The Cherokee is coming back as a CUV based on the Dodge Dart/Alfa Giulietta platform. And it sure is ugly. Full story at Jalopnik

Update: official pics now at Autoblog

The classic Dart was an extremely popular car throughout the early 60s to mid 70s due to its compact design. Nearly four decades on and Dodge have revived the Dart name with a new design – although no similarities are apparent, the new Dart has been produced as a compact car.

As its stands, the Dart comes with three engine options: 2.0L Tigershark, 2.4L Tigershark and the 1.4L MultiAir Turbo. The most powerful engine is the 2.4L, producing a modest 184hp and 171 lb-ft, however the SRT team are developing a Dart capable of pushing 300 hp for 2014.

I think the SRT crew are right in developing a more competitive package, as in the coming few years the Dart will fall short in performance from the likes of Ford, Subaru and VW. Dodge have their Challenger and their mighty Dodge Charger powerhouses, so the compact Dart should fair well with the extra grunt.

It is estimated the 300hp turbo Dart will cost a little more than its competitors, but with its power and handling upgrades, it will be one hard car to beat. A lot of thought has gone into its aggressive design, a car I think out does Ford and matches Subaru in the looks department -with all those functional scoops, vents and the rear spoiler, it certainly looks like it means business. 

It’s that time of year when we begin to reflect, to think about our lives and count our blessings. Is it Christmas?  No, you slavering horde of Buble-drugged joy addicts, it’s Thanksgiving. Christmas is next month. After The Hobbit.

So since we’ll be out of the office on Thursday, eating whole species of turkey and filling in the corners with mashed potatoes and oyster dressing, and since we’ll be busy Friday serving you up some amazing Black Friday deals, we’re dishing out a Thanksgiving post today. Here are the eight cars for which we’re most thankful.

So there has been a lot of buzz going around about this new Dodge Dart. Pretty sweet little city car, good gas mileage, even a turbo option. But every time I see it, I can't help but feel put off by it.

These ill feelings have nothing to do with the car itself, but more the name Dodge decided to stick on it: Dart. Once this name brought up thoughts of one of the most "Muscley" sedan/coupe cars of an era. V8 engine options, Hemi drag cars and such. And while this new car is cool, it in no way posseses any muscle factor. It pays no tribute to the car that once held its name.

Of all the highly-anticipated returns of the last decade or so, the Dart has ranked near the top. A compact, economical workhorse from Dodge seemed like the perfect lovechild of the Fiat-Chrysler merger, and just the shot in the arm that the Dodge brand needed to pull itself out of the one-trick-pony territory of awesome muscle cars and to give more roundedness to its lineup. Plus, a slightly aggressive compact sedan that referenced the heritage of the much-loved Neon would give a generation of grown-up tuner kids something to connect with. However, pulling off such a tall order, especially in this age of generic front-wheel-drive everything, turns out to be harder than it looks. The new Dart is no Neon. And in the end, it's hard to say if it even lives up to its modest namesake. Continue reading...

This weekend amidst thousands of sun-shriveled fans all hopped up on Red Bull, Monster, or Rockstar, depending on where their loyalties lay, eighteen slightly mad rally drivers took to the streets of Los Angeles for the annual X Games Rallycross. Apparently the Rallycross is only part of a larger X Games event featuring other sports of various kinds. We’ll have to read up on this later.  For now, on to the rallycross.

Strategically located outside the Staples Center, the Gilbert Lindsay Plaza course was .7 miles of tarmac, dirt, a dirt bump (or yump, as the Scandinavian rally pioneers call it), and a pair of ramps with 50 feet of solid air between them. Tight, 90-degree corners made for plenty of crowd-pleasing drift action, and narrow lanes facilitated broken fiberglass nicely.

Dodge really needed this car, and it's finally here, with a retro name and Italian platform. I've only had it out for one short drive, but although it's a pretty tight, well thought out package, I can't stop thinking "Neon" and "rental car." And sticker on this guy is $25,360, which seems a bit hard to swallow. But stay tuned for the full report!

This just popped up over in The Car Lounge. Looks like it came via some Italian fan websites. Anyway, what do you guys think?

Chrysler: “Hey Travis, here’s your brand new Dodge Dart Rally car, it’s the only one in existence, it cost $100,000.00 and there are no spare parts, so please… don’t f*ck it up!”

Travis Pastrana: “Dude… no problem.”

So – what do you think happened?

Last time I wrote, I was pondering why my beloved 1966 Dodge Dart was not selling. After some soul searching and talking with the wife, we decided that the price was too high. I dropped it by $1000 and a nice gentleman from Denver snapped it up. We worked out the details of selling it long-distance, and a couple weeks ago, the Dart left on a semi-truck trailer. Continue reading...