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300-horse Dodge Caliber SRT-4! We have a Caliber discussion forum - click here. The Caliber is closely related to the Jeep Compass and Patriot. As for quality, well, Belvedere now has team-based production, and COO Eric Ridenour attended the launch review at the plant; many issues were examined, and suppliers were on hand to address quality concerns in their parts. Supplier issues have given a number of past Chrysler vehicles, including the Cirrus, an initial black eye.
      
The 2007 Dodge Caliber starts at $13,985 (including a $560 destination charge), $410 below the outgoing Dodge Neon (but without all those rebates, so in reality it will cost more). The 2007 Dodge Caliber will be available in global volume markets outside the US in the second quarter of 2006; it will eventually be sold in 100 countries, according to Chrysler. While the Caliber is neither as slippery as the first-generation Neon (cd = 0.375 vs the Neon’s .0328), nor as light, it has more cargo space, more passenger room, and higher safety and emissions standards. The base model gets lower EPA ratings than the 1995-99 or 2004-05 Neon stick-shift models (29/38), but in real life it may do better, thanks to variable-valve technology (both intake and exhaust) and, for automatic buyers, the continuously variable transmission. By comparison, incidentally, the Toyota Corolla automatic gets 30 city, 38 highway with 126 hp; or 26 city, 34 highway with the 164 hp XRS and a stick, but the Corolla is much lighter (and possibly smaller). The Caliber SRT-4 blasts the XRS out of the water, but is rated at the same acceleration as the Neon SRT-4; it is probably safer and easier to drive, though. “Dodge Caliber is not your typical small car,” said George Murphy, Senior Vice President—Global Marketing. “The all-new Dodge Caliber redefines the compact car by combining crossover styling with space-efficient packaging, interior flexibility, innovative features and affordable performance. Caliber allows owners around the globe to be active, do more and stand out—to live life to the fullest, and do so at a very competitive price.” The Caliber’s wheelbase is between the first and second generation Neons, at 103.7 inches. It is just a little (1.4 inches) wider, and is only 4.4 inches taller (60.4 inches), though it looks much higher due to its styling. The Caliber has seven inches of ground clearance; the Jeep Compass has eight. “Dodge Caliber’s spacious interior also is very versatile,” said Matt Liddane, Chief Engineer—Dodge Caliber. “We combined style and comfort with innovative features and clever packaging to create a vehicle that gives new meaning to functionality in the compact car market.”
Dodge Caliber is full of interior features rarely found on entry-level compact vehicles, including (many of these are optional):
Dodge Caliber’s powertrain and drive systems offer many Chrysler Group firsts in the compact car market. Dodge Caliber is the first Chrysler vehicle to offer a second-generation Continuously Variable Transaxle (CVT2), and the first Chrysler compact to have all wheel drive and electronic stability control with traction control (late availability). A 2.0-liter turbo diesel engine is available outside North America. Unusual options available in some locations and on some models (apparently not in Canada - sorry!) include stability control (ESP), see below.
Three World Engines offerings (1.8-, 2.0- and 2.4-liter) provide class-leading horsepower (148 hp, 158 hp and 172 hp, respectively). Chrysler engineers met aggressive performance and fuel economy targets through advanced cylinder head port and intake manifold design. Technologies in the Chrysler Group World Engine include dual Variable Valve Timing (VVT) and intake manifold design with flow control valves, firsts for a Chrysler Group compact car. Combined, these features produce more power, better fuel economy and smoother, quieter operation than engines without them. The 1.8 liter engine is only offered with a five-speed manual transmission, while the larger engines come only with the CVT. Reportedly the 2.4 will come with a stick late in the year. Dodge Caliber’s CVT2 is a second-generation CVT that Chrysler Group engineers have calibrated for pleasing engine response, precise ratio control and an AutoStick® feature that allows for manual control with the simulation of six stepped gears. CVT2 contributes to a fuel economy improvement of 6-8 percent compared with a traditional 4-speed automatic. Dodge Caliber is the Chrysler Group’s first compact car with available electromagnetically controlled all-wheel drive with variable torque output, which gives customers year-round assurance, added performance and seamless, automatic operation. In addition to its global powertrain, Dodge Caliber meets safety, feature and convenience standards in markets around the world. To ensure its success in global volume markets, Caliber will launch outside North America with both right- and left-hand drive models and an available turbo diesel engine. Dodge Caliber also meets and complies with all regulatory requirements, as well as off-set crash tests in Europe and Australia and front-impact compliance for Japan and Australia. Dodge Caliber’s manual and automatic transaxle shifters are packaged in the center stack instead of the floor console, which is more common in Japanese and European markets. The Caliber’s transaxle also has been upgraded to provide excellent shift quality and shift effort that is as smooth as any compact car on the road today.
At a U.S. MSRP of $13,985 (including $560 destination charge), the Dodge Caliber SE includes a standard 148-horsepower 1.8-liter engine coupled with a five-speed manual transaxle. Other standard equipment includes standard side-curtain air bags, a vinyl load floor, auxiliary radio input jack, electrically lit front cup holders, 12-volt power outlet, a center console sliding armrest that moves forward 3 inches to accommodate shorter drivers. The armrest lid features a unique flip pocket for storing a cell phone or an MP3 player. Additional standard features include body color grille and fascias and black door handles, flexible 60/40 split-fold rear seats, manual windows and locks, fabric seats, tilt steering wheel, dome and cargo lights and 15-inch wheels and tires. Optional features include a 158-horsepower 2.0-liter World Engine coupled with the second-generation CVT2 (which includes standard anti-lock brakes), six-disc radio with cassette and MP3 CD play capability, Power Group (which includes driver one-touch power window, power locks, remote keyless entry and power mirrors), body color liftgate appliqué, air conditioning, Chill Zone®, integrated instrument panel beverage cooler, speed control, SIRIUS Satellite Radio, Uconnect™ hands-free communication system, trailer tow group, floor mats and MusicGate Power. Dodge Caliber SXT adds to the base SE model 60/40 rear seats that both fold flat and recline, a fold-flat front passenger seat, a dual-purpose re-chargeable/removable interior lamp, map light, air conditioning, Chill Zone® tachometer, power windows, mirrors and door locks, remote keyless entry, 110-volt electrical outlet in the center console, manual seat height adjuster, floor mats, bright silver IP bezels and switches. The Dodge Caliber SXT’s exterior features standard black dual power mirrors, body-color body-side molding, chrome grille and 17-inch wheels and wheel covers. Options on the Dodge Caliber SXT beyond those offered on the SE model include a 2.0-liter engine coupled with the CVT2, leather steering wheel with radio control options, heated seats, power sunroof, fog lamps, 17-inch aluminum wheels, a Security Group (which includes tonneau cover, alarm and air filtration system) and a Driver Convenience Group (which includes compass and temperature gauge, universal garage door opener, electrochromic mirror and tire pressure monitor) and a Leather Interior Group (which includes leather seats, heated front seats and manual lumbar adjuster). A Sport Package also is available on the SXT model and includes fog lamps, 17-inch aluminum wheels and a Sport Appearance Package (which includes cloth seats with colored inserts, color-keyed PRNDL and instrument panel bezels). The Dodge Caliber R/T with all-wheel drive features a standard 172-horsepower 2.4-liter World Engine with dual VVT coupled with CVT2, anti-lock brakes, AutoStick, a sport-suspension, performance steering and 18-inch aluminum wheels. In addition to the standard features on the SE and SXT models, standard features on the Dodge Caliber R/T include leather steering wheel with radio controls, tonneau cover, premium fabric seats, silver bezels on the instrument panel and chrome interior door handles. The Dodge Caliber R/T’s exterior features a chrome grille, body-color lower fascias, body-color sill moldings, chrome plated body-side moldings, body-color door handles and fog lamps. An optional feature on the Dodge Caliber R/T models equipped with all-wheel drive, beyond those offered on the SXT, include 18-inch chrome wheels. All 2007 Dodge Caliber models will be available in red, orange, marine and steel blue, silver, black, and white. All models feature a two-tone interior color theme of dark and lighter shades of gray or beige. An optional Sport Appearance Package includes gray with red, yellow, orange or blue seat inserts that coordinate with the exterior color, center stack and shifter bezels. Production of the Dodge Caliber begins in early 2006 at the newly refurbished Belvidere (Ill.) Assembly Plant. The new four-cylinder World Engines for this vehicle are built in the state-of-the art Global Engine Manufacturing Assembly (GEMA) plant in Dundee, Michigan. The engine idles very quietly, even when it’s moving. Size-wise, the Caliber is similar to the Matrix, though it seems a bit wider and lower — like the Commander, it looks taller than it is; it isn’t all that high but seems to have nice interior space. Inside it looks like other recent Dodges, with dull, thick chrome rings around the gauges; it's not far from the Charger overall. According to “oh20,” volume production started January 9, with a single shift making 2,600 Calibers per week. As of March, another shift was being used, for 5,000 cars per week. As with the Neon, the Caliber will benefit from a long model year of 18 months - the 2007s will be made starting in January 2006 - and 2008s will start showing up in August 2007. Chrysler actually believes they will sell 370,000 Calibers in that time (18 months), which would make it considerably hotter than the Neon currently is (around 120,000 per year). By comparison, the 1995 Neon, which sold starting in January 1994, ran to 112,511 Dodges and 89,607 Plymouths, barely exceeding 200,000 units. (Just for fun, we checked on 1974 Plymouth Duster figures and found 277,409 were sold - along with 127,430 Valiants, 51,000 Scamps, a few thousand Broughams and Duster 360s, and a slew of Dodge equivalents!). We don't know about the diesel, but the gasoline-powered Caliber is reportedly very quiet from the outside, the engine barely making noise at all; which speaks well for the high-tech engine inside.
The Caliber is certainly an international and multibrand vehicle, with one series of engine designed in at least three nations by three different companies; a Mercedes variable valve system, Nissan-subsidiary-supplied transmission (JATCO is almost entirely owned by Nissan), and Chrysler vehicle platform and general design - albeit based on a Mitsubishi platform that we'd assume uses Mercedes stability control systems.
Our source really came through — the Caliber is exactly what we were told it would be. Some of the more exciting items that were predicted: the Volkswagen diesel (for Europe, or so we’re told), and the continuously variable transmission calibrated to act like a six-speed automatic, as well as the choice of two or four wheel drive and the World Engine in three different configurations. Our 'Cuda-fan source was also right when he said, “The Caliber pictures are 98% identical to what the pilots look like! The aluminum wheels are wider on the 5 spokes, and there are lookalike wheel covers for the base car. We built the last PM49 pilot. This one is a export with a diesel. This motor should be available in the U.S. also. It's a Volkswagen diesel with a 6-speed manual! The block has 1.9/2.0 L cast in, with a Garrett turbo. Several Bosch components on the motor, with VW and Audi symbols on them! This one was only 2WD/FWD. Most of the last of the PMs have been AWD!”
oh20 wrote that the European Caliber will be released with these features:
We were expecting the name Rebel to win out, because it won an employee contest; some sarcastic observers suggested that the treatment of the name (discarded) shows what Chrysler thinks of employee opinions. Rebel might have been applied to a now-cancelled coupe or sedan version. Several sources said the Caliber would be the only Neon replacement, with one saying, “Chrysler put all their eggs on the mini-SUV thing. They are obsessed with the Toyota Matrix,” apparently ignoring the sales of the Matrix - far below the Corolla sedan. Chrysler may be thinking of the Echo as well; it seems to be doing better in "cute-ute" versions, but sales are still low compared with the Corolla.
Presumably the PT version will show up a year later; a new PT is set up for 2006 so the Caliber-based replacement can wait a while. See this link for the Dodge Caliber concept car. All-Wheel-Drive System: Electromagnetic coupling works on demand, driving only the front wheels until power to the rear wheels is needed. All-wheel drive is also used on dry pavement between speeds of 25 and 65 mph to enhance handling during performance driving. The system provides added traction in the snow, ice and other low-traction surfaces automatically and seamlessly without having to be switched on and off. Electronic Stability Program (ESP) enhances driver control and helps maintain directional stability under all conditions. It provides the greatest benefit in critical driving situations such as turns and emergency lane changes, and is especially valuable when driving on mixed surface conditions such as snow, ice or gravel. If there’s a discernible difference between what the driver asks through the steering and the vehicle’s path, ESP applies selective braking and throttle input to put the vehicle back onto the driver’s intended path. (late availability) All-Speed Traction Control System: Senses drive-wheel slip and applies individual brakes to the slipping wheel(s) and can reduce excess engine power until traction is regained. Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS): Senses and prevents wheel lockup, offering improved steering control under extreme braking and/or slippery conditions. All-Season Tires: Provide enhanced traction in a variety of conditions including rain, snow and ice. MOPAR®
Winter Accessories Available: In North America, Dodge Caliber will draw from the compact and mid-size car segments and appeal to first-time new car purchasers, including those whose first car may have been used. It also will draw from the small and mid-size sport-tourer segments. The compact car segment has held at a steady 10- to 12-percent share of the U.S. car market for the past few years, with approximately 1.9 million units sold annually. The sport-tourer segment is growing, with more than 800,000 units sold each year. Small sport-tourer sales account for 40 percent of the total sport-tourer segment and also continue to grow. With the all-new Caliber, Dodge is targeting 20-something first-time new car buyers who earn a median income of $45,000. Thirty-five percent are college graduates. Dodge Caliber is also designed to appeal to forty-something parents buying a car for their children. These parents demand safety and consider the cost of ownership before buying a vehicle. Outside North America, Caliber will spearhead the Dodge brand’s expansion into Europe and other global volume markets as a boldly styled, affordable entry into the competitive C-segment.
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