If you plan on buying a 2013 Dodge Dart and you want either the bright green Citrus Peel or bright Laguna Blue exterior paint – you may want to act fast. According to the folks at Allpar, the Belvidere plant where the new Dart is built expects to stop painting new models Citrus Peel by the end of this month while Laguna Blue production is slated to end in May.
It is unclear whether or not Citrus Peel (shown above) and Laguna Blue (shown below) will return for the 2014 model year.
In my opinion, Citrus Peel and Laguna Blue are two of the most exciting exterior color options for the 2013 Dodge Dart but in the Metro Detroit area where the Dart is quite popular – I have never seen the new Dodge compact sedan on the road wearing either of these hues. The fact that these two “notice me colors” don’t seem to be that popular don’t come as a huge surprise as most American drivers own cars that are black, white, silver or grey. Should Citrus Peel and Laguna Blue leave the color chart, there are still 10 exterior colors and those Dart buyers who want a stand out color can still opt for the stunning Header Orange that I also love. Blue paint lovers still have three options – Blue Streak, True Blue and Winter Chill Pearl – while traditionalists can pick from bright white, bright silver, Maximum Steel (grey), Pitch Black, Tungsten (another grey) and Redline.
"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.
