2005 Dodge Nitro Concept

Hints of the Nitro's "Anodized Red" exterior paint scheme carries over to the interior, but instead of paint the distinctive hue

Hints of the Nitro's "Anodized Red" exterior paint scheme carries over to the interior. (Photo: DaimlerChrysler Canada)

adorns the leather seat inserts, door panels, and lower dash. Chrome and brushed silver brightwork deliver a fresh, contemporary environment, while matte black plastic surfaces are an ideal contrast.

I like the three-pod, four-gauge instrument panel, which includes white dial faces that incidentally feature electroluminescent lighting. Red pointers and a silver accent band enhance the design.

The first thing my eyes gravitated to, mind you, was the satin silver centre stack and console. The stack is substantial, similar to that on a Durango's dash, but it appears higher in tactile quality. Large, beautifully detailed knobs and buttons should make actuation while wearing winter gloves possible, important in the colder climes where SUVs are most

The first thing my eyes gravitated to was the satin silver centre stack and console. (Photo: DaimlerChrysler Canada)

popular. Perched up top is a seven-inch fixed LED monitor connecting to a DVD-based navigation system.

The seats, with their bright red inserts, are trimmed in black leather just about everywhere else, excepting the headrest centres that feature black webbing, and adjustment handles once again highlighted with brushed silver trim.

It must have taken a great deal of willpower for the Nitro's powertrain team to keep from stuffing a 5.7-litre HEMI V8 under the hood, but the fact that a stock 210-horsepower 3.7-litre V6 with 235 lb-ft of torque was chosen for this concept is a pretty good sign that it might be more than merely a flight of fancy.