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Dodge has revealed a production version of the Dodge Caliber at the Detroit Auto Show, the vehicle that will launch the brand in Australia in the third quarter of 2006, taking a new slant on the global compact car market.

The Dodge Caliber redefines the compact car category by combining high value with bold styling and a flexible interior. It is designed to appeal to owners who want Dodge attitude packaged with the capability and versatility of a sport-utility vehicle and the affordability and fuel-efficiency of a compact car.

With a sporty coupe-like profile, the Caliber has a distinctive crossbar grille front end and will be available with a range of fuel efficient four cylinder engines.

“The Dodge Caliber is not your typical small car,” said Gerry Jenkins, managing director, Chrysler Jeep Australia.

“Caliber will appeal to owners looking for a compact car that stands out from the crowd and gives them the flexibility to do more in terms of seating friends and gear.

“The compact car segment is competitive, but our research tells us that customers are tired of the bland offerings in this segment. The Dodge Caliber is boldly designed but will also deliver with affordable pricing, European-style handling and fuel-efficient engines,” said Jenkins.

The 2007 Dodge Caliber will arrive in Chrysler dealerships around Australia in the third quarter of 2006. Pricing will be confirmed closer to launch.

Room to grow
Dodge Caliber will draw from the small and mid-size car segments. The small car segment has been consistently growing in recent years and is expected to continue to do so. With 215,324 registrations in 2005, the small car segment grew by 19 per cent year-over-year accounting for over 35 per cent of total passenger cars sales in Australia.

‘Pure Dodge’ design
Dodge Caliber is a five-door vehicle that combines a sporty coupe-like profile with the strength, stance and functionality of an SUV. Caliber's sheer surface treatment commands attention and evokes attributes that define the Dodge brand: bold, powerful, capable and street smart.

“With its bold styling and clever packaging, Caliber is pure Dodge,” said Trevor Creed, Senior Vice President—Design, Chrysler Group.

“The Dodge Caliber brings emotion to the competitive compact car segment,” Creed added.

There is no mistaking Caliber. The all-new compact car has Dodge’s imprint stamped into its DNA from the grille to the tail pipe. The signature crosshair grille gives Caliber the distinct face of Dodge and defines its strong, muscular front view.

Strong, sculpted fender forms, broad shoulders and a distinctive hood give Caliber its proud, powerful stance. Large, crystal headlamps and available fog lamps complement the Dodge grille and create an integrated look that completes Caliber's sporty appearance.

A black graphic design accent, which runs the length of the roof, melds into an integrated rear-roof spoiler, creating a coupe-like visual quality from the side view. New and unique glass-to-body proportions give the Dodge Caliber a tough, protective presence, and the forward sweep of the tailgate further emphasizes Caliber's sporty profile.

The rear view of the Dodge Caliber is as distinctive and powerful as the front. The black roof spoiler with integrated center high-mounted stop lamp and large modular crystal taillamps fill Caliber’s rear corners and provide distinct focal points of the Caliber’s rear-view design. Dodge’s “do more” philosophy is evident in Caliber's rear liftgate, which provides easy access to the vehicle’s spacious interior.

Fun features and flexibility
Customer demand for a compact vehicle with a lot of interior flexibility and utility had a big influence on Dodge Caliber’s interior, which provides comfortable seating for the driver and up to four passengers, plus room for gear.

“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 available innovative interior features including:

• MusicGate Power.® A nine-speaker Boston Acoustics premium sound system with subwoofer that includes two articulating speakers packaged in the liftgate. When the liftgate is open, the speakers can swing down from the trim panel to face rearward for outdoor picnics and other activities
• A self-recharging removable flashlight, which is mounted in the headliner above the cargo area, can snap out of the bezel to serve as a flashlight
• Chill Zone.® A cooled beverage storage bin that can hold up to four 590 ml. bottles or cans
• Illuminated front cup holders rings that glow blue-green to match other centre stack lighting
• A front passenger seat that folds forward to create a table-like surface for versatility
• A washable and removable vinyl load floor in the rear cargo area

World-class engineering
As a car destined for global markets, the 2007 Dodge Caliber features innovative new engines and transaxles to deliver world-class performance, fuel economy and refinement, no matter where the road leads.

Dodge Caliber’s powertrain and drive systems offer many Chrysler Group firsts in the compact car market. Whilst the exact engine line-up for Australia is yet to be confirmed, Dodge Caliber offers a range of petrol World Engines and a second-generation Continuously Variable Transaxle (CVT2). A 2.0-litre turbo diesel engine is also under investigation for Australia.

The World Engine petrol offerings (1.8-litre, 2.0-litre and 2.4-litre) provide class-leading power (103kW, 110kW and 125kW, respectively). Chrysler Group 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.

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 per cent compared with a traditional 4-speed automatic.

Built for global appeal
Dodge Caliber will be available in close to 100 countries outside North America, which led designers and engineers to consider global market demands when developing this all-new compact car.

In addition to its global powertrain, Dodge Caliber meets safety, feature and convenience standards in markets around the world.

2007 Dodge Caliber production
Production of the Dodge Caliber will take place 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.

Dodge brand
Dodge sold more than 1.4 million vehicles worldwide in 2004. With a 6.9 percent market share, Dodge is the fifth largest nameplate in the United States and will arrive in European volume segments in 2006 with the international launch of the Dodge Caliber.

Global Engine Manufacturing Alliance (GEMA)
The World Engine is family of world-class four-cylinder engines produced by GEMA in Dundee, Mich., delivering an exceptional combination of quality, fuel efficiency, refinement and performance. GEMA is owned equally by DaimlerChrysler Corp., Mitsubishi Motors Corp. and Hyundai Motor Company. By optimising the three joint venture partners’ strengths, global economies of scale and the latest practices in flexible teams and machines, GEMA aims to set a new benchmark in engine plant productivity.