Saw a Dodge Caliber today

[sammyb]

Saw a new Dodge Caliber on the road today. It's a lot like the Toyota Matrix and its Pontiac badge-mate.

All I can say is: I've seen much smaller panel gabs on home-made fiberglass kit cars. The bonnet/hood has literally a 2-inch gap around the edges.

I'm not sure who it will appeal to -- it's edgy, but basically lacks the sportiness of the Neon. It's basically a mini Pontiac Aztek. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif

 

[Guest]

I've got to stop at my local Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep dealership sometime this week for some stuff for my wifes Grand Cherokee, I'll have to check this thing out. The guys there are pretty cool, maybe I can get a test drive just for giggles. When I saw the pictures of it it reminded me alot of the Matrix/Vibe.

 

[R6MGS]

For those who read my GTO post; the neighbour across from the goat had a caliber in the driveway....Took me a while to figure out wat is was....I only looked from a distance but that is one ugly vehicle!

 

[steve99]

Saw my first one at the Chicago Auto Show... I was, well unimpressed. I own a 05 Vibe, and when I sat in it, it reminded me very much of my own car,

 

[AngliaGT]

Maybe the Vibe/Matrix was their target vehicle.

- Doug

 

[Bruce Bowker]

This 300 hp version isn't all that bad.

https://www.allpar.com/cars/dodge/caliber-srt4.html

 

[kennypinkerton]

Only because of the driveline package - ewwwww.

 

[Guest]

Well, the Neon SRT-4 is no beauty queen either, but that is one quick little booger. Plus it's fairly cheap, which is why I guess it's so popular with the fast and the furious crowd. Many an unwary Mustang GT or Camaro driver has been embarrassed by snot nosed punks in Neons. Not my cup-o-tea but I gotta give it to Dodge for building a car that delivers.

 

[tony barnhill]

Good Grief! What an ugly sucker - I thought Pontiac had grabbed the market on that type vehicle (I can't even say 'car' when I talk about that thing!)

 

[Nunyas]

looks like that thing is meant to go after the Vibe/Matrix type cars..... just basing that thought on appearance in pictures....

 

[AngliaGT]

Our Fire Chief bought a new Honda Ridgeline.
One of our Engineers told me about it,when I asked "what's new?"
He said,"The Chief bought a new Ridgeline,White,with Yellow stripes trailing off to flames".
I said "This is a joke - right?"
He said "No"
After seeing it,I thought that this is one of the UGLIEST vehicles I've ever seen.
Nobody wants to even be seen riding in that thing!
I guess you could call it a "Honda Aztec".

- Doug

 

[Bret]

Yea we've got one guy out here that has one of those Ridgelines. Sorry "yellow stripes or not" that is one ugly vehicle. Note I did not refer to it as a truck.

In my line of work I get to see a lot of vehicles in the USCS's "Un-Pimp-Your-Ride" garage and let me tell you I've seen the inside of the Ridgeline and it's not as well put together as one might expect. Can't wait to see what the insides of a new Caliber looks like. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[sammyb]

There really aren't many vehicles right now with styling that looks good to my eyes. Obviously, that's a subjective thing, but this edgy look just doesn't do it for me. I like sculpted (think D-Type, E-Type, GT6, Corvette C5, 93 RX7.) This current stuff looks too "clunky."

But I think what is worse is the quality...the panel gaps, and the cheap materials. Dodge is the king of using styling to try to overcome absolutely horrible interior materials and shoddy build quality. Hopefully the Challenger won't succumb to this.

 

[Nunyas]

I think they shoulda just went for all out wagon in the design instead of that half mini-van half wagon look.

I just looked at the rest of that article... I gotta say, I don't mind the appearance from the front too much. It definitely has that "aggressiveness" look to it that the article claims they wanted. However, the rear shot of the car.... all i can think is WTH were they thinking?!?

 

[Guest]

[ QUOTE ]
I think they shoulda just went for all out wagon in the design instead of that half mini-van half wagon look.


[/ QUOTE ]

You're exactly right, some of the crossover vehicles are starting to look a little silly. Maybe I'm old fashioned, but I like my trucks to look like trucks and my cars to look like cars. A guy I work with has a Nissan Morano, does nothing for me. Is it a minivan? An SUV? It's certainly not a car. I just got my Jeep magazine yesterday that Chrysler sends to Jeep owners, and they had the new Jeep Compass in there, which I guess is their new crossover-sorta-thingie. It's OK looking, the concept version they had at the auto show was much cooler. Showed it to the wife, who is a Jeep fanatic (she was really into my Wrangler and loves her Grand Cherokee), she didn't like it to much, not truck like enough for her tastes.

Jeep Compass

Sam mentioned the "clunkiness" of new designs, thats a good point. Anyone ever take a look at the new Mitsubishi SUV's? Good god, those are some awkward looking vehicles. I was behind an Endeavor the other day coming into work, what a confusing array of lines, creases and shapes on that thing. That is not an attractive vehicle, and all the other Mitsu trucks are about the same IMO.

 

[tony barnhill]

What happened to curves? Aerodynamics? Sveltness?

 

[Bret]

[ QUOTE ]
What happened to curves? Aerodynamics? Sveltness?

[/ QUOTE ]
Sexy lines started dispersing years ago. This was discussed in the new FJ thread as well when we talked about some of the current styling trends. While I admit form & function can have its own charm – kind of like an old Military Dodge Power Wagon – not fast & certainly not sexy, but has it’s own coolness. But some like the Scion XB & Element have taken that whole theme over the top.

 

[tony barnhill]

Scion - box on wheels....hate those things!

What's going to be the collector car of the future?

 

[DrEntropy]

MGB's.

This "new" stuff will be relegated to the scrap heaps of history.

 

[Bret]

[ QUOTE ]
Scion - box on wheels....hate those things!


[/ QUOTE ]
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gif Like I said in the other thread - "Borg Scout Ships"... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devilgrin.gif