Dodge Hornet

93EXCivic wrote: Why couldn't they have just left it as the Alfa?

Because then it wouldn't be a "MURICAN!" car, it'd be some fancy-pants Eye-talian thing and the domestic faithful would have nothing to do with it.

93EXCivic wrote: Why couldn't they have just left it as the Alfa?

plus .........like........ELEVENTYBAZZILLIONNNNNN

93EXCivic wrote: Why couldn't they have just left it as the Alfa?

Two reasons:

1) Alfa's reintroduction to the US (as a brand) has been delayed. AGAIN.

2) Dodge desperately needs a competent compact car to compete with the Focus, Cruze, Elantra, et. al. and to wash away the bad taste the Caliber, Avenger, and Neon* have left in a lot of people's mouths.

*Note: I like the Neon (esp. the SRT-4), but I also know a lot of non-car-people who drove/owned one and hated it.

RexSeven wrote:

93EXCivic wrote: Why couldn't they have just left it as the Alfa?

Two reasons: 1) Alfa's reintroduction to the US (as a brand) has been delayed. AGAIN. 2) Dodge desperately needs a competent compact car to compete with the Focus, Cruze, Elantra, et. al. and to wash away the bad taste the Caliber, Avenger, and Neon* have left in a lot of people's mouths. *Note: I like the Neon (esp. the SRT-4), but I also know a lot of non-car-people who drove/owned one and hated it.

Couldn't they have just let Dodge die except for trucks?

I think Dodge has too much brand equity, esp. among buyers who mainline testosterone, to kill off altogether. The brand is probably profitable enough for Fiatsler to keep around, plus for the most part their products don't fit neatly into the other Chrysler brands.

I want an Alfa not a damn Dodge.

I like the current Dodge trucks (except for the grill), Charger, Challenger (even though I prefer Mustang), and the new Durango looks promising. I'd even take a closer look at the Journey. The rest of the line-up, not so much.

I understand the need for more and better small cars to round out the stable. But I still think the Alfas are better looking. Italian aesthetics are hard to beat, and I'm "cautiously optimistic" about the dependability.

All you guys screaming for the Alfa, remember one thing.
WE are NOT the norm. We are the exception to the norm. You couldn't give an Alfa to the UAW belinging to, Budweiser swilling, NASCRAP watching morons around here. But, slap a slanted number three on the side of a Lumina and they are belly-to-wallet chain in line at the Chevy store.

DrBoost wrote: All you guys screaming for the Alfa, remember one thing. WE are NOT the norm. We are the exception to the norm. You couldn't give an Alfa to the UAW belinging to, Budweiser swilling, NASCRAP watching morons around here. But, slap a slanted number three on the side of a Lumina and they are belly-to-wallet chain in line at the Chevy store.

So......your saying we are in hell then?

I think what everyone needs to realize here is that it's a money thing and an image thing.

What we don't know is Chrysler going to build the rebadged Alfas here? Or are they going to ship them over half-assed and finish them here? It's probably going to be more profitable for them (I'm talking import taxes and such) and cheaper for the consumer if they are put together here. Either way I see jobs for Americans.

Also, Chrysler is never going to dump the Dodge brand name, there is too much invested in it and it's image. The other issues with image, is that there are consumers old enough to remember the 80s Alfas that weren't so great and then there are those that don't know who Alfa is as a car company. Why take the chance?

4eyes wrote:

DrBoost wrote: All you guys screaming for the Alfa, remember one thing. WE are NOT the norm. We are the exception to the norm. You couldn't give an Alfa to the UAW belinging to, Budweiser swilling, NASCRAP watching morons around here. But, slap a slanted number three on the side of a Lumina and they are belly-to-wallet chain in line at the Chevy store.

So......your saying we are in hell then?

Yes, sometimes it feels like we are.

The problem is the dropped Alfa's styling language for Dodge's overly pumped up styling.

Now, I love European cars. Right now, 1/2 my fleet is Euro and I'll be adding one more in less than 2 weeks. I also grew up owning nothing but Mopar products, so I'm right on the fence as far as bias. I'll say this though. Looking at that front end from the OP I like it. Look at the original It's no better, and IMHO, worse. That little grill looks waaaay small and out of proportion. And the body lines are all Alfa.

And, since I've seen the real deal in the flesh (the Dodge and the Alfa), I can say that the camera angle is playing tricks.