DETROIT MOTOR SHOW: Dodge Dart leaked
The Italian-American compact sedan has broken cover a day before it's official unveiling, presenting a stylish new design inside and outThe first Chrysler product to use European Fiat Group underpinnings and powertrains has been leaked ahead of its official debut in Detroit - the Dodge Dart.
The Dart compact sedan shows off an assertive front end design with a hint of Euro style in the headlights, but an American demeanour in the style of the grille and front fascia. The vehicle's short boot is bookended with a subtle lip spoiler, twin exhaust pipes and "racetrack" LED brake lights that stretch across the width of the vehicle.
The car in question also rides on 18-inch alloy wheels.
Built at Chrysler's Belvidere plant in Illinois, North America (recently the beneficiary of a $600m upgrade to manufacture the new sedan) the interior design is also a step up for Dodge, the leaked images showing what appears to be Volkswagen-like quality.
Soft-touch dash plastics, a heated steering wheel and digital instrument cluster all make the grade, as does a new colour touch-screen infotainment system and hidden compartments under the front seats. Ambient lighting will be available and red LED strips around the dashboard add a touch of techno-cool to the cabin.
The Dodge Dart, essentially a replacement for the Caliber, is based on an Italian car - the Alfa Romeo Giulietta - and will raise a few eyebrows as a result. It makes use of the Fiat Group's 1.4-litre MultiAir Turbo, good for 125kW/250Nm, while delivering fuel economy of around 6.0L/100km - and is being touted as the most fuel efficient passenger car in the company's range.
Other engines are will also be offered on the American-market Dodge Dart, including naturally aspirated 2.0-litre and 2.4-litre four-cylinder engines.
Gearbox options are also expected to come from Fiat's European spare parts bin, with six-speed twin clutch (TCT) automatic and six-speed manual likely.
As the Dodge Dart has only just broken cover in the USA it's too early to tell whether it will be imported to Australia. However its predecessor, the Dodge Caliber, is currently available in Australia for $23,500.
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