Autoblog

If you've been waiting on pins and needles for a small Chrysler that's due to be built in China by Chery, you're going to have to twiddle your thumbs a little longer. Though we've been hearing about a Chrysler/Chery Hornet or Demon for some time, execs from both companies don't believe the products are ready for North America, yet. Quality and safety are still a concern with the vehicles, but Chrysler's China boss Phil Murtaugh feels the challenges are far from insurmountable. Chery Chairman, Yin Tongyao, is also convinced that more work needs to be done to get the product up to US standards, saying the US and Europe are "very mature markets."

Chery is dying to get its affordable vehicles into the US market, but both Chrysler and Chery seem to understand that any sub-standard Chinese vehicles are destined to take their place next to Yugo in the history books. Chances are that the two companies will only have one shot to get things right, and if the final product is garbage, Chery will be finished in the US, and Chrysler's already dim rep will start to flicker. If the inexpensive vehicles are a big hit, however, the Pentastar will be pulling in Yuan hand over fist.

[Source: AP]

click above for more high-res images of the Dodge Demon Concept

The Dodge Demon has been hinted and anti-hinted for production, and it seems that the sports car will indeed make it into showrooms. Unfortunately, according to AutoWeek, the Demon will wind up on a front wheel drive chassis from Chery. The 1993 Mercury Capri Demon's switch to FF has been partially driven by emissions regulations, says Chrysler's Tom LaSorda, but we think it's more likely due to build cost. There is a direct-injection engine in development, which should also help the Demon meet upcoming emissions standards while offering strong performance. The Chery platform will doubtlessly be re-jiggered for the Demon, but we predict that the MX-5 is in no danger of losing its primacy in the segment. Perhaps in acknowledgment of dynamic shortcomings, one of the major selling factors for the Demon will be a price lower than the Mazda or GM's Solstice/Sky twins, the car's main competitors. Here's hoping that no matter what's underneath the Demon, it still looks as hot as the concept when it hits stores.

[Source: AutoWeek]

Chrysler has been through a lot in the past 18 months, including an ad campaign that touted the company's German engineering prowess, three CEOs, and two ownership groups. Now that the company is private, Chrysler would like to reinvent itself as an American automaker. While the Pentistar has canceled the hideous and un-American looking Imperial (actually, we don't know what planet the Imperial came from), the Auburn Hills, MI-based company does have an all-American concept that would help improve the company's image. The Dodge Demon combines aggressive, Viper-like styling and MX-5 proportions with the idea of charging a paltry $15,000 for the right of ownership.

Right now there is no bigger proponent of this roadster than design chief Trevor Creed, and he's willing to fight publicly for his pet cause. Creed told Wards Automotive that the "conditions were right" for such a vehicle, and with Cerberus' new ownership, the private equity group could make a lot of friends inside and outside Chrysler by making the Demon a reality. When we drove the Demon, we were amazed by the positive vibe that the little gold roadster carried. While it's a small, economical, and fun vehicle, it looks the part of a more refined, expensive sports car. We're with you, Trevor. Build it!

[Source: Wards Auto]

Click the image above to see our high-res Demon gallery with new pics

It's easy to be impressed by the sharp looks of the Dodge Demon concept, and the words "no-brainer" are often uttered when enthusiasts discuss whether the vehicle will actually hit the market. Even though it seems every other automaker is making a two-seater right now, we can't help but think there's room for Dodge's stunning mini-Viper. For now, however, all we have is the concept.

When we had the chance to pick from six Chrysler concepts, we didn't hesitate to single out the Demon first. A roadster on a beautiful summer morning always seems like a good choice, and considering the critical praise the Demon has received, we wanted to see just how close this baby feels to production. Well, the bad news is that it has a very, very long way to go. The gauges don't work, the chassis is go-kart jarring, and the doors feel like they're made of lead. In other words, it's a concept that wasn't ever meant to be driven, but given the chance we'd get behind the wheel every time.

Follow the jump for more notes on the Dodge Demon concept

Click the image above for high-resolution photos of Chryser's concepts

Every time there is a special "concept first drive" from one of the major automotive rags, the same rules seem to apply: you can't drive it past 25 or 30mph, none of the components are functional, etc. Well, that pretty much sums up what we encountered at Chrysler's proving grounds, where we hit the pavement with some of the Pentistar's best concept hardware. The concept vehicles were the Dodge Demon, the Jeep Trailhawk, Chrysler Nassau, the Jeep Wrangler Ultimate, a rally-prepped Caliber, and the souped-up SEMA Sebring.

The road course was flat and short with absolutely no hairpin turns, but the opportunity to drive a car that most will never get to experience is a rush in and of itself. Not surprisingly, we chose the Demon as our first test car, and it was quite a challenge to get from gear to gear with its strange and unpredictable slanted shifter. The sporty two-seater definitely looked the part of a cool roadster, though. The Nassau was probably the most fun vehicle to drive because it felt very production-ready. The interior was not very functional other than the funky push-button gear selector, but in the spirit of the concept it looked very cool.

We'll go over each of the concept vehicles in depth as soon as we can, so stay tuned to Autoblog for further updates on Chrysler's ride-and-drive event. Also, be sure to check out some of the high-resolution concept car photos we snapped from the event in the gallery below.

Click the pic for the full gallery.

Our man Noah was on hand to watch Dodge unveil the Demon concept, proving that no niche is safe from the butcher-than-thou automaker. Some think it's a thing of beauty, others maintain that the crosshair grille has no place on a roadster. Regardless, most agree that this is strictly a design exercise, since going head-to-head with the other lightweight heavyweights in the market would prove to be too taxing on the DCX crew. No matter, some of us will still fantasize about the first-class hoonage potential of piloting a Demon equipped with the 300 HP turbo'd SRT4 mill at our beck and call.

A couple of weeks back Dodge released some videos of the Demon roadster concept that will be unveiled next week in Geneva. Those videos had no audio, and were just for background reports. Now they've put out another promo clip, this time with some narration and music.

[Source: DaimlerChrysler]

Chrysler has created some B-Roll footage of the Dodge Demon concept on the road and posted it up on YouTube. The clip is is intended for use as background footage to accompany news reports on the car, so it has no audio track. You'll just have add your own sound effects or turn up your iPod.

[Source: Chrysler]

Episode #57 is a breezy little number, clocking in around 32 minutes long. Though on the short side, it's action-packed! We recap the Chicago show, paucity of activity and all. For starters, we return to one of our favorite subjects recently, the impending Pontiac G8. Let's just say it's even better up-close. Next, we ruminate over the all-new Scion xD and xB. The little Toyota offspring were all that happened on the second day of the show, and the aging boomers there were thrilled with the updates to these cars. Nothing like nailing your target market, eh? Before wrapping up for the night, the boys take a ride through the return of the Taurus and Sable nameplates, and how successful that move may prove to be. Capping Podcast 57 is the one bit that's not Chicago-related; the upcoming unveiling of Dodge's Demon roadster at the Geneva show. It looks nice, but we're dubious that it has any production plans, though this is Chrysler, which is capable of turning a show car into reality better than most. Enjoy the 'cast!

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ciick above image to view 28 high-resolution pics of the Dodge Demon Concept

Congrats to Dodge and the boys at DaimlerChrysler for keeping the Dodge Demon Concept completely under wraps until now. As of 12:01AM on 2/12, however, the embargo has lifted and we're allowed to tell you about this Dodge-branded MX-5 killa destined to debut at the Geneva Motor Show next month. It's no accident that we've invoked the Mazda MX-5 so quickly as a comparison for the Demon Concept, as Dodge freely admits the Japanese roadster was its benchmark when designing the car. The Demon is a smidge shorter than the MX-5, though a bit wider, taller and heavier. Unlike the concept's shown by DaimlerChrysler so far this autoshow season like the Chrysler Nassau and Jeep Trailhawk, the Demon Concept has been built from the ground up and uses no existing platform. It does, however, use one of DCX's existing engines – the 2.4L four-cylinder World Engine that sends 172 horsepower and 165 ft-lbs. of torque to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox. Dodge officials tell us a number of engines could be used in the Demon, including the 1.8 or 2.0L World Engine. A 300-hp motor, probably the one that powers the Caliber SRT-4, was also spoken of when we were initially introduced to the Demon by DCX.

There's more info after the jump, and have a gander at our gallery of 28 high-resolution pics to judge the Demon's design for yourself. You can also read the official press release from Dodge after the jump.

[Source: Dodge]