Opinion: FCA failed the Dart — and so did you
A Clinton is perilously close to the presidency. The X-Files has captivated the imagination of a distrusting public. Bill Cosby is a regular topic of discussion — okay, bad example. Point is, 2016 is the most ‘90s America has been since, well, the ‘90s. You need one more example? Gas is sliding under $1.50 in many parts of the country.
I know, it seems like a dream. The signs are everywhere, but it’s difficult to give in to your senses. You need validation, and then, right on cue, it comes from the unlikeliest of places. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, precisely. See, the only vehicles FCA seems particularly adept at selling are Jeeps and Rams. (Never mind that’s all they’ve been able to sell for the better part of two decades, but I digress).
You know the ‘90s are back when one of the Big Three decides to go all-in with utility vehicles, and Wednesday FCA announced, amidst tumbling fuel prices, that they’re done trying to win Americans over with zippy, moderately efficient compacts and sedans. According to FCA Chairman Sergio Marchionne, cheap gas is “permanent,” and he reckons it’s time his company start treating it as such.
And so the command came down from on high that the plucky Dodge Dart and Chrysler 200, underdogs destined for failure before they were born, will not be long for this world. The cars tasked with ushering in a new era of relevancy for Chrysler’s non-truck offerings will be phased out over a period of 18 months, at which point the facilities that produce those vehicles will switch over production to Cherokees and Ram 1500s, respectively.
As much as I’d like to skewer FCA for coming to this decision after what will amount to only four years on the market for the Dart and three for the 200, you can’t ignore math. Chrysler sold 24,049 Cherokees this past December, and only 15,310 Darts and 200s combined. This is business strategy forged on data. A bullish one nonetheless, but certainly informed. FCA simply can’t compete in this space, which may be an easier pill to swallow if the Dart and 200 were bad cars. But they’re not.
Full disclosure: I own a Dart. It’s a 2014 SXT with the 2.4-liter Multiair 2. I’ll be the first to tell you, it’s not perfect. It’s too heavy. It could use a smidge more power. For the segment, it’s not very economical. The steering wheel is massive for no reason. I average a mildly disappointing 28 MPG with my commute, mixing highways and windy rural roads. Something near the B-pillar on the passenger side is rattling, has been for months and I cannot figure out why.
Here’s the thing though: this is not a bad car. Or, at least, not one that deserves to die so young. The Dart is perfectly competent — good, I dare say. The interior is comfortable, intelligently designed, and features one of the best touch-screen interfaces in the industry. The chassis is not as well sorted as the Focus’ or Mazda 3’s, but still sits comfortably above the rest of the class. The 184 horsepower and 171 lb. ft. of torque from the 2.4 clearly won’t best sportier rivals with 3,300 lbs. to haul around, but it is optimal. About as quick as the 2012 Focus I owned before it — which is to say “not very,” but not slow either. The dual-clutch auto has a sequential mode, where up and down is in the right direction. And, contrary to Consumer Reports telling me I’m wrong, despite 33,000 miles on the clock I’ve never had to wheel it to the dealer in a heap of smoke — or for any other reason.
Also, damn if it isn’t one of the best-looking, perhaps the best-looking vehicle in its class, when fitted with a black grille, smoky headlights, and glossy 18-inch rims. And of course I enjoy driving it. It’s no GTI or Fiesta ST, but then again, it’s not supposed to be. Without an SRT version to speak of, the Dart is not a sport compact, no matter how you spin it. If Chrysler’s false savior was ever remarkable for anything, it was value, not performance.
The Mazda 3 has been hailed, practically since the current generation released, as the benchmark for compact sedans. And it is, provided you’ve got at least $25K to spend. The Focus, similarly, is a compelling choice but also misses the value proposition. In terms of standard equipment, real-world pricing and what most buyers ask for, the Dart wipes the floor with both of them. For what I spent on my car, a comparably equipped Mazda 3 would have come in at an extra $4K — and as great as the Mazda is, it’s not $4K better.
I didn’t mean for this to be an advertisement for a car seemingly nobody wants to buy. When I’m asked to recommend a compact sedan, my answer is always the same: Mazda if you can afford it, Focus if you can’t, and Dart if you want to get the most bang for your buck. And therein lies the problem. When you make the argument that a product’s most notable feature is value rather than any one metric, you’re asking people to be pragmatic, rather than excited, about their purchase. Nobody wants that, especially not with a new car. It’s the eternal dilemma of being the jack of all trades and master of none — you become a little forgettable.
So it seems FCA’s duo of failed attempts will ride off into the sunset, only for Marchionne and company to return to the drawing board and badge engineer a tragic Mitsubishi — truly marking the second coming of the ‘90s. It will be the ultimate middle finger to a pair of cars that truly deserved better than the lot they were given: a passive parent, a cold and indifferent marketplace, and no chance to thrive between the two.
But the saddest factor in all of this? By the time the Dart is discontinued, its predecessor, the abysmal Caliber, will have survived about a year longer on the market. Remember the consequences of your actions, people.
By: Adam Ismail
Source: egmCarTech http://bit.ly/1WTN4rF
EXCLUSIVE: Hyundai confirms a new Sport model for the 2017 Elantra, why this might not suck
There was a time and a place when nobody would ever even consider purchasing a Korean car of any type, simply because they had a poor reputation for reliability and cheap quality…and that’s because, well, they were cheap. Back then, you Hoped You Understood Nothing Was Drivable And Inexpensive…
You’ve heard me say it over and over again however recently, whether in my reviews or just news about the automaker. But I’m a supporter of the underdog and I still applaud Hyundai for their insanely successful turnaround as a competitor in the mainstream market. Simply, Hyundai, and even their sisterly company, Kia, do not suck any more. And things just seem to be getting better and better.
Let’s just do a quick rundown of why this is the case. Besides the fact they’ve exhibited significant growth over the past decade in the numbers, they speak for themselves. All of their cars have some competitive edge in one of the stiffest segment in the industry and they’re faring very well. That’s because they have a few tricks up their sleeves.
For instance, they have the famous Peter Schreyer as their chief design officer, of both Hyundai and Kia, whose profoundly notable work involved many many many Audi models, especially the timeless TT. Not to mention, they just scooped up former Bentley designer, Luc Donkerwolke. So they are well-off in the aesthetics department.
For driving dynamics, which yes, they do care about, Hyundai even scooped up former chief engineer of BMW M, Albert Biermann. For two automakers, once loathed in the auto industry, to have that sort of team roster is nothing short of insane, especially when you consider these are companies competing with world champions in the mainstream market, like Honda and Toyota, and then some.
So that’s why it’s actually exciting to hear Hyundai’s new compact competitor will get a new Sport trim, and here’s what we know. The new 2017 Hyundai Elantra’s national launch for the media world recently and the executive team shared some slight details on the new model during the Elantra’s presentation.
A power output of around 200hp is expected from some sort of turbo four, and yes, it will have a manual rower as an option, as well as a whole range of modifications to the suspension and the steering. That’s Mr. Biermann, at work folks.
But what’s really exciting, is just grasping the fact that Hyundai has a serious industry player behind their back in charge of a department that car enthusiasts care about–handling and performance.
So from the sounds of this new Elantra Sport, they could have a Honda Civic Si competitor on the way. There was no mention of the Elantra GT hatch, but even if we got a Sport version of the Elantra GT five-door, you’d have a hot hatch Volkswagen GTI competitor from the company. Doesn’t that sound great?
But just imagine the possibilities beyond that, especially now that they have their luxury Genesis brand established.
Korea’s gettin’ serious now, and it’s time to really watch out.
– By: Chris Chin
Source: egmCarTech http://bit.ly/209eHCn
Report: Mercedes-Benz’s new Nissan-based truck could be called X-Class
Mercedes-Benz is known to be working on their first pickup truck ever as the manufacturer sees a potential, booming market for luxurious, high-end open-bed trucks.
Now, CarAdvice down yonder reports the new truck from the Silver Arrow could be called the X-Class. Alternatively, it could also be called the Z-Class.
So far from what we know, the Mercedes’ new pickup is to be based off of the latest Nissan NP300 and Navara, or more or less Asia’s rendition of the Nissan Frontier. This is a given with Daimlers’ fairly recent partnership with Renault-Nissan.
It’ll be geared towards ruggedness and off-road capability, which are two things Mercedes-Benz is capable of. Just look at the Gelandewagen, for instance.
Though unlike Mercedes-Benz’s that we’re used to seeing, the new pickup will be offered in a variety of entry-level forms. It’s specifically to focus the aim of the truck towards affordability, simplicity, dependability, and utilitarianism, since the pickup is a very popular form of transportation for the blue-collar working class of the world.
And elsewhere in the world, Mercedes-Benz isn’t just known for making pompous luxury cars since you can still get several models with cloth seats, faux-leather, cheap plastic, small motors, and minimal equipment and tech.
Speaking of which, the new pickup is anticipated to receive two new diesel options, either a 2.3L turbodiesel four, or an optional V6.
Though, nothing has been confirmed.
– By: Chris Chin
Source: CarAdvice
Source: egmCarTech http://bit.ly/1QpGWoy
Leaked! The Jaguar F-Type SVR shows up on the web with 575hp and all-paw traction
It seems a slip has occurred as Dutch publication, Autovisie, was able to score a brochure on the not-yet-released, highly-anticipated Jaguar F-Type SVR, the top-spec high-performance variant to the F-Type that we’ve long been waiting for from Jaguar’s Special Vehicle Operations.
Because of the brochure, Autovisie was able to get pictures and official information on the new Jag.
It’ll expectedly come with Jaguar’s latest 5.0L supercharged AJV8 to produce 575hp and 516 lb-ft of torque, mated only to a ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic transmission.
Surprisingly, it also comes with all-wheel drive only, providing a 0-62 time of just 3.7 seconds and a top speed of 200 MPH.
There will be both a coupe and convertible version, as with other F-Type models. Though separating the new F-Type SVR from lesser models is an obvious, more aggressive bodykit with improved aerodynamics for performance, beefed-up brakes, an electronically controlled rear-differential, stiffer suspension with active shocks, and more.
More details are certainly to come, so stay tuned.
– By: Chris Chin
Source: Autovisie
Source: egmCarTech http://bit.ly/1nvUJ3y
Report: Audi of America’s president hints at more RS models, talk autonomous cars and EVs
Automobile Magazine recently sat down to speak with Audi of America’s President, Scott Keogh, along with the company’s Director of Product Management, Filip Brabec.
And in that interview, Keogh reportedly hinted at the possibility of some incoming, new RS models for the United States.
“We’re looking to significantly expand the presence of RS in the United States,” Keogh said, though without specificity, obviously.
Though weeding through his words, Keogh suggested some old models could see some successors in the states, “and then some.”
We’re not exactly sure what new RS models would make their return to the US, but we’ve certainly missed our fair share of models as Audi teased us with many Europe-only RS offerings, such as the RS3, RS4 and RS6 models.
If we had any inclination however, it would be the RS4 Avant since a rumor back in July of 2015 from CARandDRIVER suggested Audi could bring the RS4 back to our shores in the form of a wagon.
Either way, it’s some exciting news to hear since we’ve been longing to see some hot RS models come in greater numbers to our shores.
Alternatively, Automobile also spoke to Keogh and Brabec on the topic of electric vehicles and autonomous cars. Keogh himself is a supporter of more EVs in Audi’s lineup as he believes Ingolstadt could benefit form up to a 25 percent increase in sales from EVs within the next 10 years.
He also confirmed to be working with Audi to build a network of charging stations, similarly to Tesla’s Supercharger network.
As for autonomous cars, Keogh seeks to make Audi a leader and innovator in the field, though he said that fully autonomous cars are still a solid ways away from hitting local showrooms.
Feel like getting the dirty on Automobile’s entire interview, head on over and have a read.
– By: Chris Chin
Source: Automobile
Source: egmCarTech http://bit.ly/1KC4CBt
Report: A Ford Fiesta RS just won’t happen
Some rumors were abound regarding the Ford Fiesta, suggesting Dearborn could go as far as introducing an RS version of the Fiesta to sit above the Fiesta ST.
This all sounds plausible given Ford is just on the verge of launching the Focus RS.
But according to Motoring, a Ford Fiesta RS just won’t happen.
The outlet apparently spoke to Ford Performance’s chief engineer, Tyrone Johnson, who said he hard through the grapevine from upper management that a Fiesta RS is “definitively not in the plan.”
Rumors of recent past were suggesting the use of Ford’s latest 1.6L EcoBoost turbocharged four, given a massage to produce 246hp, a bit more than the Fiesta ST’s 197hp figure. Though for a car of its size, such a gain can mean the world.
It also theoretically would’ve received a similar treatment to the Focus RS, including an aggressive bodykit, sportier handling, braking, and steering, and more.
Despite the sad word for those wanting a Fiesta RS, Johnson did shed some light saying Ford Performance is still working on their next model. But he didn’t exactly say what.
Ford Performance’s plan as of now is to launch around 12 new models from its brand, which encompass the Focus RS, the F150 Raptor, the Shelby Mustang GT350 and GT350R, as well as the new Ford GT.
In other rumors, a Shelby GT500 could make a triumphant return in 2018, though currently, speculation suggests it could get the same new 3.5L EcoBoost V6 as the GT with over 600hp and a six-speed manual. Though that would be kind of sad given the V8 is part of the Shelby Mustang’s heritage. It would be great to see Ford churn out another supercharged V8 based on their latest 5.0L Coyote motor instead.
What say you readers?
– By: Chris Chin
Source: Motoring
Source: egmCarTech http://bit.ly/1nvOVar
Report: A refreshed Volkswagen Golf to come in March, hot R420 model to follow
Some big news for Volkswagen Golf fans recently surfaced by way of AutoBild in Germany, who reported that a new mid-cycle refreshed Golf should surface in the European market by March, with the hotly anticipated R420 model due shortly after.
This seems like big news, but know how the Germans like to treat their domestic continent to new vehicles first before the US, we can still expect some time to elapse before we see our updated version. For instance, we still have yet to see the eighth generation Volkswagen Passat, which has already been out in Europe for quite some time.
In comparison, we still get the seventh generation Passat bespoke to our own market, and that was just given its mid-cycle refresh this year.
So while the Volkswagen Golf news is cool, the impending arrival of the R420 model is even cooler.
As a refresher, Volkswagen pitched the idea at a super-hot GTI-based hatch with over 400hp in the form of the Golf R400 Concept at the 2014 Beijing Auto Show. It was certainly cool when it was revealed, but we had our doubts that Volkswagen would even consider making it, since they tried making a hot Golf with Bentley’s W12 wedged in the middle to make a mid-engined Golf. But that was absolute bonkers and impractical.
But to our surprise, Volkswagen confirmed to be putting the R400 into production. The result: the aforementioned R420 model.
Originally, the R400 Concept came with a seriously souped-up 2.0L TFSI turbocharged inline-four, allowing for an extra 100hp and 51 lb-ft of twist. Combined with a DSG gearbox and Volkswagen’s renowned 4MOTION all-wheel drive system, along with a weight reduction to 3,130lbs, the Golf R400 Concept hits 62 in just 3.9 seconds for a top run of 174 MPH.
Though given the new “R420” designation, this could mean power has been bumped to 420hp. Though, specific details haven’t been announced just yet.
Given the caliber of this new super-hot Golf, you can expect it to be very limited in production.
More info will certainly become more available as we get closer to Geneva.
– By: Chris Chin
Source: egmCarTech http://bit.ly/1nvOU6b
Report: BMW X3 M is in the works with some 500hp on tap
As we all know from time and the evolution of automakers, the Germans love to fill in niche gaps as much as possible since they’re biblically set on trying to sell cars in vast numbers.
This niche-filling also includes the likes of the Mercedes-Benz AMG and BMW M brands, both of which have since expanded to modifying soccer mom crossovers and SUVs with high-performance gear–something that would never have thought to have happened in the past, during the years of automotive purism.
And lately, it seems the bug is continuing to hit BMW as German media reports Munich is working on a full-fledged M version of the X3 to sit below the X5 M and X6 M. But that’s not all–it may have as much as 500hp.
A report published by Focus.de reports the codenamed, “G01” next-generation X3 could get the M treatment as part of its lineup, after several next-gen X3 test mules were spotted.
What could this mean? Well, BMW could very well shove the 3.0L TwinPower turbocharged inline-six from the M2, M3 and M4 under the hood of this new X3 M, modified to achieve that 500hp figure. And that’s a hell of a lot more than the M3’s and M4’s factory rating of 425hp. Though knowing BMW’s history of underrating power figures, both mills probably produce more.
Additionally, the X3 M will benefit from a host of other modifications, such as ones to the suspension, steering, appearance, and packaging to fit the whole bill. It could even lose up to 220lbs during the transformation.
The idea would be to have the car compete against the likes of the Audi RS Q5, anticipated to surface in the near future with a twin-turbo 3.0L V6. Mercedes-AMG is also on board with a GLC 63 in the works.
So the market is there as the Germans see fit.
Do you think these performance luxo-cute utes will be worth a look?
– By: Chris Chin
Source: egmCarTech http://bit.ly/1PPliXU
Report: The Nissan Titan Warrior Concept could hit production
Nissan had a bit of a showing at the 2016 Detroit Auto Show last week and one of the cars to show off was the Titan-based Warrior Concept.
As a refresher, the Nissan Titan Warrior Concept was sort of a pitch at a performance off-road variant to the new full-size Titan, in a sort “Hey Ford F150 Raptor breathe.” It even comes with the new Cummins-sourced 5.0L turbodiesel V8.
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Now, AutomotiveNews is saying Nissan is very interested in producing the truck for real.
“We’re making a big commitment to the pickup segment with the new Titan, and we’re also looking at where else we might take it now,” Nissan’s Director of Product Planning for trucks and SUVs, Rich Miller, said.
Miller did admit the market that they were specifically aiming for with the Titan Warrior Concept is small, but overall, has been a success despite being a niche. Examples include the Ford F150 Raptor and the Ram 1500 Rebel.
The Titan Warrior Concept comes with a range of serious off-roading kit such as integrated aluminum skid plates alla round, widened wheel flares, 18-inch alloys wrapped in serious 37-inch all-terrain tires. and more.
– By: Chris Chin
Source: AutomotiveNews
Source: egmCarTech http://bit.ly/1Wstdj9