New Dodge Dart Channels the Alfa Romeo

It's been a long time since a U.S. carmaker displayed a new compact car that got anyone very excited.  But this year's Detroit auto show includes a number of new models that are catching the eye of car enthusiasts.

Perhaps the most intriguing is the 2013 Dodge Dart, which Chrysler Group LLC would have us believe is channeling Alfa Romeo.  It's the first new model to come out of the melded Fiat-Chrysler design studios and it betrays a strong Italian influence.

The new Dart is built on the Fiat platform that in Europe underpins the Alfa Romeo Giuletta.  It's the first of at least seven cars, SUVs and crossovers that will be built on Fiat platforms -- giving Chrysler what it hopes is a fast lap onto the compact/mid-size track in the U.S.

This may not sound so good to the red-blooded Americans who drive those big Dodge trucks but it's worth remembering that Fiat is the second-biggest carmaker in Europe, trailing only the mighty Volkswagen.

“The all-new Dodge Dart is a groundbreaking car that will surprise and delight customers who want a no-compromise, fun-to-drive car that’s a great value,” said Dodge President Reid Bigland. “With 12 exterior colors, 14 interior color and trim options, three powerful, fuel-efficient engines, three transmission choices, unsurpassed safety features and world-class aerodynamics, the new Dodge Dart sets a new standard for the compact car class.”

The 2013 Dodge Dart will be available in five trim levels: SE, SXT, Rallye, Limited and R/T. It will be built in the United States at Chrysler Group’s Belvidere Assembly Plant in Belvidere, Ill. Production of the 2013 Dodge Dart will begin in the second quarter of 2012.

It will offer a nine-speed transmission later in 2012, providing better fuel economy without overly dampening performance.