The Caliber gets away with such a designation by giving us a tall wagon body shape and capacity, but its overall profile gives it a racy hatchback shape with some coupe inspiration. A strip of black plastic (a "design graphic") running along the roof line extends st
raight back from the roof line into a high spoiler, but it also gives the rear cargo area more room while deceiving the eye to maintain the sporty rear end.
While the top half of the hatchback is curvy, the bottom half is severely upright, extending a few inches past the glass, maximizing the useful stowage area below the window line. The sheared off tail also helps the cars overall aerodynamic package, reducing drag and thereby aiding fuel efficiency.
The front end of the Caliber is dominated by Magnum-sized headlamps and a Magnum-sized grille with the outline and crosshairs of said grille picked out in chrome. The bulging wedge-shaped hood flows out of the grille and visually leads into the A-pillar and the black graphic while also providing definition for the oversized fenders. In R/T trim, the 18-inch chrome wheels look almost as aftermarket as the satin-finish-alloy 19-inchers of the concept. Almost. They still do a respectable job filling the wheel arches with little room to spare, but I'm not looking forward to seeing this vehicle on the streets with piddly little 15-inch steel wheels as standard in base trim.
The
engine range is replete with three gasoline variants for world markets and a turbodiesel slated for European markets only. North Americans get a choice of three four-cylinder engines: a 1.8-litre unit making 148-hp and 125 lb-ft of torque; a 2.0-litre unit making 158-hp and 140 lb-ft of torque; and a 2.4-litre range topper making 172-hp and 165 lb-ft of torque; not quite GTI or Si territory, but up there with the respectable Corolla XRS and Mazda3 GT. However, I have a feeling this model is at the front of the line for SRT tuning, and considering what the Street and Racing Technology team did to create the SRT-4, this all-aluminum engine, together with an AWD-ready chassis, could possibly have the next-gen Caliber-based SRT-4 creeping up on the WRXs and Evos of the motoring world. FIA World Rally series, anyone? That would definitely be a great way to get more exposure and promote Dodge's sporting character on the European stage, considering it will be the vehicle which will be used to launch Dodge on the other side of the Atlantic.
These engines were designed (and will be built) in joint venture with Mitsubishi and Hyundai, and feature advanced elements such as a modular design, meaning that many of the parts from the different displacement engines are interchangeable. Other technologies include advanced cylinder head port and intake manifold design, dual Variable Valve Timing (VVT) and an intake manifold with flow control valves. In an effort to keep you from nodding off at the keyboard, I'll spare you the details, but it's in place to lower fuel consumption while still boosting performance.
As I mentioned earlier, the Caliber will have available all-wheel
drive, which functions primarily as a front-wheel drive system that redirects torque to the rear wheels as necessary when wheel spin is detected. Better yet, the AWD system also has a predictive algorithm that calculates if conditions are likely to lead to the need for grip at all four corners and, if needed, engages all four wheels in advance of any slippage.
The other big news on the tech front is the CVT transmission, which promises 6 to 8 percent fuel savings over a traditional automatic transmission, and will help performance by keeping the engine revving in its 'sweet spot' at all times.
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| Though the Caliber is a 'tall wagon' it's coupe inspiration and low-slung look give it a racier profile. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press) |
While the top half of the hatchback is curvy, the bottom half is severely upright, extending a few inches past the glass, maximizing the useful stowage area below the window line. The sheared off tail also helps the cars overall aerodynamic package, reducing drag and thereby aiding fuel efficiency.
The front end of the Caliber is dominated by Magnum-sized headlamps and a Magnum-sized grille with the outline and crosshairs of said grille picked out in chrome. The bulging wedge-shaped hood flows out of the grille and visually leads into the A-pillar and the black graphic while also providing definition for the oversized fenders. In R/T trim, the 18-inch chrome wheels look almost as aftermarket as the satin-finish-alloy 19-inchers of the concept. Almost. They still do a respectable job filling the wheel arches with little room to spare, but I'm not looking forward to seeing this vehicle on the streets with piddly little 15-inch steel wheels as standard in base trim.
The
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| The Caliber provides impressive power out of its globally-designed engines. The base model's 1.8 provides more power than the new Honda Civic. (Photo: DaimlerChrysler Canada) |
These engines were designed (and will be built) in joint venture with Mitsubishi and Hyundai, and feature advanced elements such as a modular design, meaning that many of the parts from the different displacement engines are interchangeable. Other technologies include advanced cylinder head port and intake manifold design, dual Variable Valve Timing (VVT) and an intake manifold with flow control valves. In an effort to keep you from nodding off at the keyboard, I'll spare you the details, but it's in place to lower fuel consumption while still boosting performance.
As I mentioned earlier, the Caliber will have available all-wheel
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| Electromagnetic AWD and a CVT gearbox are two new optional technologies that put power to pavement in an efficient way. (Photo: DaimlerChrysler Canada) |
The other big news on the tech front is the CVT transmission, which promises 6 to 8 percent fuel savings over a traditional automatic transmission, and will help performance by keeping the engine revving in its 'sweet spot' at all times.