The Dodge Dart is shaping up to be quite the global vehicle: it will wear the badge of an American automaker, ride on an Italian platform and utilize a transmission from South Korea’s Hyundai .
John Krafcik, Hyundai Motor America CEO, has confirmed to Car and Driver that his company will supply Chrysler with a six-speed automatic gearbox for use in the upcoming Dart. While at first glance the transmission arrangement might seem a bit strange, it actually makes sense on several levels.
Chrysler and Hyundai were both members of the now-dissolved Global Engine Manufacturing Alliance and co-developed the 2.0- and 2.4-liter four-cylinder engines that are used (in different tunes) in the Dart as well as several Hyundai vehicles with the six-speed auto in question. So not only do the two automakers have a history of working together, that very history ensures that Hyundai’s transmission should hook up relatively easily to the Dart.
What We Know So Far
The Dart will hit dealerships during the second quarter of 2012 with a starting price of $15,995.
Breaking the mold of the typical compact sedan, the Dart comes loaded with technology, including an 8.4-inch touch screen located in the car’s center stack and a fully customizable seven-inch TFT display located within the gauges. A Garmin-supplied navigation system is optional, and Dart buyers can also opt for things like a backup camera and cross-traffic warning system.
The Dart will also be highly customizable, offering 12 exterior colors, 14 trim and color combinations on the interior and six different wheel options.
Some up-scale options will also be available, such as HID-headlights and a 506-watt sound system.
Familiar looks
Although based on an Alfa Romeo platform, the Dart derives its styling from the Dodge stable — particularly from the Charger. Up front, we can see the company’s trademark cross-hair grille, which blends into swept-back headlamps that are less conventional than those seen on the Charger. Those Charger influence continue at the rear of the car with an LED taillight setup and available dual exhaust.
The Dart rides on Fiat’s Compact U.S. Wide architecture, which initially debuted on the Alfa Romeo Giulietta. Boasting what Dodge says is an industry-topping 68 percent high strength steel content, the platform is likely to be very stiff and rigid. Dodge says that the Dart will ride on a fully independent suspension and will offer 18-inch wheels as an option.
All-new powertrain
Under its hood, the Dart will offer three 16-valve four-cylinder engine choices: A pair of new 2.0 and 2.4-liter engines codenamed Tigershark and a Fiat-developed 1.4-liter turbocharged MultiAir four-cylinder. The 2.4-liter Tigershark engine will also feature Fiat’s MultiAir technology, the same combustion-optimizing design used in the Fiat 500.
The 2.0L will produce 160 horsepower, matching the total of the 1.4L turbo engine. The larger 2.4L engine will offer 184 horsepower.
Although a new nine-speed automatic gearbox was expected, the Dart will be offered exclusively with six-cogs. Buyers can choose between a six-speed manual, six-speed automatic or a new six-speed dual dry clutch transmission. Dodge says the Dart will be capable of hitting 40mpg on the highway, but failed to reveal which powertrain combination would achieve that rating.
The 2013 Dodge Dart will be built at Chrysler’s Belvidere, Illinois, assembly plant, a facility that currently puts together its Jeep Patriot and Compass models.
Live photos by Chris Doane
