2011 Dodge Product Review From Kit R. Grant
2011 Dodge Product Review
Dodge announced its brand review for 2011, redefining vehicles plus new lifestyle packages designed to better meet the needs of its customers.
Napa Valley, California, was the perfect setting for scores of car writers to come, drive in the field and on track, critique and acclaim some of the products Dodge is introducing for 2011.
We had the opportunity to drive the beautiful scenic valley of Napa, taking narrow roads through the vineyards, then up sharp and curvy roads from the valley floor into rugged mountain crests. We would end up following Highway 1 along the coast’s high cliffs toward and onto the Golden Gate Bridge and on through San Francisco.
Dodge introduced the 2011 Avenger, Challenger, Charger, Durango, Grand Caravan, and Journey. The brand new Chrysler 200 was also introduced but I will cover it another time.
Dodge Avenger
The 2011 Dodge Avenger was built with the idea of developing a vehicle that has a tremendous improvement in noise, vibration, and harshness for significantly reduced road noise, wind noise, tactile vibration, engine growl, and power train noise. To reach this level of quietness, Dodge engineers added 45 new sound-deadening treatments that significantly reduce noise.
Some examples of these treatments are:
. Acoustic windshield
. Laminated side glass
. Sound-absorbing material added to strategic locations throughout the vehicle
We are talking about an Avenger that has a new 3.6L V6 engine that delivers 283 horsepower at 6,350 rpm and 260 lb-ft torque at 4,400 rpm, giving an EPA fuel economy rating of 19 mpg city and 29 mpg highway.
Dodge Challenger
If you are a muscle car enthusiast, you will love the 2011 Dodge Challenger. The newest HEMI engine in the SRT product line pumps out 470 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque and provides an additional 90 lb-ft of torque at 29,000 rpm versus the previous 6.1L V8 engine. The Challenger has a thick body style and a sculptured “coke bottle” design side panel while the stoplights are up high. Challenger is not a family car, but if you are around 40 or younger and a “little bad,” then Challenger is the “Bad Boy” car for you.
Dodge Durango
Since 1998 Dodge has sold 1.5 million Durangos in the full-size SUV market. The new 2011 Durango is available in several models.
The Citadel is the ultimate in Durango luxury, and since this is the vehicle I drove, I wanted to focus on it. Features include rich perforated Nappa leather heated and ventilated seats, stitched interior components, remote start, blind-spot monitoring, and chrome-finished 20-inch wheels. Young professionals who work so hard will love the extra room. Citadel’s rigid body and four-wheel independent suspension covers an engine that includes the standard flex fuel 3.6L Pentastar V6 and the 5.7L V8. Both engine models feature variable-valve timing, with fuel economy of estimated 14 mpg in city and 20 mpg highway for the V8 RWD.
Dodge Grand Caravan
The 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan is a well-engineered minivan with world-class interior, a fun driving experience, cutting-edge technology, and a 5-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty.
The new Grand Caravan sports the “split crosshair” grille, a new hood and guard headlamps all combined to give the face a more aggressive feel, a new and more sculpted rear fascia and liftgate, and new rear “ring of fire” LED taillamps.
The new 3.6L Pentastar V6 engine produces best-in-class 283 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque and delivers excellent fuel mileage. The Pentastar V6 engine is mated to the smooth-shifting 62TE six-speed automatic transaxle.
A “Stow ’n Place” roof rack system allows roof bows to be stowed when not in use, resulting in better aerodynamics.
Dodge Journey
The 2011 Dodge Journey Crossover has an engine that packs 283 horsepower and 260 lb-ft torque. The new 3.6L Pentastar V6 engine is matched to the six-speed transmission.
New 19-inch wheels and a new, less angular rear fascia and “ring of fire” LED taillamps wrap Journey front to back. Safety and security features include electronic stability control, brake override, side curtain air bags in all three rows, rear backup camera, four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes, brake override, child seat anchor system, and Trailer-sway Control.
Let me conclude by telling you something about the interior design. The center console gets a lot of extra cushion on the tilt-and-slide armrests. Lift the lid and there’s a large storage bin with a 12-volt outlet and USB port where owners can hook up the MP3/iPod changing connectors and hide them away. There is also a larger storage bin with side nets. The instrument is beautifully crafted, setting the tone for the entire driving experience.
Call Kit R. Grant at 403-620-5459 to book your test drive today!
Check out the new Dodge Lineup today. Call Kit at 403-620-5459 for your
exclusive test drive.
2012 Fiat 500 Has ARRIVED in Calgary – Kit R. Grant
Fiat 500
Finally the much awaited 2012 Fiat 500 has arrived at our dealership in Calgary. I recently spent some time darting around in a piccolini-size portion of Italian automotive cuisine: the Fiat 500 that is now being served from our showroom . And, like the bite of Nonna’s gnocchi that it resembles, the minicar came drenched in red sauce — in this case, a paint job the color of Sunday-dinner marinara.
Fiat 500 in Calgary
If you live in the Calgary, you may not have seen a 500 — in Italian, the Cinquecento — in your neighborhood. The first deliveries, 500 copies of a version called the Prima Edizione, are going out to customers this week.
My previous 500 experiences had been in Europe, where I’d driven a couple of the current-generation cars. Their small footprint, Segway-ish turning circle and more than 40 m.p.g. mileage had helped me, like the Visigoths, to conquer Rome.
It is indeed the same car that Europeans have been driving for nearly four years, albeit now built at a Chrysler plant in Mexico and modified for Canadian tastes in several ways — notably, by the absence of a diesel version and the addition of a fully automatic transmission.
My Fiat 500, thankfully, didn’t have that.
Rather, the Fiat 500 I’m driving came with the standard-issue 5-speed manual, which helps you make the most of the 1.4-liter 4-cylinder gasoline engine. Though hardly a powerhouse, that high-revving motor can be played to maximum effect by engaging the Sport button, which changes the throttle response, and by frequent use of the shifter. (I can’t imagine what the 500 is like with an automatic and have no desire to find out.)
The Fiat lags a bit leaving a stoplight, but by the time you’re in second gear you’re waving “arrivederci” to fellow motorists. I had previously spent enough time on the fast-paced Italian autostradas to state unequivocally that, if the driver is daring, the Fiat 500 can zip along in the fast lane amid the best German sedans the euro can buy. The Fiat 500 is stylish and spunky and has an upscale look and feel.
I challenge you to visit me at the dealership in Calgary and come for a test drive..you will fall in love! Call Kit R. Grant at 403-620-5459 to book a appointment to drive the 2012 Fiat 500.
