Jalopnik: dodge hornet

Chery-Chrysler Joint Venture Dissolved, Dodge Hornet Gets Stung?

Ben Wojdyla — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 13:00:00 EST

According to Auto Sohu and China Car Times the joint venture between Chrysler and Chery has been dissolved before it was even consummated. What happens to the Dodge Hornet concept?

Production on the Hornet was affirmed back in July of this year, but since then the entire world has kind of gone up in a financial funeral pyre. None of this is official yet, but we'll be placing calls to find out what's going on. If this turns out to be true, it's rough news for Chrysler's product portfolio, considering it was slated as the efficient city-car when apparently that's the only thing we're allowed to want anymore. [ChinaCarTimes]

Not-Available-Here Econobox Shootout: 500 Vs. Hornet Vs. Cube

Ben Wojdyla — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 09:40:00 EDT

We're all now apparently destined to give up our delightful gas-guzzling luxury boats (again) and dump our super-sized SUVs in favor of wearably small fuel sippers. It seems, thanks to news yesterday that the Dodge Hornet's still in the mix and planning to head stateside, that at least a few automakers are trying to make them interesting, or are at least making them look interesting. Unfortunately none of them are yet here. But of these unbuyable-here (and in a couple of cases, anywhere) econoboxes, we're wondering which ones you're most interested in — hit the jump.

Fiat 500

Fiat has been on again, off again on its plans for a return to the US, but we're hoping eventually to see the reborn Fiat 500 on domestic shores — if for no other reason than to give Mini owners something to think about. Sure, it'll need a little more scoot or a totally different torque curve to get us interested, but the car has style and a superb interior, plus it sips the fuel.

Dodge Hornet

With production confirmation yesterday, we'll be waiting with baited breath for the sting of the Chinese-built Dodge Hornet. The little bruiser should come in right about when gas tops $15 a gallon and the cities start to burn. But that won't stop us from being interested in the Hornet. We'll just have to wait and see if Chryslerberus and Chery can deliver the goods on product quality.

Nissan Cube

The Nissan Cube has been forbidden, asymmetrical fruit for years now, but Nissan is telling us the next version will be US-bound. We don't know if the funky style will survive, but it could be the beneficiary of Carlos Ghosn's big electric push, resulting in an all-electric Cube. We'd welcome the little-van-that-could with open arms even if it's just a gasser.

Hornet Is Go! Dodge to Build Micro-Car, Because Duh, Gas Prices Might Rise

Wes Siler — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 13:00:00 EDT

The ever-progressive Chrysler Corporation wowed the auto industry today amid heavy rumors that it may build a small economy car based on the Dodge Hornet. While not breaking up with Big Oil, Chrysler is hedging bets that, in the future, fuel prices will soar due to a combination of flawed American foreign policy combined with skyrocketing demand from China and India. Thus, management is positively rushing to bring the Hornet to market. Thanks to its streamlined and efficient management hierarchy, the company has been able to push through a decision to maybe go ahead with production at some point in the future to possibly start sales in 2010 in a scarcely believable two years.

Speaking to the Financial Times Deutschland, Thomas Hausch, the company's vice president for international purchasing, stated unambiguously, "We are working intensely on the Hornet study," following with the inspirational and foresighted, "But I cannot rule out that there may be a Chrysler that is smaller than our economy model, the 2-liter Sebring." We're seriously impressed by Chrysler's commitment to bringing about a brave new future through progressive product lines. Unconfirmed reports from Europe and Asia state that automakers there are hurrying to develop plans for their own sub-2-liter economy cars in an effort to catch up with the American juggernaut. [via Forbes]