The Chrysler Group announced recently that the 2014 Dodge Dart will feature the 2.4L engine in multiple trimlines after only offering the most powerful engine option in the Dart GT for 2013. In addition to making the 2.4L engine available across more trimlines, Chrysler has also announced there are no optional engines for the 2014 model year. The Dart SXT, Limited and GT are available with only the 2.4L engine while the base model Dart SE is powered by the 2.0L engine and the Dart Aero packs the 1.4L turbo engine. The company has undoubtedly made this move with the hopes of improving sales but will improving the performance and decreasing the efficiency of this sporty compact sedan make the difference that the company is expecting?
Our DodgeForum.com question of the week is this – do you think that making the 2.4L Dart GT engine standard in the higher volume SXT and Limited trimlines is a good move? Will this help the Dart move up the sales chart?
The upsides to making the 2.4L engine standard across more 2014 Dodge Dart trimlines is obvious – with 184 horsepower and 171lb-ft of torque, the 2014 Dart offers the best performance in the class when not considering high performance, low volume models like the Ford Focus ST. Some members of the media have complained that the base 2.0L engine (which was previously standard in the SXT and Limited models) was underpowered and that the 1.4L turbo engine (optional for the SXT and Limited models) was too “raspy”. Chrysler has solved both of those problems by making the most powerful engine in the lineup standard on the high volume SXT and Limited trimlines.
The downsides are also somewhat obvious as the 2014 Dodge Dart in the most popular trimlines now offers more power – but lesser fuel economy figures than the volume models from 2013. This means that fuel economy minded buyers will be forced to buy the 41mpg Dart Aero since the 1.4L turbo that offered 39-40mpg in the non-Aero Darts is no longer available. The lower fuel economy expectations could drive consumers away from the models that were previously those with the highest take rate while the availability of the most powerful engine in lower cost models could cause people not to buy the pricey Dart GT.
"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.
