Autoblog

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]

Inside Line is reporting that Chery will not be building the Dodge Hornet or Demon after all. They deducted this from a report in the Wall Street Journal published on Monday that quotes Simon Elliott, president and CEO of Chrysler Group China Sales Ltd. as saying that his company really wants to fill product holes in its lineup in China, but that it won't be working with Chery to do it. Inside Line takes that information and combines it with a quote from Chrysler's Design Chief Trevor Creed at the Frankfurt Auto Show in September when Creed said Chery's B-segment platform isn't appropriate for the Hornet.

So Elliott says Chery won't be building Chryslers for sale in China, and Creed says Chery's platform isn't right for the Hornet. To us, that doesn't exactly add up to no more Chrysler/Chery deal.

So we sent an email to Chrysler and heard back from David Elshoff at Chrysler's Business Operations Communications. His e-mail simply said, "Absurd." To get a little more detail, we called him up. Elshoff tells Autoblog that Chrysler and Chery are definitely still working together on building cars for export, but not for cars to be sold in China. He tells us that the Chery A1 platform is still targeted for use as a Chrysler vehicle to go on sale in Latin America by the end of 2008. Elshoff says the two companies are also still working on a version of the Hornet, for sale possibly by the end of 2009.

So there, straight from the source, Chrysler and Chery still buddies.

[Source: Wall Street Journal via Inside Line]

The Autoblog team has hit the summer season with a fury, with more news than you can shake a stick at. We saw plenty of car shows last week, and we got behind the wheel of some of the Chrysler group's hottest new products and concepts, too. We also got to drop the top of the hot new Solstice GXP and get some drive time with the Saturn Outlook.

The last week was packed with information, and four minutes will give you an update on anything you might have missed by clicking on the video above. We've also added links below to some of the more significant galleries from the last seven days. This week we have some incredible music from Brian Buckit with "Rocket Science". Enjoy!

Click on the Demon for a gallery of high-res images suitable for wallpaper

In conjunction with the preview of its 2008 models, Chrysler invited us out to their proving ground in Chelsea, MI to photograph all of their latest concept cars. The only car we hadn't seen before was a rally-prepped Dodge Caliber that designer Ralph Gilles drove in the Targa Newfoundland. Also on hand were the Chrysler Nassau, Jeep Trailhawk and Dodge Demon, which we saw on the auto show circuit this past winter.

The Chrysler Sebring that was shown last fall at SEMA was joined by the wildly popular Jeep JT pickup and Wrangler Unlimited Ultimate, which will both be shown this fall at SEMA. The concept vehicles were arrayed around the handling loop at the proving ground and we were given free reign to shoot for the next couple of hours. Even though we've seen most of these machines in the past, it was nice to see them outside in the sunshine on a beautiful summer evening. If you're in need of some new wallpaper for your desktop, peruse these galleries and take your pick.

More Chrysler Concept galleries can be found after the jump.

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]