The
Dodge Dart, a 1960s compact car that gearheads turned into street
racers, is making a comeback. Chrysler said yesterday that it will use
the Dart name for a new compact car based on Italian technology that it
will introduce in the U.S. next year. The new Dart is expected to get 40
miles per gallon of gas on the highway. The new car is based on the
Alfa Romeo Giulietta, a compact sold in Europe, but will be wider and
longer to handle Americans’ need for more space. Chrysler said that the
four-door sedan will handle and perform well, yet be efficient. It’s the
first car sold by Chrysler dealers that is based on Fiat underpinnings.
The Dart, due in showrooms during the first half of next year, will
replace the Dodge Caliber, a slow-selling compact SUV.
