May 30, 2012 02:45 PM EDT
Chrysler aims to crack small-car market by reviving Dodge Dart

This worked very well for the Volkswagen Beetle, so perhaps the Dodge Dart will make a successful comeback. Now that Chrysler and Fiat have partnered, they have come up with a plan to resurrect another classic.  The Dodge Dart, which will be a reinterpretation of the 1960s' model is being created as a means for Chrysler to have a competitive edge in the compact car market long dominated by import brands such as the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic. This may not be an easy feat, but is definitely worth it since Chrysler wants to take a stab at going after a younger target market.

This new version of the Dodge Dart will be the first car to be jointly developed by Fiat and Chrysler and it will reach the dealerships in the coming weeks. With the contrast of companies, it will be interesting to see what Chrysler and Fiat settled on while creating this vehicle.  

In a quote mentioned in the Los Angeles Times, "How the Dart performs will be a yardstick for the partnership.  "If the Dart does well, it will be a feather in the cap of the alliance, but if it does not, it will reflect negatively," said Thomas Libby, an analyst with R.L. Polk & Co. The vehicles reach dealerships in the coming weeks.

Long known for its trucks, SUVs and minivans, Chrysler knows it needs to crack the small-car market, which is among the largest segments of U.S. auto sales, making up more than 16% of all new-car sales to consumers this year, according to a Polk study of registration data. The vehicles, assembled at Chrysler's recently refurbished Belvidere Assembly Plant in Belvidere, Ill., will start at $16,790 including destination fee for the base model with a manual transmission. The faster turbocharged model starts at $20,090. Chrysler expects most buyers to purchase cars that add up to $19,000 or more, depending on the option and trim configurations.

Chrysler introduced the name in 1960, and by 1963 the Dart was part of a trio of popular U.S.-built small cars - they would seem large by today's standards - that included the Chevrolet Corvair and the Ford Falcon. It sold at the time for about $2,000.

See Now: OnePlus 6: How Different Will It Be From OnePlus 5?

 PREVIOUS POST
NEXT POST 

EDITOR'S PICK    

Hyundai to Invest $16.1 Billion for EV Business; Sets Annual Sales Goal of 1.87M Electric Cars by 2030

World's Most Expensive and Most Heavily-optioned Porsche 928 GTS is Coming Home to the U.S.

Major Boost as Tesla Giga Berlin Facility in Final Phase of Approval Process; Delivery Event Set This Month

Audi Looking for e-tron Electric Vehicles to Spur Car Brand's Growth in India in 2022

Toyota Offers Free EV Charging to Owners of 2023 bZ4X After Partnership Agreement with EVgo

2022 Suzuki Baleno Finally Unveiled in India: What are the Specs and Features of this City Car?