Autoblog

You're right Nick. Why these Mopar people constantly screw up a potential huge success with a brain fart just can't be explained. Prowler-no V8, Crossfire-no V8, now this and the Caliber with wrong end drive. They DESERVE to go under. A-holes.

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i agree, this is pathetic.
dont even bother chrysler. if you cant do it right, then just forget we ever asked.

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Stupid. And then they'll wonder why it doesn't sell.

Hell, even GM figured out that a roadster needs to be RWD.

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Jesus. FWD *and* a Chery platform? I don't think I could have come up with a better plan for sports-car failure if I tried.

I guess they could throw some Firestone Wilderness A/Ts on while they're at it.

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I guess the counter argument would be the Audi TT. However, considering Chrysler interior, build quality and powertrain in ineptitude, FWD Demon = fail.

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I agree! What in the wide world of sports are these people thinking! They obviously don't know their audience. What a shame.

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The Mini is also a high-quality product designed and produced by BMW, not some half-assed Chrysler cobbled together out of a Chinese platform and some parts bin gear.

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@Nick, x2, both the Mini and GTI are such glorious fun because they received so much effort from their parent companies and both cost as much as a friggen Passat to make, for some reason, I'm not quite convinced Chrysler will be doing the same here... Pulling from their... um... Sebring expertise?

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I think Daimler and Cerberus have a bet going to see who could f*** Chrysler the quickest. There may be fun and sporty front drivers out there...but this was billed as a "Poor man's Viper" from the get go.

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ive got no problem with a fwd hot hatch like the mini and gti

a fwd open top sportscar is an oxymoron

if they make it a hatch and completely change both the name and the styling then this has a chance at being something other than a national embarrassment. for which country, im not sure.

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I agree. Apparently they've forgotten the lesson that they (didn't) learn from the prowler. They gave it a pretty sexy body that exuded cool and fast, but then gave it a V6 and an Auto when it needed two more pots in the engine and a clutch pedal. Now this. I thought Cerberus might bring some change to Dodge and co, but I guess not. Seriously, who makes a car that has such classic roadster proportions and then gives it this drivetrain? It's going to tank. I give it 4 years- 2 to let supply to catch up to demand from people who care more about looks, 1 for it to languish on dealer lots, and 1 to die. If GM can make a fun small car, and sell it as a damn Saturn, anyone can.

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You don't need a PRHT Miata, the soft top works just fine, and that comes in at an absolutely affordable $21,200. Throw in the fact that the Miata is the absolute benchmark for affordable handling, and then add in that the build quality is pretty damn decent, and you have every reason why it's still going to kick this wanna-be's ass six ways from Sunday.

Unless this car comes in at $10,000 and has an interior and exterior to match the Miata and Solstice, then there is no reason to even give it a second look if you're in the market for an affordable sports car. That's not even mentioning that there's no way the driving dynamics are going to come anywhere close to the Miata, or even the Sol-SKY for that matter, given that it's going to be built on some budget Chinese FWD platform.

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Lowest cost will make you nothing if you can't sell it. Front wheel drive in a roadster ain't where it's at. Them's the facts ma'hm.

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@cowboybob, x2, I can't wait for the marketing "based on a Chinese platform, front wheel drive, the next truly American roadster" O_o.

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noone shopping for a sportscar would give a fwd chinese posermobile a second look, or a first for that matter.

this negates the entire reason anyone was excited about the demon in the first place.

this would be just as bad as the challenger being fwd. it just doesnt work at all. obviously reaks of corporate level moron product management.

not every car company gets a bob lutz

just forget it cerberus, pretend it never happened

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