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Alfa Romeo Giulietta

December 6, 2011 by · Comments Off on Alfa Romeo Giulietta 

Alfa Romeo Giulietta, Fiat’s Chrysler Group today revealed some details and teaser photos of its new Alfa Romeo-based Dodge compact sedan for the U.S. The brand has revived the Dodge Dart name from the 1960s and 1970s for the all-new car that will be unveiled next month at the Detroit auto show. A Dodge teaser site here will offer more information later on the way to showing the reveal live online on Jan. 9.

The 2013, expected on sale early next year, is aimed to give Dodge a contender in the highly competitive compact sedan segment that has seen a raft of new models in the past year and replaces the aging Caliber.

The 2013 Dart rides on an Americanized (lengthened and widened) platform adapted from Fiat’s well-regarded and high-style European Alfa Romeo Giulietta. What the company is calling its Compact U.S. Wide architecture uses 68% high-strength steel to cut weight.

The company promises Euro-style driving dynamics, with upscale four-wheel independent suspension, uncommon in the compact segment.

Chrysler Group offered only these teaser photos today so we can’t tell how fully it delivers on being as stylish as its Alfa roots. But it appears to carry a strong Dodge family resemblance. The company says the design will include many Dodge cues familiar from the redone Charger: a split-crosshair grille, projector headlamps and fog lamps, full-width LED tail lamps and integrated dual exhaust.

Apparently unlike the current trend of making you wait for performances options (like Ford and Hyundai trickling out the good stuff later), three Fiat-designed four-cylinder engines will be offered: a new 16-valve 2-liter, a 16-valve 1.4-liter MultiAir Turbo (now in the Fiat 500) and a new 16-valve 2.4-liter MultiAir.

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