Dodge needs true compact based on the Fiat 500

The Dodge Dart has already made a big impact on sales in the first ten months on the US market but the Dodge brand is still in need of a true compact car with an equally compact price to compete with the Ford Fiesta and Chevy Sonic.  Fortunately, they already have a great piece of compact architecture in their family tree in the form of the Fiat 500.  While the bubbly exterior design of the 500 is not ideal for everyone, the underpinnings could make an incredible Dodge B-segment vehicle.

Let me start by saying that in no way do I want to see a Fiat 500 rebadged as a Dodge.  That wouldn’t work and I don’t think that the Chrysler Group would ever make that move.  However, the chassis of the compact 500 could be adapted to fit under a more traditionally American-designed skin to make a fun to drive, efficient and inexpensive compact Dodge.  Something a little meaner looking – wider and flatter with a roofline that is more linear – would make a far more fitting Dodge than would a rebadged Fiat.

I have had the pleasure of driving the Fiat 500 in both standard and Abarth form and I can attest that the 500 is easily one of the most entertaining vehicles in its segment.  In fact, the 500 Abarth is one of the most entertaining cars that I have ever driven – and I drive a whole lot of cars.  The 500 isn’t a drag strip monster in stock form but it most certainly fills the bill in terms of handling performance and I suspect that the type of performance offered by the 500 would fit nicely into the Dodge brand.

I understand that the exterior design of the Fiat 500 is not for everyone but styling aside, the 500 is a very fun little car to drive that offers great fuel economy and a surprisingly plush interior.  Most importantly, the Fiat 500 is inexpensive; even in base form, the Italian compact is an impressive option in the compact coupe class.  I am also not suggesting that Dodge build a compact with an interior based on the Fiat 500 but instead – the 500 shows that the Chrysler Group can offer a great looking, sporty interior without a big price tag.

The Dodge Dart offers similar fun to drive factor, a low price, a good looking interior and impressive fuel economy of its own but there are still plenty of Mopar faithful out there who demand a 2-door coupe similar to the early Dodge Neon Coupe.  While there doesn’t appear to be a Dart coupe in the works, a Dodge B-segment compact coupe based on the Fiat 500 chassis could take all of the positive attributes of the Italian compact and apply them to a compact Dodge.  Without some of the Fiat 500’s big ticket items  you could have a Dodge compact starting below the 500’s $16,000 base price.  That range would also make the B-segment Dodge less expensive than the base model Dodge Dart.

There have been rumors that the Dodge Hornet name would show up in the future on a Fiat-based compact and should the company design a new Hornet based on the 500 – I expect that it will be a total blast to drive while also being the most efficient car in the brand lineup, with fuel economy figures similar to the sporty little 500.

Patrick Rall

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

Rall can be contacted at QuickMirada@Yahoo.com

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