We learned last week that when the next generation of the Chrysler 200 is unveiled, there will be a new midsized Dodge that will effectively replace what we know as the Avenger sedan. This comes after many industry experts predicted that the Avenger would be killed off when the next generation Chrysler midsized sedan was unveiled so to many – this serves as quite a surprise and it leaves us wondering what this new car might be called.
We can fully expect that the next generation midsized Dodge sedan will be better than the Avenger in every way. Not because the Avenger is a bad car but as one of the oldest options in the Dodge brand lineup – it looks a little dated inside and out. This car will be similar to the Avenger in the simple fact that it is a sporty midsized but it should clearly differentiate itself in every other way so that brings us to our question of the week.
When this new Dodge sedan arrives, should the Chrysler Group continue on with the Avenger name or should the company exercise the perceived demons of the Avenger name and go with something new and fresh?
There have long been rumors that Dodge could use the Hornet name but it has been expected that the company would use that name for a subcompact that ranges in below the Dart but there has never been any concrete evidence behind those rumors. The company likes old school names – maybe they will bring back the Stratus…or the Dynasty.
Click here to head into the forum to tell us whether you think that the new midsized Dodge should be called the Avenger or if there should be a new name – or an old school name.
"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.
