72Chero
01-04-2007, 06:46 PM
B-segment cars like this dominate European roads. And Americans are finally starting to catch on, as cars like the Mini Cooper and Scion xA sell in brisk numbers. Dodge doesn't yet have a B car, but this morning in Geneva the company showed a concept that looked production-ready, at least on the outside.
Dodge calls it the Hornet, but it looks nothing like its homely, '70s-era AMC namesake. In fact, it looks a lot like a Mini, albeit with a square jaw and a quad grille. "We wanted to give it what the Mini Cooper has as far as character," design manager Mark Moushegian admitted.
In the cabin, Dodge aimed for "the functionality of a Scion," according to Moushegian. "A lot of people want to have a Mini, but they're starting a family so it's not practical to own a car like that," he noted.
Not only can the Hornet's 60/40-split rear seats fold flat into the floor, they can fold up as in a pickup truck, providing a taller load area for odd-sized cargo. Moushegian said he was inspired to create this flexible setup after watching a young Swiss man unbolt the rear seats from his Jetta to accommodate a mountain bike.
In addition, the Hornet's reverse-opening rear doors minimize the amount of contortion required for passengers to get in and out, and 8.8 inches of rear-seat track travel assure passable legroom for oversized friends and family.
Evidently intended as an office on wheels for people with attention deficit disorder, the Hornet is equipped with every type of storage compartment one could possibly need in a lifetime. The driver door panel has a first-aid kit and a removable carrying case. The front-passenger door has an open bin with bungee cords. One rear door has a cooler, the other has a fold-out table. The bins can be rearranged to suit needs and Dodge expects hypothetical owners to purchase additional receptacles to give their Hornet that personal, organized touch.
As gimmicky as all those removable storage compartments sound to disorganized slobs like us, Dodge's Hornet concept is a sure bet for production. The fact that the company bothered to equip this concept car with side airbags is an obvious hint. Plus, we're told it's built on Volkswagen's Polo platform.
Under the hood, the Hornet has plenty in common with the Cooper S. It, too, has a supercharged, 1.6-liter inline four. Dodge rates it at 170 hp and 165 lb-ft of torque, which is right in line with the Mini's totals. A six-speed manual transmission sends power to the front wheels. Suspension consists of struts at all four corners. Both the engine and suspension would be easy to upgrade on a hypothetical production version of this car, Moushegian told us.
What's Edmunds' take?
We've had to wait almost five years for this moment, but it's finally here: the first earnest attempt at a bargain-priced Mini Cooper knockoff. Dodge needs something less expensive than the Caliber to appease entry-level customers.
The only obstacle Dodge faces in bringing the Hornet to our shores is cost: Profit margins on subcompact cars are tight in the U.S., and DCX hasn't been able to justify selling Smarts here. Will the use of VW mechanicals make it any more cost-effective? Maybe. Chrysler is giving Volkswagen a minivan after all. — Erin Riches
see it at...
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/AutoshowArticles/articleId=109457
Dodge calls it the Hornet, but it looks nothing like its homely, '70s-era AMC namesake. In fact, it looks a lot like a Mini, albeit with a square jaw and a quad grille. "We wanted to give it what the Mini Cooper has as far as character," design manager Mark Moushegian admitted.
In the cabin, Dodge aimed for "the functionality of a Scion," according to Moushegian. "A lot of people want to have a Mini, but they're starting a family so it's not practical to own a car like that," he noted.
Not only can the Hornet's 60/40-split rear seats fold flat into the floor, they can fold up as in a pickup truck, providing a taller load area for odd-sized cargo. Moushegian said he was inspired to create this flexible setup after watching a young Swiss man unbolt the rear seats from his Jetta to accommodate a mountain bike.
In addition, the Hornet's reverse-opening rear doors minimize the amount of contortion required for passengers to get in and out, and 8.8 inches of rear-seat track travel assure passable legroom for oversized friends and family.
Evidently intended as an office on wheels for people with attention deficit disorder, the Hornet is equipped with every type of storage compartment one could possibly need in a lifetime. The driver door panel has a first-aid kit and a removable carrying case. The front-passenger door has an open bin with bungee cords. One rear door has a cooler, the other has a fold-out table. The bins can be rearranged to suit needs and Dodge expects hypothetical owners to purchase additional receptacles to give their Hornet that personal, organized touch.
As gimmicky as all those removable storage compartments sound to disorganized slobs like us, Dodge's Hornet concept is a sure bet for production. The fact that the company bothered to equip this concept car with side airbags is an obvious hint. Plus, we're told it's built on Volkswagen's Polo platform.
Under the hood, the Hornet has plenty in common with the Cooper S. It, too, has a supercharged, 1.6-liter inline four. Dodge rates it at 170 hp and 165 lb-ft of torque, which is right in line with the Mini's totals. A six-speed manual transmission sends power to the front wheels. Suspension consists of struts at all four corners. Both the engine and suspension would be easy to upgrade on a hypothetical production version of this car, Moushegian told us.
What's Edmunds' take?
We've had to wait almost five years for this moment, but it's finally here: the first earnest attempt at a bargain-priced Mini Cooper knockoff. Dodge needs something less expensive than the Caliber to appease entry-level customers.
The only obstacle Dodge faces in bringing the Hornet to our shores is cost: Profit margins on subcompact cars are tight in the U.S., and DCX hasn't been able to justify selling Smarts here. Will the use of VW mechanicals make it any more cost-effective? Maybe. Chrysler is giving Volkswagen a minivan after all. — Erin Riches
see it at...
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/AutoshowArticles/articleId=109457