Lamenting the Dodge Demon ...
Submitted by Dale Chang
Since the Dodge Demon hasn't hit the production floor, let alone the showroom floor, lamenting its demise might seem a bit odd. However, there was so much promise in the Demon's design concept, and it seemed so perfect a candidate totransition into a production vehicle, I couldn't help but keep an eye on its development. Its clean, muscular lines, light weight, rear-wheel-drive chassis, and a surprisingly understated interior made this little roadster less a concept vehicle than a pre-production mock-up. Or so it was assumed by everyone at the time.
According to Autoweek, last year Tom Lasorda of Chrysler indicated that in order to "broaden its global appeal" and meet stricter emission standards all in one fell swoop, Chrysler would base the Demon production vehicle on a Chinese front-wheel-drive platform designed by Chery.
Someone please explain to me the logic in this.
Most American automakers already suffer from the stigma of poor build quality when compared to the more prominent European and Japanese brands. Over the past decade or two, most of them have put in effort in their engineering and advertising to dispel the notion. Why, then, would Chrysler decide to base a high-profile car on a hinese FF platform plagued by similar quality control issues? And why shift it to a front-wheel-drive platform?
After all, this is a segment that would put the Demon in direct or indirect competition with cars like the Mazda MX-5 Miata, the Toyota MR Spyder, the Honda S2000, the Porsche Boxster/Cayman, the Audi TT, and the Pontiac Solstice/Saturn Sky. Not all of these fall into what would have been the Demon's price segment, but the MX-5 Miata, in particular, is praised not simply for being affordable, but fun and well-built.
Remember when the Chrysler Crossfire was first marketed to the public? It was well-received, if not universally adored, and I seem to recall a few automotive journalists comment on the similarities between it and the Merceds-Benz SLK with which it shared many parts. It was a quality vehicle with a solid build and presented itself as a slightly less expensive, American-badged alternative to the German counterpart. Let that be the guide here--inexpensive is a worthy goal, but cheap is not the way! Why ruin a promising concept with cheap execution?
--Dale Chang
WMB on April 27, 2009 at 09:37 PM
The current object of my car lust is a Crossfire Coupe. I still cant believe I picked up that car, at that price, with those miles, and that performnce. I never seen one on the road outside of a car mag and I cant believe it is sitting outside of my house right now.
Ive owned interesting cars before and have never gotten this much attention behind the wheel of a car before. Is this what exotic car owners feel like? In the 3 days Ive owned it almost every kid waves at me.
The thing is so tossable. Rips corners, Quick but not fast. If this car was priced right from the start oh how things would have been way different for DC.
I think im going to go outside and look at it now. My poor Miata.
M
jonathan on December 07, 2009 at 03:05 PM
the demon could be a great car, especially if it had an srt4 option, but why in the world would chrysler "kill" a great concept and the classic nameplate by making it a front wheel drive car, its bad enough a car called demon has only 160 hp but then fwd. chrysler has completely lost its mind!
Pete Walls on March 29, 2011 at 06:49 AM
I own both an 87 MB 560SL and (2) chrysler leBarons; not much of a comparison but i can tell you for sure that the tops on the lebarons are a lot more intelligently designed that on the Mercedes. The Mercedes is so hard to put the top up and down on I can't imagine the average lady even bothering, whereas on the old LeBarons it is very easy. Also the Mercedes didn't even come with a headliner to insulate from the cold weather and road noise, and the lebarons do. Of course I guess the prevailing thinking is that most people would put the hardtop on the MB whereas of course no such thing on a Chrysler (I am retired from Diamler/Chrysler)