Jalopnik: Dodge Nitro

Dodge Nitro And Jeep Liberty Death Match! Only One Will Survive!

Mark Arnold — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 17:20:00 EDT

Chrysler is looking to slaughter one of its Toledo-made SUV twins, the Dodge Nitro or Jeep Liberty. Only one can survive the elimination process, and our money is on the Jeep sticking around, with the Dodge getting the axe in 2012. It's all part of "Big" Bob Nardelli's unrelenting ~~thirst for blood~~ quest to cut back on unnecessary badge-engineered, platform-sharing vehicles that exist only to make dealers happy. Of course, there are talks of Chrysler getting more dealers to consolidate all the brands under one roof. Wait a sec, we're talking about an American automaker? This doesn't make sense ... err, actually, it makes too much sense. [Toledo Blade via AutomobileMag]

Dodge Nitro SRT8?!

Wes Siler — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 11:12:00 EDT

Chrysler can't seriously be thinking of bringing an SRT8-badged Dodge Nitro to market, can they? Well, if this latest batch of spy photos from the spy shooters at KGP are right, then they are. But they can't be! Seriously. It's inconceivable. We don't care where they found this manufacturer-plated madness (right outside of the Firehouse in downtown Detroit) or what it has slapped on the back (an SRT8 badge), but it's hard to argue with photographic evidence. We'll assume it's an engineer having a little bit of fun or perhaps another media outlet playing around with the cameras. Because seriously — it's got to be that. The other option? It's just too horrible to imagine. Full spy report from KGP after the jump.

We caught this SRT-badged Dodge Nitro prototype running on the streets of downtown Detroit, causing us to wonder: Is a Nitro SRT8 really in Dodge's future? The undisguised Nitro was spotted pulling out of the famous Detroit Firehouse—the favorite Chrysler-sponsored hospitality spot for journalists covering the Detroit Auto Show. As the Nitro pulled into traffic and stopped at a red light, the SRT badge came into view, and we were able to get out our camera and start shooting just as the light turned green and the Nitro drove out of sight. Our view of this Nitro SRT8's nose was very fleeting, so we can't reliably comment on the prototype's front-end styling treatment. Overall, this Nitro doesn't seem to heavily modified.
Sources familiar with Chrysler's current inner workings have stated
that the majority of the company's engineering resources have been
directed toward improving the current product range to improve and
enhance the vehicles currently in showrooms—which could apply to this
addition to the Nitro brand. Given Cerberus' cautious reassessment of
the Chrysler, Jeep, and Dodge model lineups, however, we're not sure
that the notion of a Nitro SRT8 makes much sense. But there is no
arguing with the SRT8 badge on this Nitro tester. We'll stay on the
case to see if any more Nitro SRT8 evidence surfaces.

Oregon Trail Remake Ditches Wagons for SUVs, Hybrids And... Umm, Wagons

Travis Hudson — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 16:45:00 EST

The cult classic game, Oregon Trail, has finally received a much needed update. Thule Trail is an independent game still utilizing the same style of graphics, but an updated story line that involves a cross-country trip to a music festival in a variety of cars including the Honda Insight, Dodge Nitro or an old Volvo station wagon, rather than a 19th century cross country trip of settlers in a rickety wagon.

Thule Trail includes many mini-games and scenarios that real-life cross-country road trippers will encounter like hitchhikers, prostitutes, dice games, hunting for food and more. It just reminds me of the days hunting and killing 999 pounds worth of buffalo, but only being able to carry 50 and being scolded for being wasteful, then getting dysentery and blaming karma for letting my daughter drown while crossing the river. Maybe this can help you enjoy the rest of your workday. [Thule Trail via Kotaku]

New 2008 Jeep Liberty Is Afraid Of Cameras, Goes "On Road, Off Road"

Ray Wert — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 09:45:00 EDT

When we first saw the new 2008 Jeep Liberty at a pre-New York Auto Show briefing session we can't help but feel very sad. One of us has been a proud owner of a Jeep Liberty and truly enjoys taking his little baby bug off the beaten path whenever possible. While we're not at all impugning the capabilities of this new small SUV all about lettin' freedom ring, we were a little bit disappointed that it in many ways looks like and feels like (the interior) a re-badged Dodge Nitro. Still, in this new commercial for Jeep, the boys n' girls at BBDO (we think they've still got the account — who knows these days?) are trying to show off the off-road capabilities of "The New Small SUV" from "The New Chrysler" by watching as it can't seem to stay on the road. We know that feeling all too well.