In Toledo, Nitro is A-Go!
The Dodge Nitro received the green light from DaimlerChrysler back in 2005 to be produced as a 2007 model. Now, sibling blog Blogging Ohio posts that production of the SUV has began at Toledo's Jeep Liberty plant. The Nitro will be the first non-Jeep vehicle made there since production of the Dodge Dakota ended in 1995. The American/German automaker spent $100 million to expand the plant resulting in the addition of 750 employees and 150 robots. Currently, there are no details on price, nor any information about how many SUVs will be produced at the plant.
Related:
Spy Shots: Dodge Nitro's accidental sneak peek
Chicago Auto Show: Dodge launches 2007 Nitro
[Source: WNWO-TV via Ohio News Network via Blogging Ohio]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
CARGOOD 4:54PM (5/19/2008)
I THINK THAT IT IS COMFORTABLE AND QUITE ROOMIE MYSELF. BUT I GUESS THAT IS ALL ABOUT WHAT YOU DO AND DO NOT LIKE.
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Chris 2:13AM (8/09/2006)
Saw one driving on I-96 here in Michigan and wow is it UGLY!
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courtstonewood 2:11PM (8/09/2006)
Is it just me or what, but I dont like it. The front is why too flat and boxy.
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Jason 2:11PM (8/09/2006)
I'd like to upgrade Chris' opinion and promote the description to FUGLY.
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Michael Karesh 2:17PM (8/09/2006)
I think it will sell very well to anyone who would like a Hummer but needs a cheaper, more practical vehicle. Even these days I think this will be quite a few people.
Forum for the Dodge Nitro:
http://www.dodge-nitro.com/dodge-nitro/index.php
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Justin 2:18PM (8/09/2006)
I've seen one driving around Las Vegas lately...I took a picture, but it came out bad. In front of it was the new Wrangler Unlimited. I guess it was some final hot weather testing, as the temp was near 105-110.
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Jason 2:32PM (8/09/2006)
If I wanted a Hummer and could not afford one, I'd either go small and get a Jeep TJ, or get a Nissan Xterra if I wanted a "normal" sized SUV. Assuming the goal here is to actually climb over some rocks and such.
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SherbornSean 2:37PM (8/09/2006)
When you bring a new vehicle to market, you really have to answer the question: "what exactly is unique and special that will cause people to buy this vehicle over what is in the marketplace today?"
I haven't seen anything from DCX to show answer that question. OK, it's the Dodge version of the Liberty, an aging cute ute. So what? The RAV4 is all new, the new CRV is a few weeks away, even the Equinox has gotten good reviews.
If you say it's tougher than the Liberty, aren't you endangering the Jeep brand, which has enough problems given concerns about Compass wimpiness? If you say it's more sophisticated, you had better have superior ride/handling to CRV and Forrester, which is a high hurdle to cross.
I just don't get where DCX is headed here, or with the upcoming Aspen introduction as well. I think the development money would have been better spent keeping their minivans and Ram competitive. If they lose big volume in those categories, they are sunk.
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Howard Kerr 2:48PM (8/09/2006)
As an alternative to a Liberty, this isn't so bad. It's not even hard to consider this as a decent competitor to the Escape. But as it was pointed out by SherbornSean....what's so special about this to merit it's production? Is there anything offered by Dodge with the Nitro, that improves on the Liberty?
This looks sort of like Jeep's Compass in that it was conceived to make an assembly plant more productive.
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Kowell 2:50PM (8/09/2006)
God this bastard is ugly...
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Tom 2:56PM (8/09/2006)
Being from toledo, I saw the same one twice last weekend. Obviously it was a pre-production model, but I must say I thought it looked cool. Probably because it is new, the Liberty is long in the tool anyway.
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Rob 2:57PM (8/09/2006)
ugly. that is all.
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PJ 3:01PM (8/09/2006)
You forgot one thing, Sean: image. People who buy the Nitro will do so because they like that it looks tough, and--most likely--because they'll buy into the attitude-and-intimidation pitch that dominates Dodge marketing. Plus, unlike a Hummer, they can afford it.
Though I'm hardly a fan of this automotive aesthetic, loads of Americans are, especially those who like the idea of driving an SUV. You see them here on Autoblog. They'll see a picture of the RAV4, CR-V, or Forester, label it "girly," and consider an opinion formed, regardless of those vehicle's superior dynamics and technical sophistication.
I'd put money on the Nitro being a hit, at least initially. Dodge took a similar tack with the butch-looking Caliber, and it's selling great for an otherwise-uncompetitive vehicle.
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TriShield 3:03PM (8/09/2006)
Extremely well executed styling.
It's a shame the current Durango never looked that good or uniform. I hope it does well in the face of high fuel prices.
To those screaming "UGLY", you'd rather drive a yawn-inducing, unoriginal, cookie-cutter design like an Escape or CR-V?
If I'm going to drive a vehicle that consumes fuel at a copious rate, it'd better have style. Lots of it.
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Michael Karesh 3:05PM (8/09/2006)
The Nitro is not just a Liberty rebadge. It's quite a bit longer, and should have a substantially roomier rear seat and cargo area.
The Aspen is MUCH harder to explain. It's going nowhere.
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Banker VP 3:38PM (8/09/2006)
There needs to be some serious education on what a rebadge is. Michael Karesh...a rebadge is where you take the same car and change the badging, grills etc. and sell it as a different car at a related brand. The Nitro and Liberty are examples of platform sharing. The two share no exterior body panels, they are different sized and have different engine options. The interiors share nothing in terms of layout or even steering wheels. This is a vehicle that shares a platform with the Jeep Liberty. Not a badge engineered job like the Chevy Cobal/Pontiac G5 or the Toyota Land Cruiser/Lexus LX 470. Those two are examples of badge engineering - Get your facts in order before you bash a car you have not driven yet. If you don't like the looks that is fine.. but it is not a Liberty.
Now... the Aspen is a rebadge. No argument there.
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SherbornSean 3:40PM (8/09/2006)
PJ: you make a good point image is very important to SUV buyers, and before I make fun of them, I should probably look in the mirror. My wife drives an MDX (and not an Odyssey) because she preferred the image of an "SUV" to a minivan, even though we have 3 kids.
Yes, I know, calling an Acura an SUV is a stretch...
Michael K: I've seen enough of your writing to know that you know what you're talking about, so I'll take your word that the Nitro's length is a good thing.
I just have to wonder how many people walked out of a Jeep dealiership thinking "if only they took the Liberty, stretched the wheelbase and made it look like a Dodge version of the H4 then I would buy one tomorrow."
I bet this is something that will do well for the first 3-6 months while they are advertising it, and then sales will shrivel up. At least the hood looks long enogh to hold the $4,000 DCX will have to stick on it!
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SherbornSean 3:49PM (8/09/2006)
Banker VP,
I agree with what you posted, but Michael said the Nitro is NOT just a rebadge of the Liberty!
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Banker VP 3:53PM (8/09/2006)
SherbornSean and MichaelK - you are right... sorry. The rebadge issue is a hot button of mine.
I need another valium here.
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submachine 4:05PM (8/09/2006)
Surely the people calling the Nitro "ugly" do not drive SUV's (probably out of fear), because it is one of the best looking models out there.
Add an SRT V8 and its the best, period.
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