Caliber selling out abroad
Not only is the Caliber tough to find on dealer lots in the United States, but it's also selling out in Europe as well. According to AutoWeek, Dodge woefully underestimated European demand for its hatchback replacement for the Neon, causing dealers in Europe to put people on a waiting list in excess of six months.
Many questioned whether Dodge's very American design could do well in Western Europe, but that question is now answered, with 3,238 Calibers were sold so far this year. Dodge sold just 311 vehicles in western Europe all of last year, but announced plans earlier this year to push Dodge as an international brand for the automaker.
[Source: AutoWeek]
Get a WordPress.com Blog
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
ChaoZ 6:21PM (9/07/2006)
311 cars in Western Europe all of last year?! What kind of dealer network are we talking about here, two stores?
Reply
verdegrrl 12:48PM (9/08/2006)
Read the review and you know why:
http://www.topgear.com/drives/DD/DD/roadtests/01/01.html
Reply
Martin 6:43PM (9/07/2006)
No, there are a few more stores, with most dealerships offering all three American Daimler Chrysler Brands, namely Jeep, Chrysler and Dogde.
However, traditionally Europeans tend to buy American when they want robust off-road vehicles (and not pay for the G-Wagen), so the bulk of sales always went to Jeep. Chrysler sedans always had a difficult standing against the more popular European competitors (with many Europeans preferring a 4-cylinder diesel to a V6 gasoline engine, for example), the Town and Country was kinda popular in the pre-Opel-Zafira days.
BUT the Dodge brand itself is pretty new to Europe, as Chrysler formerly didn't want to pay for the marketing expenses associated with TWO (niche) brands. So most Dodges were re-branded as Chryslers in recent years, e.g. the Chrysler Viper or the 300C station wagon (instead of the Dodge Magnum).
So the 311 cars were probably the first Vipers that were sold as Dodges, after Daimler-Chrysler decided to bring the Dogde brand to Europe.
Reply
Stphane Dumas 6:46PM (9/07/2006)
It will be interesting to see if the upcoming Dodge Avenger will attract some customers as well in Europe.
speaking of Dodge and Europe, I spotted this short mention on GMInsidenews then Fiat is interested to a joint-venture project with DCX to produce the Dodge Hornet http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36840
Reply
doug 7:15PM (9/07/2006)
Sadly, today we learn that there are stupid people in Europe, too. Who knew?
1st we export bad tv, now this! No wonder the world hates us...
Reply
tbyron 7:19PM (9/07/2006)
The last sentence of the of the Top Gear review sums it pretty accurately. "But for people who own small SUVs, and therefore clearly don't care about driving quality, the Caliber might make a weird kind of sense." The same holds true here...styling the Neon replacement along the lines of an SUV was a really smart move.
Reply
Jon 7:51PM (9/07/2006)
The packaging is pretty clever.SUV attitude in a economical vehicle.
Reply
Leroy Browh 8:05PM (9/07/2006)
So Europeans like ugly cars too - neato.
Reply
Toby 8:28PM (9/07/2006)
3200 plus is not a lot of cars. From reading the entire piece I think they hit it right on. Cheap plastics and numb steering plus lack of wheel control over sharp bumps.
Reply
7of7 8:45PM (9/07/2006)
Eh, it's a cute little car but I don't see the draw. Isn't it just a low quality Toyota Matrix ripoff? Heck, it almost looks like a Focus wagon with the weird wheel flares. I doubt Europe will have much patience for the Caliber.
Reply
Mark 8:47PM (9/07/2006)
Toby, look at European sales figures for American cars. 3200 Calibers for the less than three months the car has been on the market? That is alot.
The 311 cars Dodge sold in 2005 in Europe were all one vehicle: The Dodge Viper, sold at Chrysler dealers.
Chrysler sells the most popular American vehicles in Europe. The Chrysler Voyager (aka Town & Country), Jeep Grand Cherokee, and Jeep Cherokee (aka Liberty) are among the best selling in their class in Europe
Reply
Mitsufan 9:02PM (9/07/2006)
Nobody (who likes cars) likes the Caliber. "Interior looks like something you'd find wrapped around a microwaveable apple pie.." Those Top Gear guys are cruel.
Anyway as a Mitsubishi fan this is all good news to me, because the new Outlander (which shares the same frame) looks that much better by comparison:
"The new Outlander is so far superior to the DaimlerChrysler versions, it is difficult to believe they have, or have ever had, anything in common."
-- Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/01/AR2006090101002.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns
Reply
Mitsufan 9:05PM (9/07/2006)
Oops I meant platform not "frame". That means just the most elemental hard points and wiring are shared -- it's not like the Ford Mondeo-Jaguar rebrand or anything like that.
Reply
dave 9:24PM (9/07/2006)
mitsubishi fan? no credibility there.
Reply
Ryan 10:40AM (9/08/2006)
"14. mitsubishi fan? no credibility there."
HEY NOW!!!
Have some love for Mitsu :-)
Nothin' in better than my dream car:
1995 Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4 Twin turbo, all wheel drive, all wheel steering, hardtop convertible. MMM, that car is hot, and it has to be jet black with under 30k
Too bad they still go for 25-50k
Reply
dave 9:55PM (9/07/2006)
have no love for mitsu. yugo was a better car. do they include a tool box and chiltons manual? you're gonna need em.
Reply
Art 3:32PM (9/08/2006)
does dodge plan to release a caliber sedan? I'd do so....some people wants a salt and pepper plain 4 door
Reply
Howard Kerr 10:24PM (9/07/2006)
Keep in mind the Caliber available in Europe has a diesel engine, so it is fairly economical, and just as in the U.S. there are folks who want a car that looks different. IF the Avenger doesn't rack up big sales numbers, the Dodge brand may not make it in Europe as per a recent AutoBlog "article".
Anyone read EVO magazines short take on the Chrysler 300CDT? The 300 WAGON sold in Europe with a M-B turbo diesel V6....they said it was a great car for folks who want to make a statement about owning American but who are frightened by the gas-swilling V8s. It is nearly as quick as the 3.5 V6 we have as a base 300 engine but has tons more torque and better gas mileage numbers.
Reply
hmmmm 10:27PM (9/07/2006)
And in december DCX will be braggin to all the media outlets that sales in europe are up 10,000 percent over last year ( yawn ) so predictable..........
Reply
Brian W 10:35PM (9/07/2006)
#14 Daimlerchrysler? No credibility there either!
Make a crummy car and people flock to it, this is what hurts American car companies.
Reply