Apparently the lack of a convertible in Dodge showrooms has the company’s dealers all hot and bothered. According to
AutoWeek dealers are begging for a drop-top to compete
with open-air vehicles from Toyota, Chevy and Ford, but Dodge has categorically refused to build one despite the fact
that Chrysler sells three (the Crossfire, PT Cruiser and Sebring). Steven Landry, Dodge’s VP of marketing and product
planning, says that a convertible, “doesn’t fit with the bold, capable, street-smart kind of attitude of Dodge.” Quite
frankly, you could drop a Hemi onto a weed wacker and it would exhibit that Dodge attitude, so his argument is rubbish
to us. Plus, isn’t the Viper SRT-10 a convertible?
Autoweek also reports that Dodge is seriously considering
offering the Caliber with a diesel engine in the U.S. The engine option wouldn’t be available for a couple of years,
although the decision on whether or not to make it happen will be made within the next two months.