2013 Dodge Hornet (PF): the upcoming compact car
It won’t be called the Hornet. It will be called the Dodge Dart.
Past Hornet cars: Hudson Hornet • AMC Hornet • 2006 Dodge Hornet Concept
Using a platform based on that of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta (but wider and longer), a new sedan is due to be made in the United States in January 2012. The first Fiat-platform car engineered by Chrysler, it will fill in a gap left by the Neon.
It won’t be called the Hornet. It will be called the Dodge Dart and we have a whole new web site devoted to it. We’re leaving this page up (for the most part) so you can see where we were right and wrong, and so we’ll be ready if there is a Dodge Hornet coming.
Remember, these rumors concern what is now called the Dodge Dart.
With Dodge Caliber being dropped on December 23, 2011, rumor has the new car (or a new car, anyway) taking on the Caliber name, with Dodge’s CEO now denying it would be called Dodge Hornet (Chrysler recently applied for trademarks on Hornet, Dodge Dart, Dodge Duster, and — believe it or not — Camber, though one source claims the latter is an error and "Camper" was meant.)
The car was in early pilot production in late October 2011. As early as 2009, this car was planned on extended Fiat C-EVO dimensions and the Fiat electronics network, along with a retuned Chrysler World Gas Engine and the 1.4 liter turbocharged Fiat engine. One version of the new Dodge will get 40 mpg.
The reliable source oh2o wrote that it will be surprisingly well equipped, with SE (base) getting 16 inch wheels, and SXT and Limited going to 17” wheels; there will be a Rallye option for the SXT. All trim lines will get lots of airbags including knee bags (possibly for passengers as well), LED tail lamps, and optional Blind Spot/Cross Path detection and trailer sway damping; HIDs will be optional as well. Well appointed interiors will have tilt/telescope steering column even on SE; Limited will get a heated steering wheel. Seats will be covered in cloth fabric with accents, denim seats, or leather.
The big new 8.4” stereos will be used with and without navigation, and backup cameras and 506-watt 9-speaker amps will be optional.
Retuning of the World Gas Engine was described by CJDR Tech: the 2.0 will have its VVT system retuned for a broader power band, sacrificing some peak horsepower but increasing gas mileage and performance; the manifolds will be swapped so the intake is in back; and the valvetrain will be updated to roller cam followers, doing away with the buckets on the valve springs. The Fiat 1.4 is also expected to power the PF. Transmissions will include the Fiat dual-clutch automated-manual transmission, with a manual transmission version of that transmission. It will use electrically boosted power steering, according to CJDR Tech.
oh2o wrote that a high priority was placed on aerodynamics, with a smooth underbody and new-for-Chrysler active grille shutters; transmissions will be the six-speed manual and a six-speed dual-clutch with AutoStick.
New source "PhantomSpazz" said the models would be the base SE, volume SXT, Rallye (possibly as an SXT package), R/T, and a Limited. It will reportedly be the longest, widest, and tallest car in its class, and the interior will be quieter than the very-quiet Chevrolet Cruze.
The 1.4 belts out around 160 hp and 170 lb-ft of torque in the Fiat 500 Abarth; it might be "downtuned" to around 150 hp for this application. The 2.4, according to PhantomSpazz, is currently estimated at 185 hp, a moderate boost over the current 172 hp 2.4; however, past rumors suggested that it would be more drivable, with horsepower not as restricted to the higher engine speeds. Torque for this engine is estimated at 170 lb-ft.
The 2.4 will be used in the R/T model, and is expected to get a bit over 32 mpg (highway). The Eco model, with 40 mpg, is slated for late arrival.
VintageRust saw the actual car and wrote that it was similar to the image above except:
- the side scallop looked similar to the side of a previous generation Ford Focus.
- overall size was about the size of a Neon, but slightly taller.
- the tail lights looked like they may have ran the width of the car, but it was hard to peek behind the camo [“dakotaquadsport” wrote that they do run across the width of the car].
- the deck was a traditional trunk and not a stepped hatch [e.g. Shadow].
- the interior was beautiful! Padded and stitched IP with aluminum accents. It looked like a scaled down version of the Charger's IP.
“PhantomSpazz” wrote that the interior would be easily best-in-class, including a full animated center cluster — when the car is turned on, the speedometer and gas gauge animate with the Dodge logo; leave your door open and a realistic 3D-rendered PF will show up in the EVIC with its door open. Turn by turn navigation includes a realistic car image; EVIC is seven inches diagonally, and as you drive, you see a flower growing if you are driving efficiently. The colors are “young and hip.” ... The LUX interior has a light leather, as seen in Journey, but with bright stitching, or black leather seats with red stitching. It has an aluminum-type dashboard which wraps around the radio, steering wheel and cluster, glowing around the edges. The RT and Lux model also come with mood lighting in the interior. There are lights near the passenger and driver feet, lights behind the interior door handles, lights in the center storage and lights in the bottom of both doors where you would keep maps and books.
“PhantomSpazz” also confirmed that the rear resembles the Charger, with the round racetrack lighting, and suggested that base pricing would not be far above the Fiat 500. He confirmed engine choices of turbocharged 1.4 liter Fiat, 2.0 WGE, and 2.4 WGE.
The name is likely to be Dodge Hornet, as predicted by Allpar months ago. “duster92” wrote more recently: “The SRT engineers occasionally hold webchats. Before a recent webchat, the Engineers stipulated that they could not talk about the Hornet SRT4.” This is a possible giveaway that the name Dodge Hornet remains in consideration, and is set for an SRT version — which would be facilitated by an existing SRT4 engine design as well as the turbocharged (or even Tiger Shark) 2.4.
The new electric steering system eliminates the belt-driven “pump,” instead having a sensor and electric motor mounted to the rack itself (of the rack and pinion system). The suspension will use MacPherson struts in front, shocks with upper and lower arms in back, in an aluminum cradle.
J. White saw spy shots of an obvious mule with a Caliber body shell in May 2010, with a carbon-fiber hood, presumably to make it easier to get to the engine. The stance and length looked similar to those of the Lancia Delta, but the wheels had just four bolts. The Delta's wheelbase is three inches longer than Caliber the wheels appeared to be a few inches different from Caliber, so that might have worked. (Body shells on mules serve to hide the car underneath, and look normal from a reasonable distance so average people don’t see anything unusual).
“bumonbox” noted that the sedan will arrive in 2011, but the Caliber will continue through to 2012. “I wonder if they want to gauge demand for a wagon alongside the sedan, to see if it would suffer the same fate as the Magnum when the Charger came out (sales plummeted). With the Compass and Patriot being consolidated, and with reasonable demand and competition for the CR-V / RAV4 / Equinox / Kia Sportage type vehicles, it would make enough sense to me to continue in there. Said car could maintain a shorter stance and cheaper opening price with the agressive styling as a perfect compliment to the Patriot replacement.”
Dan Minick and MadWasp believe the Hornet will be built in Belvidere, Illinois, which is being expanded with a 550,000 square foot body shop. At the moment, it builds the Caliber, Patriot, and Compass. The car will be made in the United States, regardless, to fulfill Federal requirements for Fiat to gain an extra five percent of Chrysler.
Dan also pointed out: “There have been numerous reports of Alfa Guilettas and MiTos running around all over Detroit. How sharp are Americans at noticing subtle differences between those running around and actual Euro production Guilettas? Quite possibly things are happening right under our nose, or at least the mechanical/running gear side of things.” [The MiTo is on a completely different platform, the GM-Fiat SCSS B-car platform. This platform might continue moving forward, or they could simply be using the sheet metal for mules. The GM Corsa, Peugeot Bipper, and Citroën Nemo use the same platform.)
(RedRiderBob wrote: “You might be suprised at how many new Alfa Romeos are running around Metro Detroit. We talked a few weeks ago, about all of the Alfas that were on there way to Auburn Hills via semi trucks and other means. ... All of the cars have manufacturers plates. If you live here in Metro Detroit you see your share of test mules, but I just couldn't believe how many of the Alfas I seen today.”)
Dodge Hornet concept and past Dodge Hornet production car plans
The first Dodge Hornet was the 2006 Dodge Hornet concept car, a subcompact with a turbocharged 1.6 liter engine, functional hood scoop, and manual transmission; company officials said it was to be a Nissan Cube variant "based on a unique Chrysler concept and design."
The Dodge Hornet was powered by a 1.6 liter supercharged engine with 170 hp and 165 lb-ft (224 Nm) of torque (both at 4,000 rpm). The “Tritec” engine, used in the Mini, was jointly developed by Chrysler and Rover. Chrysler ended up selling its share (about half of the plant’s production) to Chinese auto companies. The supercharged 1.6 produces more power in less space than the World Engine, but costs more to produce. (Thanks, my.IS, for bringing our attention to information.)
Following the original Nissan Cube-based concept, there were moves onto different architectures. Rumors started floating that the final Hornet would be sharing the basic chassis of the new Mercedes A-Class, with joint engineering by Chrysler and Mercedes. Then Automotive News claimed that the Hornet would be engineered in China by Chery, bolstered by independent sources who claimed that Chrysler engineers had been sent to China to work on it.