DerKublewagen53

moparlepore

Jimal

TheGuinnessTooth

I have a Nitro R/T and like it. I sold my cooper S and wanted to buy a small sport-ute manufactured by an American car company. That narrows the viable options to a slim group. What would you choose?

Someone mentioned the SEMA Nitro and I have thought there is plenty of room in the bay for a V8. Though I doubt this is it, as it has SLT Trim and several other weak design cues as previously mentioned.

ccskyle

Why can't a SRT version have a 4.7 or a 5.7??? They use the 6.1 in the Charger because it is an upgrade to the 5.7. The 4.7 or the 5.7 is an upgrade to the 4.0. Either of those engines is a great fit for the Nitro in an SRT version.

People that are calling it craptastic have probably never driven one. They are actually quite nice inside and out, quiet, and easy to drive. They are not ugly compared to a CRV or RAV4 for that matter.

Percieved notion...that's all it is, just like the percieved notion that Toyota makes a high quality vehicle.

acrcpe45

To me, it just wouldnt be right if it had anything less than the 6.1 Hemi.

danio3834

By the way, Chrysler does have another V8 that might make more since in this. Didn't they just re-work the 4.7 liter V8 and bump it to about 300 Horse? Might fit well and be a decent option for this trucklet.

DadsBoys

@danio3834: COTD!

Maymar - now with 37% less anonymity

suzq044

dculberson

suzq044

All hail to the Maker who proliferates Semi-Hemispherical madness on the land.

;)

danio3834

Putting V8s in everything possible is vital to our national security.

danio3834

C'mon Cerberus, just cancel this crapwagon before it desecrates our freeways with it's inherent ugliness. Fire all your designers while you're at it, or at least provide them with a vision plan.

slackinfux

Calling this the "most pointless" is demeaning to all that is good about cylinders and horsepowers and torques.

dculberson

I'll give Chrysler this, the Nitro is probably the most distinctive looking small SUV on the market, and that definitely counts for something.

Make a panel version with HEMI power and they will come no matter what Jalopnik says.

TriShield

sho220

Rabbi Dave

Trembler

Ash78

Produce one for $30,000, pop a Hemi w/ cylinder deactivation in that thing, upgrade the interior, watch it sell. Makes a hell of a lot more sense than a $46,000 monster Grand Cherokee, for sure.

Roadster_Guy

This is one of the least ugly vehicles Chrysler makes. It is an SUV, but not nearly as bad as something like an H2, and it is a real truck with a frame (welded to the body Jeep Cherokee style) and a live rear axle, so it is durable and able to tow, unlike a cute-ute.

The AWD Grand Cherokee SRT has had good reviews and sales, so maybe they are trying that drivetrain in a cheaper truck.

no_slushbox

Ray Wert

OldeEnglishD misses Polar

acrcpe45

turbofreak

The nitro at least appeals to men with tiny wallets to match their tiny brains and bits.

Feds

OH NOES!1!11!!!!!!!!1!!

TEH HORRER!!!1!!!1!!!!

POLAЯBEEЯ

You guys are really slipping!

FЯeeMan

cgarison

kingfling

Tomsk

I'm pretty sure even a trained monkey can tell the difference between a V6 exhaust note and a "Hemi" exhaust note.

Oh, and VW called, they want their Jetta wheels back.

01NB

Although I see the possibilty that somebody may be trying to gauge the market's response to the very idea of an SRT8 Nitro, without such a thing actually existing... yet.

FLB

and I would probably have to say syclone/typhoon from GMC in the early 90's - they were POS, no doubt, but that torque spoke to me in a language that $3-$4 per gallon cannot undo....

russell_s

Rabbi Dave

Beluga

POLAЯBEEЯ

...and everytime I look at the SRT8 badging I see STR8!

POLAЯBEEЯ

Ray Wert

PolishDon

Chrysler had done a Hemi powered Nitro a while back for the SEMA show as an engineering study. Nitro's are actually pretty cool. For a first shot into that marget segment is is actually pretty nice. Compared to an Escape, I'd take the Nitro. I don't care what anyone says about the "plastic" interiors, all of the vehicles in this segment are "plastic".

If they used a 5.7 Hemi, which is a big upgrade from the 4.0, they would have the MDS and the new generation 5.7 makes a lot of HP and gets pretty good mileage. This looks like a true win win and exactly the point of the SRT program. Best engine combination, best suspension combination, and best interior combination.

I doubt it is real, but I don't see what is so bad about it. I think it is a great idea. In a vehicle this small and lighterweight (compared to the Ram) it should get just as good if not better mileage then the upcoming 09 Ram with the same engine, probably better.

If it is real and anything like the Jeep SRT it'll be great! Size and cost may be the perfect lower level to the Jeep SRT. This would be an awesome upscale model for this segment that no other manufacturer can compare with.

I dig it. You can have V8's and good gas mileage.

Mike

acrcpe45

@hapless: If the stock Nitro (a bastard-coated Liberty with a bastard filling) has a longitudinal engine, I don't know why the SRT-8 would go transverse. Of all the things they got from AMC and Renault, weird wasn't one of them.

Maymar - now with 37% less anonymity

...Like the Fierenzo's V-12

POLAЯBEEЯ

sho220

badco/LoJ

burglar

Ray Wert

OldeEnglishD misses Polar

MetaOrbit

Doesn't the small "M" in the middle of the plate indicate it's a manufacturer?

racerx

Rabbi Dave

Nothing Chryco does suprises me anymore.

CEman

stevecmh

sos10

bluecoupe

Ash78

Makes more sense than a grand cherokee srt-8..

I kinda like the nitro.. with a real engine under the hood it's even better :)

WheatKing

Turboner

abgwin

Now, if they could, out of the kindness of their hearts, and in true Dodge bros. spirit, make something like a neon available in a widebody RWD SRT-8 Hemi, I'd become a disciple of Chrysler again. Oh, and don't even think about an auto trans. T56, pls.

Turboner

racerx

dolo54

disgustepated

hapless

Bee1

mytdawg

Illusive