How long will it last?

One reason the Neon is now an SUV is for the SUV market in Europe, they love SUVs, I read something about the % of SUV owners in Europe and they just can't get enough, and I guess to stay competetive Dodge wants a piece of that market...so in short, Uhmerican cars built by Uhmericans, for Europeans....at least the Chevy with their Corvette only sized it down to fit on smaller European roads (which they kinda deny), they could have made it a 5 door ! Yikes ! yup, it's all about the Europeans.

Its hard to say at this point how long it is goin to last, it will be much easier to tell once we start seeing them on the lots, and how many are actually being sold. As for chrysler and the neon/pt, all i can say is lets be hopeful, cause DAYUM! lol

PolarBear said:

One reason the Neon is now an SUV is for the SUV market in Europe, they love SUVs, I read something about the % of SUV owners in Europe and they just can't get enough, and I guess to stay competetive Dodge wants a piece of that market...so in short, Uhmerican cars built by Uhmericans, for Europeans....at least the Chevy with their Corvette only sized it down to fit on smaller European roads (which they kinda deny), they could have made it a 5 door ! Yikes ! yup, it's all about the Europeans.

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Interesting info, didnt' know that stuff!

when I read an article like this, the only answer is it's here to stay..

http://www.autoweek.com/news.cms?newsId=103645

"DaimlerChrysler believes Dodge can outsell Chrysler and Jeep combined in Europe, as it does in the United States. The Dodge campaign will center around the Caliber and Nitro."
yup, it's all about the Europeans... ..that's why I think we lost the Neon, and I know it wasn't selling very well, but maybe a new generation could have fixed that, I dunno???

edited for fn FONT issues....

ok, this thing isnt an SUV... as some ppl have seen in the other thread, its shorter than a vibe. lol

suzq044 said:

ok, this thing isnt an SUV... as some ppl have seen in the other thread, its shorter than a vibe. lol

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yeah!! what she said^^^. What can we call it tho. Wagon? Hatch? New CrossOver thingy that every manufactor is trying to do right now? What do you all think?

nvmysrt1838 said:

yeah!! what she said^^^. What can we call it tho. Wagon? Hatch? New CrossOver thingy that every manufactor is trying to do right now? What do you all think?

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Yea something like that. LOL.

"five-door hatchback" is what AUTOWEEK calls it..It shares a vehicle platform with the upcoming Jeep Patriot and Compass,,,to me it's easy to visualize a towing package, roof rack, side wind deflectors, chrome side steps, and a push-bar bumper...it's just a few options away from SUV status, maybe we'll be trading the Honda Pilot after all...wonder how tight it would be if they stuffed 3 rows and 9 cup holders in there???

why not start woth a facelift

sr4tuner said:

why not start woth a facelift

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they did, then lifted the rest of the vehicle too

Actually, there is a new market in the Auto industry called a mini-SUV. Gaining alot of market share, started in the US with the Susuki Side-kick. Toyota came out with a more refined version, the RAV-4 which sells well. DCX decided to get into the market. The Caliber is the first of 3, possibly 4 vehicles we are gonna launch in this market.

The Jeep Compass and Jeep Patriot are the other 2, all should be on the market in 07. You will be able to get both jeeps Trail rated.

Although it has a very large following, and was still selling well, believe me, I helped to build tons of them, the industry has set a model's life at 10 years. The Neon was built for 13. It just went past its span and was time to move on. I've been told at HQ that the Caliber will be EPA rated at 35 mpg. Thats huge and coupled with the AWD, be a big seller in the market. Expect Toyota and the other transplants to answer this car in the near future.

I can't help but feel that there is a sedan to come out of this platform somewhere.
Sure the timing is reversed, but size-wise too comparable to the neon/PT and with AWD to start with, it would put it even closer to the EVO/WRX niche that seems so popular.

read the thread below this one "maker of caliber" or something, it says something about one being made... called JS[until an oficial name for it is made]

suzq044 said:

ok, this thing isnt an SUV... as some ppl have seen in the other thread, its shorter than a vibe. lol

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ok fine, vibe-in-training??

nvmysrt1838 said:

yeah!! what she said^^^. What can we call it tho. Wagon? Hatch? New CrossOver thingy that every manufactor is trying to do right now? What do you all think?

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I have the perfect name for it. UGLY!!!

srt364 said:

I have the perfect name for it. UGLY!!!

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I hearby pass the new name of the caliber to be UGLY!!! **SLAM**

watch the see that and rename it a different dodge gun.
Presenting the all new car with a memorable name the DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOODGE CCOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLTTTTT