Despite featuring brands like Alfa Romeo and Dodge in its portfolio, Stellantis isn’t the first brand you tend to associate with fun performance cars. However, all this might change very soon. Dodge CEO, Matt McAlear, has repeatedly said that there is “absolutely” a market for sub-$30,000 performance cars and that Dodge owes customers something affordable with “style, attitude, and performance”. While nothing is set in stone just yet, there are a few possibilities regarding the direction this could go, and why now is the perfect time for such a model.
Stellantis has been trying to recover U.S. market share after criticism that many of its products became too expensive. Reuters reported the company is shifting toward more affordable vehicles under new leadership, with sub-$30k entries part of the broader strategy. According to Stellantis’ new strategy, there will be four core brands - Jeep, RAM, Peugeot, and Fiat - while the other (currently) 10 makes will be regional brands.
While this means that brands like Dodge will get less funding, it doesn’t mean there won’t be exciting new models. The brand recently hinted at the return of the Cuda as a high-performance variant in the new Charger lineup. At the same time, it makes the most sense to make a sub-$30,000 sports car as a Dodge. From all the American brands under Stellantis’ wing, Dodge has the most amount of performance-associated nameplates - Viper, Challenger,, Charger, and even Dart.
It is the latter that gets my attention, and for a good reason. The Challenger nameplate has been retired indefinitely, while the Charger brought back nameplates like the Daytona, Sixpack, and soon, the Cuda (which was previously associated with the now-defunct Plymouth brand). The original Dodge Dart dates back to 1960, and was the entry-level Muscle car in the MOPAR family. Eventually, it became a compact, front-wheel-drive, four-door sedan that succeeded the Neon, until it was discontinued in 2016.
Why Dart and not Neon
While Chrysler / Dodge Neon had its fair share of hot versions like the SRT-4, ultimately, the name is associated with the image of a cheap rental car with questionable reliability. The Dart carries more heritage as it dates back to the Muscle car era.
It could be anything
While some reports talk about a sports sedan, we don’t know what this sub-$30,000 performance model would look like. Dodge’s CEO has actively expressed desires to give enthusiasts a “back-to-basics”, affordable weekend sports car that shares the philosophy of the Dodge Viper, but lacks the exotic price tag. To me, these words scream “Miata and GR86 competitor,” and the truth is, we haven’t gotten that from an American car company in a while. Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky come to mind, and those were decent offerings that offered more power than the Miata.
Back in 1997, Dodge introduced the Copperhead Concept, which was basically a scaled-down Dodge Viper, powered by Chrysler’s corporate V-6. Sadly, it never came to fruition, similar to the Chrysler Firepower (also a great car by the way).
The best part is, it will be extremely easy for Stellantis to pull this off. The STLA platform is highly versatile, and the company already has a plethora of potent turbo-four and inline-six engines like the Hurricane. A two-door coupe/roadster, sedan, and even a hot hatchback are feasible. Moreover, it allows Stellantis (and in turn, Dodge) to bring back names like the Dart, Omni GLHS, Shelby Charger, and more.
Dodge made some questionable decisions in recent years, like introducing a Charger EV and ditching the V-8. Luckily, both of these mistakes are being remedied as we speak. Stellantis will attract younger buyers to showrooms, rebuild enthusiast loyalty, and offer a worthy alternative to cars like the Miata, GR86, and Elantra N at a competitive price.
Are you excited about such a model? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Dimitar Angelov has been an automotive journalist since 2014. His passion for cars and motorcycles led him to take up classic car restoration at the Classic Car Museum in Malta. While living there, he also graduated with a Master's in Media and Communications. Aside from Torquenews, his work can also be seen on Topspeed.com, HotCars.com, Motorheads.com, Jalopnik.com, and his own website, Ridereverie.com, where he also includes motorcycle content.
Image source: Wikimedia / Dodge Copperhead
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