Dodge Caliber Final Info!
#1
01-10-2006, 03:06 PM
Dodge Caliber Final Info!
Dodge Caliber Final Info!
Updated 1-10-2006 with official information!
Allpar.com
The Caliber has entered pilot production and, either now or very soon, the Belvedere plant will be producing Calibers for retail sale. Expect to see Dodge Calibers at dealers in late January with marketing starting a month or two later. The related Jeep Compass and Patriot will follow.
The 2007 Dodge Caliber will start at $13,985 (including a $560 destination charge), $410 below the outgoing Dodge Neon (but presumably without all those rebates). The 2007 Dodge Caliber will be available in U.S. dealerships in the first quarter of 2006 and in global volume markets in the second quarter of 2006.
Dodge Caliber redefines the entry-level vehicle by combining high value with bold styling and a flexible interior. “Dodge Caliber is not your typical small car,” said George Murphy, Senior Vice President—Global Marketing. “The all-new Dodge Caliber redefines the compact car by combining crossover styling with space-efficient packaging, interior flexibility, innovative features and affordable performance. Caliber allows owners around the globe to be active, do more and stand out—to live life to the fullest, and do so at a very competitive price.”
Customer demand for a compact vehicle with a lot of interior flexibility and utility had a big influence on Dodge Caliber’s interior, which provides comfortable seating for the driver and up to four passengers, plus room for gear.
“Dodge Caliber’s spacious interior also is very versatile,” said Matt Liddane, Chief Engineer—Dodge Caliber. “We combined style and comfort with innovative features and clever packaging to create a vehicle that gives new meaning to functionality in the compact car market.”
Dodge Caliber is chock full of interior features rarely found on entry-level compact vehicles, including:
-Standard side-curtain air bags
-MusicGate Power.® An available nine-speaker Boston Acoustics sound system with subwoofer includes two speakers packaged in the liftgate that can swing down from the trim panel to face rearward for tailgating and other activities
-An available dual purpose, self-recharging removable flashlight, which is mounted in the headliner above the cargo area and can snap out of the bezel to serve as a flashlight
-Chill Zone,® a cooled beverage storage bin that can hold up to four 20-oz. bottles or cans (available in air conditioning-equipped models)
-A floor console sliding armrest moves forward 3 inches to accommodate shorter drivers. The armrest lid includes a unique flip pocket for storing a cell phone or an MP3 player
-An available 110-volt outlet in the center console can power small electronics (SXT and R/T)
-Illuminated front cup holders rings glow blue-green to match other center stack lighting
-A front passenger seat folds forward to create a table-like surface for versatility (SXT and R/T models)
-60/40 rear seats both fold flat and recline 12 degrees (SXT and R/T models)
-A vinyl load floor in the rear cargo area is both washable and removable
-YES Essentials® fabric – an easy-care, soil-repellant and anti-microbial textile protects seats from stains, odors and discoloration (late availability)
Powertrain engineering
Dodge Caliber’s powertrain and drive systems offer many Chrysler Group firsts in the compact car market. Dodge Caliber is the first Chrysler vehicle to offer a second-generation Continuously Variable Transaxle (CVT2), and the first Chrysler compact to have all wheel drive and electronic stability control with traction control (late availability). A 2.0-liter turbo diesel engine is available outside North America.
Three World Engines offerings (1.8-, 2.0- and 2.4-liter) provide class-leading horsepower (148 hp, 158 hp and 172 hp, respectively). Chrysler engineers met aggressive performance and fuel economy targets through advanced cylinder head port and intake manifold design. Technologies in the Chrysler Group World Engine include dual Variable Valve Timing (VVT) and intake manifold design with flow control valves, firsts for a Chrysler Group compact car. Combined, these features produce more power, better fuel economy and smoother, quieter operation than engines without them.
The 1.8 liter engine is only offered with a five-speed manual transmission, while the larger engines come only with the CVT.
Dodge Caliber’s CVT2 is a second-generation CVT that Chrysler Group engineers have calibrated for pleasing engine response, precise ratio control and an AutoStick® feature that allows for manual control with the simulation of six stepped gears. CVT2 contributes to a fuel economy improvement of 6-8 percent compared with a traditional 4-speed automatic.
Dodge Caliber is the Chrysler Group’s first compact car with available electromagnetically controlled all-wheel drive with variable torque output, which gives customers year-round assurance, added performance and seamless, automatic operation.
In addition to its global powertrain, Dodge Caliber meets safety, feature and convenience standards in markets around the world. To ensure its success in global volume markets, Caliber will launch outside North America with both right- and left-hand drive models and an available turbo diesel engine. Dodge Caliber also meets and complies with all regulatory requirements, as well as off-set crash tests in Europe and Australia and front-impact compliance for Japan and Australia. Dodge Caliber’s manual and automatic transaxle shifters are packaged in the center stack instead of the floor console, which is more common in Japanese and European markets. The Caliber’s transaxle also has been upgraded to provide excellent shift quality and shift effort that is as smooth as any compact car on the road today.
Pricing and models
At a U.S. MSRP of $13,985 (including $560 destination charge), the Dodge Caliber SE includes a standard 148-horsepower 1.8-liter engine coupled with a five-speed manual transaxle. Other standard equipment includes standard side-curtain air bags, a vinyl load floor, auxiliary radio input jack, electrically lit front cup holders, 12-volt power outlet, a center console sliding armrest that moves forward 3 inches to accommodate shorter drivers. The armrest lid features a unique flip pocket for storing a cell phone or an MP3 player. Additional standard features include body color grille and fascias and black door handles, flexible 60/40 split-fold rear seats, manual windows and locks, fabric seats, tilt steering wheel, dome and cargo lights and 15-inch wheels and tires.
Optional features include a 158-horsepower 2.0-liter World Engine coupled with the second-generation CVT2 (which includes standard anti-lock brakes), six-disc radio with cassette and MP3 CD play capability, Power Group (which includes driver one-touch power window, power locks, remote keyless entry and power mirrors), body color liftgate appliqué, air conditioning, Chill Zone®, integrated instrument panel beverage cooler, speed control, SIRIUS Satellite Radio, Uconnect™ hands-free communication system, trailer tow group, floor mats and MusicGate Power.
Dodge Caliber SXT adds to the base SE model 60/40 rear seats that both fold flat and recline, a fold-flat front passenger seat, a dual-purpose re-chargeable/removable interior lamp, map light, air conditioning, Chill Zone® tachometer, power windows, mirrors and door locks, remote keyless entry, 110-volt electrical outlet in the center console, manual seat height adjuster, floor mats, bright silver IP bezels and switches. The Dodge Caliber SXT’s exterior features standard black dual power mirrors, body-color body-side molding, chrome grille and 17-inch wheels and wheel covers.
Options on the Dodge Caliber SXT beyond those offered on the SE model include a 2.0-liter engine coupled with the CVT2, leather steering wheel with radio control options, heated seats, power sunroof, fog lamps, 17-inch aluminum wheels, a Security Group (which includes tonneau cover, alarm and air filtration system) and a Driver Convenience Group (which includes compass and temperature gauge, universal garage door opener, electrochromic mirror and tire pressure monitor) and a Leather Interior Group (which includes leather seats, heated front seats and manual lumbar adjuster).
A Sport Package also is available on the SXT model and includes fog lamps, 17-inch aluminum wheels and a Sport Appearance Package (which includes cloth seats with colored inserts, color-keyed PRNDL and instrument panel bezels).
The Dodge Caliber R/T with all-wheel drive features a standard 172-horsepower 2.4-liter World Engine with dual VVT coupled with CVT2, anti-lock brakes, AutoStick, a sport-suspension, performance steering and 18-inch aluminum wheels.
In addition to the standard features on the SE and SXT models, standard features on the Dodge Caliber R/T include leather steering wheel with radio controls, tonneau cover, premium fabric seats, silver bezels on the instrument panel and chrome interior door handles. The Dodge Caliber R/T’s exterior features a chrome grille, body-color lower fascias, body-color sill moldings, chrome plated body-side moldings, body-color door handles and fog lamps. An optional feature on the Dodge Caliber R/T models equipped with all-wheel drive, beyond those offered on the SXT, include 18-inch chrome wheels.
All 2007 Dodge Caliber models will be available in red, orange, marine and steel blue, silver, black, and white. All models feature a two-tone interior color theme of dark and lighter shades of gray or beige. An optional Sport Appearance Package includes gray with red, yellow, orange or blue seat inserts that coordinate with the exterior color, center stack and shifter bezels.
Production of the Dodge Caliber begins in early 2006 at the newly refurbished Belvidere (Ill.) Assembly Plant. The new four-cylinder World Engines for this vehicle are built in the state-of-the art Global Engine Manufacturing Assembly (GEMA) plant in Dundee, Michigan.
More news and such
New report from a reliable source: “I’ve stood next to a Caliber, and the engine idles very quietly, even when it’s moving. Size-wise, the Caliber is similar to the Matrix, though it seems a bit wider and lower — like the Commander, it looks taller than it is; it isn’t all that high but seems to have nice interior space. Inside it looks like other recent Dodges, with dull, thick chrome rings around the gauges; it's not far from the Charger overall. The concept car is mostly what you’ll see — no real surprises other than the unique powertrain.”
According to “oh20,” volume production started January 9, with a single shift making 2,600 Calibers per week. In the last week of March, by which time field reports will have been coming in for a while, another shift will be used, for 5,000 cars per week. As with the Neon, the Caliber will benefit from a long model year of 18 months - the 2007s will be made starting in January 2006 - and 2008s will start showing up in August 2007. Chrysler actually believes they will sell 370,000 Calibers in that time (18 months), which would make it considerably hotter than the Neon currently is (around 120,000 per year). By comparison, the 1995 Neon, which sold starting in January 1994, ran to 112,511 Dodges and 89,607 Plymouths, barely exceeding 200,000 units. (Just for fun, we checked on 1974 Plymouth Duster figures and found 277,409 were sold - along with 127,430 Valiants, 51,000 Scamps, a few thousand Broughams and Duster 360s, and a slew of Dodge equivalents!).
[IMG]local://upfiles/9989/CF4C5FD20BB4413589603A3E06FC6E7F.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]local://upfiles/9989/33A77FB424FA456BA338176AD34B240E.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]local://upfiles/9989/32D17907E4F24182AC5B1BB9768A5116.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]local://upfiles/9989/886FD824F042479AB22F37823293E06A.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]local://upfiles/9989/760ABA6F72374E089A9EE69BFF44A3D3.jpg[/IMG]
Updated 1-10-2006 with official information!
Allpar.com
The Caliber has entered pilot production and, either now or very soon, the Belvedere plant will be producing Calibers for retail sale. Expect to see Dodge Calibers at dealers in late January with marketing starting a month or two later. The related Jeep Compass and Patriot will follow.
The 2007 Dodge Caliber will start at $13,985 (including a $560 destination charge), $410 below the outgoing Dodge Neon (but presumably without all those rebates). The 2007 Dodge Caliber will be available in U.S. dealerships in the first quarter of 2006 and in global volume markets in the second quarter of 2006.
Dodge Caliber redefines the entry-level vehicle by combining high value with bold styling and a flexible interior. “Dodge Caliber is not your typical small car,” said George Murphy, Senior Vice President—Global Marketing. “The all-new Dodge Caliber redefines the compact car by combining crossover styling with space-efficient packaging, interior flexibility, innovative features and affordable performance. Caliber allows owners around the globe to be active, do more and stand out—to live life to the fullest, and do so at a very competitive price.”
Customer demand for a compact vehicle with a lot of interior flexibility and utility had a big influence on Dodge Caliber’s interior, which provides comfortable seating for the driver and up to four passengers, plus room for gear.
“Dodge Caliber’s spacious interior also is very versatile,” said Matt Liddane, Chief Engineer—Dodge Caliber. “We combined style and comfort with innovative features and clever packaging to create a vehicle that gives new meaning to functionality in the compact car market.”
Dodge Caliber is chock full of interior features rarely found on entry-level compact vehicles, including:
-Standard side-curtain air bags
-MusicGate Power.® An available nine-speaker Boston Acoustics sound system with subwoofer includes two speakers packaged in the liftgate that can swing down from the trim panel to face rearward for tailgating and other activities
-An available dual purpose, self-recharging removable flashlight, which is mounted in the headliner above the cargo area and can snap out of the bezel to serve as a flashlight
-Chill Zone,® a cooled beverage storage bin that can hold up to four 20-oz. bottles or cans (available in air conditioning-equipped models)
-A floor console sliding armrest moves forward 3 inches to accommodate shorter drivers. The armrest lid includes a unique flip pocket for storing a cell phone or an MP3 player
-An available 110-volt outlet in the center console can power small electronics (SXT and R/T)
-Illuminated front cup holders rings glow blue-green to match other center stack lighting
-A front passenger seat folds forward to create a table-like surface for versatility (SXT and R/T models)
-60/40 rear seats both fold flat and recline 12 degrees (SXT and R/T models)
-A vinyl load floor in the rear cargo area is both washable and removable
-YES Essentials® fabric – an easy-care, soil-repellant and anti-microbial textile protects seats from stains, odors and discoloration (late availability)
Powertrain engineering
Dodge Caliber’s powertrain and drive systems offer many Chrysler Group firsts in the compact car market. Dodge Caliber is the first Chrysler vehicle to offer a second-generation Continuously Variable Transaxle (CVT2), and the first Chrysler compact to have all wheel drive and electronic stability control with traction control (late availability). A 2.0-liter turbo diesel engine is available outside North America.
Three World Engines offerings (1.8-, 2.0- and 2.4-liter) provide class-leading horsepower (148 hp, 158 hp and 172 hp, respectively). Chrysler engineers met aggressive performance and fuel economy targets through advanced cylinder head port and intake manifold design. Technologies in the Chrysler Group World Engine include dual Variable Valve Timing (VVT) and intake manifold design with flow control valves, firsts for a Chrysler Group compact car. Combined, these features produce more power, better fuel economy and smoother, quieter operation than engines without them.
The 1.8 liter engine is only offered with a five-speed manual transmission, while the larger engines come only with the CVT.
Dodge Caliber’s CVT2 is a second-generation CVT that Chrysler Group engineers have calibrated for pleasing engine response, precise ratio control and an AutoStick® feature that allows for manual control with the simulation of six stepped gears. CVT2 contributes to a fuel economy improvement of 6-8 percent compared with a traditional 4-speed automatic.
Dodge Caliber is the Chrysler Group’s first compact car with available electromagnetically controlled all-wheel drive with variable torque output, which gives customers year-round assurance, added performance and seamless, automatic operation.
In addition to its global powertrain, Dodge Caliber meets safety, feature and convenience standards in markets around the world. To ensure its success in global volume markets, Caliber will launch outside North America with both right- and left-hand drive models and an available turbo diesel engine. Dodge Caliber also meets and complies with all regulatory requirements, as well as off-set crash tests in Europe and Australia and front-impact compliance for Japan and Australia. Dodge Caliber’s manual and automatic transaxle shifters are packaged in the center stack instead of the floor console, which is more common in Japanese and European markets. The Caliber’s transaxle also has been upgraded to provide excellent shift quality and shift effort that is as smooth as any compact car on the road today.
Pricing and models
At a U.S. MSRP of $13,985 (including $560 destination charge), the Dodge Caliber SE includes a standard 148-horsepower 1.8-liter engine coupled with a five-speed manual transaxle. Other standard equipment includes standard side-curtain air bags, a vinyl load floor, auxiliary radio input jack, electrically lit front cup holders, 12-volt power outlet, a center console sliding armrest that moves forward 3 inches to accommodate shorter drivers. The armrest lid features a unique flip pocket for storing a cell phone or an MP3 player. Additional standard features include body color grille and fascias and black door handles, flexible 60/40 split-fold rear seats, manual windows and locks, fabric seats, tilt steering wheel, dome and cargo lights and 15-inch wheels and tires.
Optional features include a 158-horsepower 2.0-liter World Engine coupled with the second-generation CVT2 (which includes standard anti-lock brakes), six-disc radio with cassette and MP3 CD play capability, Power Group (which includes driver one-touch power window, power locks, remote keyless entry and power mirrors), body color liftgate appliqué, air conditioning, Chill Zone®, integrated instrument panel beverage cooler, speed control, SIRIUS Satellite Radio, Uconnect™ hands-free communication system, trailer tow group, floor mats and MusicGate Power.
Dodge Caliber SXT adds to the base SE model 60/40 rear seats that both fold flat and recline, a fold-flat front passenger seat, a dual-purpose re-chargeable/removable interior lamp, map light, air conditioning, Chill Zone® tachometer, power windows, mirrors and door locks, remote keyless entry, 110-volt electrical outlet in the center console, manual seat height adjuster, floor mats, bright silver IP bezels and switches. The Dodge Caliber SXT’s exterior features standard black dual power mirrors, body-color body-side molding, chrome grille and 17-inch wheels and wheel covers.
Options on the Dodge Caliber SXT beyond those offered on the SE model include a 2.0-liter engine coupled with the CVT2, leather steering wheel with radio control options, heated seats, power sunroof, fog lamps, 17-inch aluminum wheels, a Security Group (which includes tonneau cover, alarm and air filtration system) and a Driver Convenience Group (which includes compass and temperature gauge, universal garage door opener, electrochromic mirror and tire pressure monitor) and a Leather Interior Group (which includes leather seats, heated front seats and manual lumbar adjuster).
A Sport Package also is available on the SXT model and includes fog lamps, 17-inch aluminum wheels and a Sport Appearance Package (which includes cloth seats with colored inserts, color-keyed PRNDL and instrument panel bezels).
The Dodge Caliber R/T with all-wheel drive features a standard 172-horsepower 2.4-liter World Engine with dual VVT coupled with CVT2, anti-lock brakes, AutoStick, a sport-suspension, performance steering and 18-inch aluminum wheels.
In addition to the standard features on the SE and SXT models, standard features on the Dodge Caliber R/T include leather steering wheel with radio controls, tonneau cover, premium fabric seats, silver bezels on the instrument panel and chrome interior door handles. The Dodge Caliber R/T’s exterior features a chrome grille, body-color lower fascias, body-color sill moldings, chrome plated body-side moldings, body-color door handles and fog lamps. An optional feature on the Dodge Caliber R/T models equipped with all-wheel drive, beyond those offered on the SXT, include 18-inch chrome wheels.
All 2007 Dodge Caliber models will be available in red, orange, marine and steel blue, silver, black, and white. All models feature a two-tone interior color theme of dark and lighter shades of gray or beige. An optional Sport Appearance Package includes gray with red, yellow, orange or blue seat inserts that coordinate with the exterior color, center stack and shifter bezels.
Production of the Dodge Caliber begins in early 2006 at the newly refurbished Belvidere (Ill.) Assembly Plant. The new four-cylinder World Engines for this vehicle are built in the state-of-the art Global Engine Manufacturing Assembly (GEMA) plant in Dundee, Michigan.
More news and such
New report from a reliable source: “I’ve stood next to a Caliber, and the engine idles very quietly, even when it’s moving. Size-wise, the Caliber is similar to the Matrix, though it seems a bit wider and lower — like the Commander, it looks taller than it is; it isn’t all that high but seems to have nice interior space. Inside it looks like other recent Dodges, with dull, thick chrome rings around the gauges; it's not far from the Charger overall. The concept car is mostly what you’ll see — no real surprises other than the unique powertrain.”
According to “oh20,” volume production started January 9, with a single shift making 2,600 Calibers per week. In the last week of March, by which time field reports will have been coming in for a while, another shift will be used, for 5,000 cars per week. As with the Neon, the Caliber will benefit from a long model year of 18 months - the 2007s will be made starting in January 2006 - and 2008s will start showing up in August 2007. Chrysler actually believes they will sell 370,000 Calibers in that time (18 months), which would make it considerably hotter than the Neon currently is (around 120,000 per year). By comparison, the 1995 Neon, which sold starting in January 1994, ran to 112,511 Dodges and 89,607 Plymouths, barely exceeding 200,000 units. (Just for fun, we checked on 1974 Plymouth Duster figures and found 277,409 were sold - along with 127,430 Valiants, 51,000 Scamps, a few thousand Broughams and Duster 360s, and a slew of Dodge equivalents!).
[IMG]local://upfiles/9989/CF4C5FD20BB4413589603A3E06FC6E7F.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]local://upfiles/9989/33A77FB424FA456BA338176AD34B240E.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]local://upfiles/9989/32D17907E4F24182AC5B1BB9768A5116.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]local://upfiles/9989/886FD824F042479AB22F37823293E06A.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]local://upfiles/9989/760ABA6F72374E089A9EE69BFF44A3D3.jpg[/IMG]
#2
01-10-2006, 06:05 PM
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#3
01-11-2006, 06:05 AM
RE: Dodge Caliber Final Info!
I love it and I can't wait to see one in person.
This pic definately makes it look better.
It's looks a lot different from the concept. Looks a little shorter/lower too. Definately looks good/sporty.
I cant wait to have a Chrysler Aspen HEMI, Dodge Caliber SRT-4 AWD and a Dodge Challenger in my garage, lol.
This pic definately makes it look better.
It's looks a lot different from the concept. Looks a little shorter/lower too. Definately looks good/sporty.
I cant wait to have a Chrysler Aspen HEMI, Dodge Caliber SRT-4 AWD and a Dodge Challenger in my garage, lol.
#4
01-11-2006, 01:04 PM
RE: Dodge Caliber Final Info!
Our Dealership ordered our first 5 Calibers yesterday. They were only available in the new CVT Trannys but the pricing on the SE's and SXT's are right at Neon levels. The AWD R/T can get pricy tho. Will update with picks when they arrive in the next month or so. We Will have one from our Zone by mid to end January and I will post a pick and info with pricing when it gets here.
#5
01-11-2006, 09:29 PM
RE: Dodge Caliber Final Info!
So there goes the "It's not gonna be in the Neon price range, waa waa" prediction. 
Well, if it's true they are upgrading the new SRT-4, I understand it not being in the Neon SRT-4 price range. AWD and possible EVO/STi horse power should make it higher priced...
Well, if it's true they are upgrading the new SRT-4, I understand it not being in the Neon SRT-4 price range. AWD and possible EVO/STi horse power should make it higher priced...
#7
01-12-2006, 10:14 AM
RE: Dodge Caliber Final Info!
I just want to point out this quote, to the people who thought it was huge, tall and SUV size...
I’ve stood next to a Caliber, and the engine idles very quietly, even when it’s moving. Size-wise, the Caliber is similar to the Matrix, though it seems a bit wider and lower
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#8
01-12-2006, 11:48 AM
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RE: Dodge Caliber Final Info!
Hey guys! I have been roming around and came across these videos of them:
http://www.edmunds.com/news/autoshow.../page008.html#
^^^ video link under pic
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...cleId=108867#1
^^^ click play video on pic
I can't wait!!
Joe
http://www.edmunds.com/news/autoshow.../page008.html#
^^^ video link under pic
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...cleId=108867#1
^^^ click play video on pic
I can't wait!!
Joe
#9
01-12-2006, 10:01 PM
#10
01-12-2006, 11:02 PM
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RE: Dodge Caliber Final Info!
I think the rear wheel drive thing was a typo. The article that would appear to be the source (http://www.allpar.com/cars/dodge/caliber.html) describes the AWD system as powering the front wheels until they slip.
