Hornet the Perfect Entry-Level Car for Canadian and European Buyers
What car does DaimlerChrysler Canada want for the Canadian market? According to Steven J. Landry, President and CEO of
DaimlerChrysler Canada, the subcompact Dodge Hornet that wowed Geneva auto show-goers in February, would be the ideal concept to put into production.
"I feel the Dodge Hornet would be the perfect vehicle for Canada," commented Landry while speaking at a Vancouver Board of Trade luncheon on Wednesday. "We're looking for ways to affordably bring this vehicle to Canada in the near future."
With small cars making up 47 percent of new car sales in Canada, the more
small cars an automaker has to offer the stronger its sales will be. Therefore, the fact that Landry was all smiles when announcing that the new compact Dodge Caliber five-door is getting kudos from auto journalists and attention from customers alike, after only 30 days on the market, makes a great deal of sense.
The DCX Canada boss will likely have reason to keep smiling, as Chrysler Group will soon be launching two new compact Jeep models in the Canadian market, the city-slicker Compass and slightly more rough-and-ready Patriot, both which ride on the same Caliber platform, and due to their convenient size and good expected fuel economy, should reach an all-new urban buyer.
Still, while the
compact class is heating up in all markets around the world due to higher fuel costs, the subcompact segment, especially experiencing resurgence in North America, may soon get hotter. New models from Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, General Motors, Suzuki, and soon Nissan, are contesting for younger first-time buyers as well as those on fixed incomes, and despite the Caliber offering greater size, more power and some pretty trick features for a price that comes close to subcompact five-doors, for some its thirstier, larger displacement engine will be a drawback. This leaves room for something smaller, something like the Hornet.
Interestingly, the time may be ripe for Auburn Hills to make a move down market.
Previously, it just didn't make sense. Americans don't particularly like tiny subcompacts unless they have mega-appeal, such as BMW's MINI Cooper, but $3.00+ per gallon pump prices are starting to affect the buying habits of those less affluent, making a strong business case for the Hornet.
Making a stronger case is the European equation. Chrysler Group has been selling various Chrysler and Jeep models in Europe for a fairly long time, but in nominal numbers. Recently, the Dodge brand was added to the European mix, and to that end the Caliber goes on sale across the Atlantic this summer. Something like the Hornet would be an ideal entry vehicle for Dodge overseas, as the Caliber may still be considered relatively large in comparison to popular compact models currently available in that market. Still, Chrysler Group is conservatively bullish about itsprospects outside ofNorth America , expectingto sell 20,000 units next year.
"I think in the international business we can sell over20,000 Calibers next year," Thomas Hausch, Chrysler's director ofinternational sales and marketing, told reporters at a presentation of the carinSpain
What car does DaimlerChrysler Canada want for the Canadian market? According to Steven J. Landry, President and CEO of
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| DCX Canada CEO Steven Landry thinks the Hornet would be ideal for Canada. (Photo: DaimlerChrysler Canada) |
"I feel the Dodge Hornet would be the perfect vehicle for Canada," commented Landry while speaking at a Vancouver Board of Trade luncheon on Wednesday. "We're looking for ways to affordably bring this vehicle to Canada in the near future."
With small cars making up 47 percent of new car sales in Canada, the more
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| Jeep has two lightweight models on the way, targeting an entirely new young urban customer. (Photo: DaimlerChrysler Canada) |
The DCX Canada boss will likely have reason to keep smiling, as Chrysler Group will soon be launching two new compact Jeep models in the Canadian market, the city-slicker Compass and slightly more rough-and-ready Patriot, both which ride on the same Caliber platform, and due to their convenient size and good expected fuel economy, should reach an all-new urban buyer.
Still, while the
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| A resurgence of compacts such as the new Honda Fit are changing the way North Americans drive. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press) |
Interestingly, the time may be ripe for Auburn Hills to make a move down market.
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| The time may be ripe for Auburn Hills to make a move down market, and something along the lines of the Hornet would suit the bill. (Photo: DaimlerChrysler Canada) |
Making a stronger case is the European equation. Chrysler Group has been selling various Chrysler and Jeep models in Europe for a fairly long time, but in nominal numbers. Recently, the Dodge brand was added to the European mix, and to that end the Caliber goes on sale across the Atlantic this summer. Something like the Hornet would be an ideal entry vehicle for Dodge overseas, as the Caliber may still be considered relatively large in comparison to popular compact models currently available in that market. Still, Chrysler Group is conservatively bullish about itsprospects outside of
"I think in the international business we can sell over20,000 Calibers next year," Thomas Hausch, Chrysler's director ofinternational sales and marketing, told reporters at a presentation of the carin