Concept cars

2005 Dodge Caliber Concept

February 17, 2005

When Chrysler pulls the plug on the Neon in Europe (marketed as a Chrysler there), predicted to be sometime in the next year, the

The Caliber concept is a representation of what a car manufacturer can do when in sync with a target marketplace. (Photo: DaimlerChrysler Canada)

only American representation in the C-Segment will be from the Dodge Caliber. Its prospective market is the largest segment in Europe, and as the first vehicle to wear the Dodge horns, it will single-handedly form the reputation of the brand for future vehicles and generations. Talk about pressure!

But first appearances, at least, make it look up to the task. The Caliber concept is a representation of what a car manufacturer can do when in sync with a target marketplace. The adaptation of practicality, an advanced turbodiesel engine and a European-flavoured chassis make it perfect for its surroundings, but as a result, it's not necessarily in tune with what Americans are looking for, and thus its sale here is unlikely. The fact that the compact Dodge hatch will be built alongside European Chrysler 300s and Jeep

Dodge intends to use the same GS platform to build the next-generation SX 2.0/Neon, which will resemble the Caliber in spirit, if not in the flesh. (Photo: DaimlerChrysler Canada)

Grand Cherokees, in Graz, Austria, makes this point quite clear.

While an American company building a car for exclusive European sale seems a foreign concept, it's not the first time that this has happened. Chrysler currently builds the 300 Touring, a European-only station wagon variant of the 300, while Cadillac is set to launch a 3-Series-sized sedan for European sale.

Instead of bringing the Caliber across the Atlantic, Dodge intends to use the same GS platform to build the next-generation SX 2.0/Neon, which will resemble the Caliber in spirit, if not in the flesh. Look for it, and a compact SUV spinoff, to appear sometime in 2007.

Specifications