What We Know About the 2010 Dodge Demon
The 2010 Dodge Demon concept is a "compact, nimble 'roadster with attitude'" and "an attainable dream car," according to its maker. To us, it's Chrysler Group's answer to the Honda S2000, Mazda MX-5, Pontiac Solstice, and Saturn Sky. And you just might be able to buy one, depending on what happens to Chrysler Group itself.
As you've probably heard, DaimlerChrysler has put its U.S. division up for sale in the face of recent heavy losses that have riled stockholders, mostly European investors who never wanted Mercedes-Benz to buy Chrysler Corporation back in 1998.
Now, after nine years, the marriage is on the rocks and divorce seems inevitable and imminent. Rumors swirl about who the buyer or buyers might be and how the breakup will affect future Chrysler vehicles, including the near showroom-ready Demon.
Assuming a best-case outcome, meaning Chrysler survives in some recognizable form; the general view is that your local Dodge Boys could be selling Demons by model-year 2010.
The 2010 Dodge Demon bowed in concept-car form at the 2007 Geneva Auto Salon in Switzerland, which observers took as a sign that the Demon would spearhead a major Dodge sales push into overseas markets, where the brand is largely unknown.
Chrysler Group has lately been trying to increase its non-U.S. business, no surprise given recent sales reverses at home. It's not hard to imagine the Demon introducing Dodge as a sporty "performance" brand to Europe, as well as to fast-growing markets like China.
The 2010 Dodge Demon would be a "halo" vehicle to spark sales of mainstream fare like the compact Caliber hatchback and new Avenger sedan. All of which explains why the Demon concept looks so realistic and producible compared to your average pie-in-the-sky show car.
The 2010 Dodge Demon, like the concept version, would be built on the Caliber/Avenger platform, and to keep prices affordable. However, it would be modified from the front-or all-wheel drive of those donor vehicles to rear-wheel drive, virtually obligatory for sports cars.
Styling of the 2010 Dodge Demon borrows cues from the hulking V-10 Dodge Viper and would likely carry over with little change from the Demon concept. Ditto dimensions, which are very close to those of the Pontiac Solstice.
The 2010 Dodge Demon concept uses a 172-horsepower 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine and six-speed manual transmission, which would probably be standard for North America. But because that engine is part of the U.S.-built Global Alliance family shared with Mitsubishi and Hyundai, it's no problem to substitute the thriftier 1.8- or 2.0-liter version for markets where gas costs far more than it does here.
The 2010 Dodge Demon concept sports 19-inch wheels, which could be a bit much for a showroom model. Expect 17s to be standard, with 18s optional.
Other concept features would likely survive with little or no alteration. These include the semi-retro cockpit design heavy on brushed-metal trim (or facsimiles); a manual-folding cloth top that hides beneath a hard cover just behind the cockpit; and a stubby rollbar behind each seat to protect occupants in case of a flip.
The rest of the 2010 Dodge Demon package will hinge on marketing decisions based heavily on competitors' pricing, but standards should include modern must-haves such as antilock disc brakes, traction control, and seat-mounted torso side airbags. We also wouldn't rule out a turbocharged Demon as a year-two addition with standard stability control, performance-tuned suspension and special trim.
One thing that might be changed is the name, a point missed entirely by press reports we've seen. Perhaps the writers are too young to remember, but Dodge used Demon way back in 1971-72 for its version of the popular compact Plymouth Duster hatchback, complete with logo decals of a cute little cartoon devil. It was all innocent fun, Dodge thought, but some people thought otherwise and wrote nasty letters, enough that Dodge adopted the prosaic Dart Sport handle. Such are the perils of modern automotive marketing.
A Notable Feature of the 2010 Dodge Demon
Like other affordable sports cars, the 2010 Dodge Demon wraps off-the-shelf mechanical components in a distinctive two-seat roadster package. But unlike some larger Chrysler Group products, it borrows no parts or technology from Mercedes-Benz, which increases its chances of reaching showrooms after a Daimler-Chrysler split.
Buying Advice for the 2010 Dodge Demon
There's really little we can give except to wait and see. The 2010 Dodge Demon could turn out to be the new star of affordable sports cars, but it could just as easily be a pale imitation of what's already out there.
2010 Dodge Demon Release Date: To be determined, like the car itself.
The Demon has yet to be green-lighted for production, and the 2010-model-year debut is strictly an educated guess.
First Test Drive: There may or may not be one depending on how or even if Daimler and Chrysler separate. (The drama is still unfolding.) Again assuming the best, media previews might happen early in calendar 2009.
2010 Dodge Demon Prices: They're bound to level-peg the competition, if only because Chrysler knows how to take cost out of a vehicle to meet a price point. We'd guesstimate a base of $23,000-$24,000 when all is said and done, but keep in mind that production is still many months away and a lot can change in the meantime.
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