showed that it could have been possible, based on a shortened Lx platform (the wheelbase, width, and height of the 200C EV Concept were roughly the same as the Challenger, but it was about 5" shorter in length due to shortened overhangs).

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I wouldn't hold my breath for many, or even any, more two-door cars, other than special edition/SRT versions of the two-door Charger and maybe, someday, a limited-production exotic halo model like the Viper. High-volume C- and D-segment two-door cars seem unlikely to me. Two-door cars sell about as well as manual-transmission cars in today's market.
 
james.mooney. said:
I wouldn't hold my breath for many, or even any, more two-door cars, other than special edition/SRT versions of the two-door Charger and maybe, someday, a limited-production exotic halo model like the Viper. High-volume C- and D-segment two-door cars seem unlikely to me. Two-door cars sell about as well as manual-transmission cars in today's market.
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Nah - The Halo is probably still going to be the SRT Banshee. They just have to actually add the value to the equation and not just the price tag.
 
AlexB said:
The one person above the CEO position don't align with your thoughts of Jeep in North America, his views was form by Sergio his right hand man.... ("the stump").
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That doesn't make them right. That just makes them incompetent if they ignore all the brands but Jeep. Especially in the US.
 
They desperately need to make anything. besides Durango because at the moment that is all they got. People forget even if the EV Charger was in high demand the capacity is severely limited by the battery capacity. They need to start making Chargers with 2.0L ASAP..... High end model don't drive cash flow, they drive traffic.
 
I would pick up where the 1998 Eclipse and Eagle Talon left off. You can sell a sporty FWD version for a low price point, a mid range AWD version and a killer top tier SRT turbo AWD version. It'll be a funnel for younger people into the Dodge brand, have a cult following and when they want to trade for something else Dodge, Ram or Jeep should have them covered. A small sporty coupe is really a white space vehicle in this era, when they use to be everywhere. If priced right it'll sell.

No, they dont need a zero utility miata type vehicle, no they dont need a 4cyl CUV that will get trampled by the competition (that Jeep already has 3-4 of). They need something nobody else has
 
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