Paladin06

I guess the same guys that did the Charger wrong are designing the new Demon.

Dodge Demon concept
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By JULIAN RENDELL

The Dodge Demon sports car concept will switch to a Chinese-built front-wheel drive platform for a production version, AutoWeek has learned.

Chrysler will engineer the design on a Chery Automobile platform as part of a wider cooperation between the companies to create small hatchbacks and sedans for the Chrysler and Dodge brands to sell in Europe and North America.

"A small sports car is still on our wish list and in the product plan," Chrysler's Tom LaSorda said on Sunday at the Detroit auto show. "The Demon is a B-segment size car and it would be on the new B-segment platform from China."

One of the reasons the rear-drive Demon concept would switch to a front-drive platform was emissions regulations, said LaSorda. He said that a direct-injection gasoline engine was in development for the car.

With an eye on future European C02 targets of 130 grams per kilometer, the Demon would help cut the automaker's CO2 emissions and improve fuel economy.

What the Chinese production source means for the quality of the finished product is still a major unknown.

The few cars exported form China so far suffer from poor quality and engineering standards in comparison to their Western and Asian competition.

However, price will be a selling factor, suggesting that the Demon would undercut its main competition, the Mazda MX-5 Miata and Pontiac Solstice/Opel Speedster.

Another unknown is when the small Dodge sports car will go into production. Chrysler is talking 2009 for its Chinese-built hatchback, but still negotiating the details of the contract with Chery.

Quizzed about the apparent slow speed at which the negotiations are progressing, LaSorda joked: "I don't know if you've ever negotiated in China, but if you know a way of speeding things up, I'd like to talk to you."



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Yankee

I think making the Demon FWD is a huge mistake. Yes it may be cheaper... but if that's the case, then Chrysler should shelve the project indefinitely until it CAN afford a RWD chassis or scrap it altogether. Remember the god-awful Mercury Capri in the early 90s? That was supposed to be a Miata-fighter (and oddly enough, it was really a Mazda 323 underneath). If Dodge is really gonna do this, it has to do it RIGHT. If it can't, then it shouldn't do it at all. [:'(]

Jeremiah 29:11

I remember the Mercury Capri of the mid-70's and it was one fast car.

DSkippy

Yeah, that leaves me a little flat my self. I'd even prefer the Solstice or Sky over it...if could shoe horn myself into one.

AnthonyAtAkins

Still won't dethrone the Miata. I'm not sure that any car maker has anything that can really compete against it. For that segment, it's just about a perfect car.

TeeWJay426

FWD??? Chinese- built???? WTF is up with that? I'm with Yankee.... either do it right, or don't bother. And so far, they are doing it all wrong....

1 Bad Mirada

FWD=mistake.

Justinec101

Say what you will, but if dodge sells these for $15,000 like they were saying when they first unveiled it, they'll sell a ton of them.

Cheekie

That is not a DEMON .... would I buy one NO I'd rather use my kids scooter.
BOOO

MGDMike

Chrysler stop it! Your being bad, now go to your room and think about what you have just done!