CHRYSLER'S PERFORMANCE CHIEF SAYS it's “absolutely paramount” the auto maker introduce a SRT-badged C-car to the brand's growing portfolio.
SRT President and CEO Ralph Gilles fondly recalls being lured into the automotive world by small performance cars such as the Volkswagen GTI. Those types of vehicles offered performance at a reasonable price, opening the door to young enthusiasts, he says.
“I was so proud when we came up with the (Dodge Neon) SRT4 turbo, because up until then Honda was the only game in town, and those weren't factory produced performance cars,” Gilles tells Ward's.
“The Neon put the whole street-tuning scene on its ear with the factory turbo. We have to figure out how to get an entry-level SRT product to capture the next generation.”
The car to which Gilles refers will be a Dodge C-segment sedan derived from the same platform that shoulders the highly acclaimed European-market Alfa Romeo Giulietta offered by alliance-partner Fiat.
The C-segment platform, known internally as C-U.S. Wide, also will shoulder cross/utility vehicles for Fiat's Alfa Romeo and Lancia brands.
While Gilles is adamant that a high-performance C-car would be a welcome addition for Chrysler, he stops short of saying it's a done deal, noting internal plans still are being hammered out.
However, it's unlikely the entry-level model would share the 470-hp 6.4L Hemi V-8 used by its SRT brethren introduced recently in California. The Dodge Challenger SRT8, already on the market, soon will be joined by SRT8 versions of the Chrysler 300, Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Charger.
Despite the down economy and high gas prices, Gilles says the time is right for this lineup of fuel-thirsty cars. Federal fuel-economy ratings have yet to be released for the vehicles, but several Chrysler officials expect the auto maker to be hit with a gas-guzzler tax.
