Geneva Buzz: Dodge Resurrects Hornet Name for Its

[Variance]

Geneva Buzz: Dodge Resurrects Hornet Name for Its New B-Segment Concept

Date posted: 02-15-2006

GENEVA — The new front-drive Dodge Hornet concept, a small car powered by a 1.6-liter OHC supercharged four-cylinder engine that cranks out 170 horsepower, is a preview of how the Detroit automaker plans to woo the European market as it expands its global reach. The car will make its debut at the Geneva Motor Show later this month.

In a statement, Dodge describes the chunky-looking Hornet as a combination of "European sensibility" and "American flair."

Chrysler spokesman Sam Locricchio told Inside Line that the Hornet is built on a "totally unique platform — not based on anything we have." He said the Hornet is as wide as a C-segment car such as the Dodge Caliber, but noted that the Hornet is not based on the Caliber.

Locricchio said the Hornet's European reveal is significant because it "shows we're not bringing over a bunch of [Dodge Ram] Mega Cabs just because they are Dodge."

The Hornet concept is characterized by a signature Dodge crossbar grille set above an exposed engine intercooler flanked by front brake air ducts and foglamps. A recessed scoop on the driver side funnels air to the engine air box.

The Hornet is outfitted with 19-inch open-section aluminum wheels designed to show off its mechanicals, including gold-colored brake calipers. The B-pillar-less Hornet is said to be inspired "by the look of fashion sunglasses," Dodge said. All glass in the vehicle, including the sunroof, is rendered in a deep blue tint that contrasts with the car's Liquid Silver exterior.

The 170-hp, supercharged, four-cylinder engine makes 165 pound-feet of torque and is mated to a six-speed manual transmission.

Inside, the Hornet puts a premium on flexibility. Both the passenger front bucket seat and the three-passenger rear seats fold forward and collapse to the floor to provide a flat load bed. The rear seats flip rearward to stow in back, flush with the liftgate sill. The modular instrument panel is designed to accommodate both left- and right-hand drive.

What this means to you: Dodge shows its hands with a spunky B-segment entry which is designed to play well in Europe as well as the States.

Link: http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=109320

[NOS2006]

So much better looking than the competition..

[mute]

its a mix of the xA, the xB and the dodge nitro

i liek it

[Croc]

I love it!

[Cory Wolfe]

I want to like this... I really do, considering it's competition. But damn... So many mixed styling cues and weird details. Common from DCX. They're really trying too hard, but off with everything they try. I like the company... but not the crap they're putting out. Such Irony considering there are companies I hate, but are putting out nice products. *sigh*

[Bimmer325]

It's a shame the Caliber didn't use this design language.

[CSpec]

I would like it if it didn't have such a gloopy front end. It seems like a more stylish xB.

[balthazar]

Stating that Dodge will 'resurrect the Hornet name' expressly inplies there was once a 'Dodge Hornet' vehicle.

These ultra-chopped-down vehicles just don't appeal to me.

[mphmag]

everybody's breaking the embargo! ten minutes to go might as well hit us too we have about ten more pics and full press info

http://www.mph-online.com

Edited February 15, 2006 by mphmag

[Cadillacfan]

The people at Toyota / Scion must be crapping themselves. This vehicle looks freakin awesome!

Dodge needs to build it if it wants to be legitimate player in Europe and even the US.

[mphmag]

if they could just nail an interior...

[Croc]

I love the concept's interior...

[ocnblu]

That's one badass little Rammer. Dodge Hornet, eh? Brilliant! That's the way to get people into a gas saving, smaller vehicle...MAKE IT COOL! This makes an Aveo look totally pathetic.

[C.H.U.D.]

Pontiac needs something to fight this. Post haste!

[Mule Bakersdozen LS]

I like it-I'd personally rather like to see something Chargeresque, but I was expecting a boxier variant like this, and this looks sharp and much better than anything else in the class, Aveo and Accent included.

[mute]

two words that make this great

srt-4 and hornet

[Flybrian]

The racing stripes are megalame. Otherwise, I have no interest in vehicles of this size or class.

[the_yellow_dart]

I cannot believe you people like this...

This is the worst design I've seen in years. Worse even than the xB, which I would currently classify as the ugliest thing being sold.

NASTY!!!

[BrewSwillis]

Chrysler spokesman Sam Locricchio told Inside Line that the Hornet is built on a "totally unique platform — not based on anything we have." He said the Hornet is as wide as a C-segment car such as the Dodge Caliber, but noted that the Hornet is not based on the Caliber.

Is this the vehicle built off the VW Polo platform??

[Robert Hall]

Definitely resembles the Nitro and Calibre in the front...interesting little car.. a production version could do well..very modern looking.

[KaliRover]

Better looking then the Synus and the xb/xa, and the Honda FIT, and alot of other micro-urban-dweller-vehicles.

[BrewSwillis]

Wow......it's looks alot smaller when people are next to it!

[Imaj]

It looks really great! A Hot Hatch from a "Domestic"..

[thegriffon]

As a concept it may not be built off anything. Don't forget DCX already has the B-segment smart forfour built off the joint-project Z-car platform, the Polo platform isn't any more modern.

[loki]

being serious, some of the interior could be good/interesting, however you take that, but it looks like a mini on some dodge seroids, though at first i thought --xA? but it does look better than scions

[mute]

ahh yah mini and the scions mixed is good way to say it

[torobud]

Hell of a potential for Dodge on this one... both in Europe and the US

Nothing else out there in that range has the 'in your face' styling that this does - pull the Hornet next to an Aveo or Xb and I know which one I would take...

[Corsa]

Not pretty...but not as polarizingly repulsive as the Scion xB...when one of those $h! boxes drives by my stomach turns and I wanna upchuck...

Let's see DCX will build the Hornet...then 2 years from now GM will produce a similar concept - with production earmarked for 2015.

[sciguy_0504]

I cannot believe you people like this...

This is the worst design I've seen in years. Worse even than the xB, which I would currently classify as the ugliest thing being sold.

NASTY!!!

I am with you, Dart. I fail to understand.

[sciguy_0504]

Not pretty...but not as polarizingly repulsive as the Scion xB...when one of those $h! boxes drives by my stomach turns and I wanna upchuck...

Let's see DCX will build the Hornet...then 2 years from now GM will produce a similar concept - with production earmarked for 2015.

...and then everyone will be in on the box craze!

[thegriffon]

GM already produces several small hatches, some bigger than the Hornet, some smaller, some boxy, some more aerodynamic.

Azero segment: Matiz (G2)

A-segment MPV: Agila

entry B-segment: C2, Celta

B-segment: Corsa, Kalos (Aveo) (same segment as Hornet)

entry B-segment wagon: Sail, Corsa Classic

B-segment MPV: Meriva

Not to mention a number of A- and B-segment vans produced by Wuling. All will eventually switch to either the new Global Small Car architecture being developed by GM Daewoo, or Suzuki's so-called A-segment platform (spanning the B-segment as well).

DCX has the smart forfour (Colt-based B-segment hatch smaller than the Hornet) and Mercedes Benz A-Class (a small but expensive B-MPV). If GM built a concept like the Hornet it would be a sure bet to preview the next-gen of one its many small cars and be out within 2-3 years at most.

[Chicagoland]

Stating that Dodge will 'resurrect the Hornet name' expressly inplies there was once a 'Dodge Hornet' vehicle.

These ultra-chopped-down vehicles just don't appeal to me.

Chrysler got the name when they bought AMC/Jeep, it was in the attic. With Concorde, Eagle, and Spirit.

[Sixty8panther]

Cool name, great concept (mini with freestyle doors) but the styling is a bit awkward. Still I say it'll be a hit. Produce it. The concept is much more appealing than any Honda/Scion/Renault/Ford/Fiat mini-hatchback.

[siegen]

Damn that front end is hideous. Other than the front end, the rest looks very nice and solid. Makes the Scion Van look even worse than it already did. It looks like a winner.

But...

170hp 1.6L supercharged? Isn't that a little low on the output? I mean, I know Europeans like it down low (the power that is ), but that number may hurt them in the marketting, considering over 10 years ago the Civic Si was making 170HP out of a naturally aspirated 1.6L engine. But I haven't looked at its competition, so maybe that's not bad.

[jlgolden]

With the success of the Scion xB, Honda Element...why not go boxy? And upcoming Honda Fit, Nissan Versa, Toyota Yaris, and a re-done Aveo...Dodge would be wise to enter the B-size segment with a funky, edgy design. I approve! Now, lets get them started at about $13K and watch them FLY off the delaer lots.

[Snate]

I still can't believe people buy ugly crap like this. I mean how many ugly box cars do we have to endure.

[BrewSwillis]

But...

170hp 1.6L supercharged? Isn't that a little low on the output? I mean, I know Europeans like it down low (the power that is  ), but that number may hurt them in the marketting, considering over 10 years ago the Civic Si was making 170HP out of a naturally aspirated 1.6L engine. But I haven't looked at its competition, so maybe that's not bad.

I believe keeping the engine down around 1.6L will help keep the weight down.

As far as competing with the CiviD for power.....I don't think this vehicle is in the same class as the CiviD. The Caliber competes with the CiviD, and it owns it for power, with the 300 HP SRT-4 (while the 2.4L R/T even has 172 HP). The non-"Si" CiviD only has 140 HP.

[siegen]

I believe keeping the engine down around 1.6L will help keep the weight down.

As far as competing with the CiviD for power.....I don't think this vehicle is in the same class as the CiviD.  The Caliber competes with the CiviD, and it owns it for power, with the 300 HP SRT-4 (while the 2.4L R/T even has 172 HP). The non-"Si" CiviD only has 140 HP.

I wasn't comparing the car to anything, I was just saying 170hp seems low for a supercharged 1.6L engine, specially in a "hot hatch". The engines are understandably designed with a low rpm TQ curve in mind, but that may not be the best way for a sports oriented car.

[BrewSwillis]

I wasn't comparing the car to anything, I was just saying 170hp seems low for a supercharged 1.6L engine, specially in a "hot hatch". The engines are understandably designed with a low rpm TQ curve in mind, but that may not be the best way for a sports oriented car.

With it's size and supercharged engine it really only competes directly with the MINI Cooper S(upercharged)......and the MINI only has 168 HP.

Scions only have 103 HP.

[thegriffon]

But this is Geneva, so you have to include the 148 hp 2.0 L Fiesta, a 178 hp 1.6 L turbocharged Corsa, the 175 hp 1.5 L turbo Brabus smart forfour, the 175 hp 2.0 L 206, a 167 hp 2.0 L RenaultSport Clio, the 178 hp 1.8 L Turbo Seat Ibiza or the 158 hp 1.9 L turbodiesel Ibiza.

[BrewSwillis]

But this is Geneva, so you have to include the 148 hp 2.0 L Fiesta, a 178 hp 1.6 L turbocharged Corsa, the 175 hp 1.5 L turbo Brabus smart forfour, the 175 hp 2.0 L 206, a 167 hp 2.0 L RenaultSport Clio, the 178 hp 1.8 L Turbo Seat Ibiza or the 158 hp 1.9 L turbodiesel Ibiza.

O.K., it seems right on par with all those too!

[siegen]

They should have shot for 200hp and made all those other cars look weak.

[thegriffon]

For most of these cars 200 hp or more is available, it's just a matter of being manageable with that much.

[Charger4U]

that car is a little lot odd

[Intrepidation]

Considering that most of the B-segment cars have engines that make less than 150 hp, 170 hp is a good deal, especially when you consider how much less it weighss than a Civic or a Caliber. 170 hp may not seem like an assload of power, but combine resonably light wait and small size will make it pretty quick. Also take into account the possiblity that it might be a mid-level or even base engine? Most B-segment cars that make around or slighty more mower are specialty ones (like SRT). And if the SRT guys get there hands on it it'll probably make like 250 hp

As for design, this is far and away the best looking B-segment car I've seen to date, makes that hidious piece of crap xB look even more so. It's definitely the the coolest B-segment car to date. The interior looks pretty good too, there's A TON of legroom in back! The dash looks nice too, I hope that the production version gets a center stack like the concept's and not the corperate issues stereo and HVAC controls.

Dodge could score big with this thing, because not only does it make Dodge competetive in Europe in that popular segment, it makes it competetive in the states where the B-segment is just starting to heat up. It also makes for a car that'll be cheaper than the Caliber, so critics of the Caliber's 20k pricetag (for R/T models) will shut up about it. Go DCX!

Edited March 1, 2006 by Dodgefan