New Model of Dodge Caliber Unveiled

Chicago, Illinois- Dodge unveiled the new Caliber SRT4 at the Chicago Auto Show on Wednesday. It is the sporty version of the original Caliber that was officially launched last week at the Belvidere plant. But this one has a different market...the tuner crowd. The Calibur SRT4 boasts one huge exhaust pipe, bigger tires, ground effects, and more suspension. The interior is designed to look like a race car. The biggest difference between the Calibur SRT4 and the base model unveiled last week is the 300 horse power engine. That is 85 more than the base. Not bad for a V-8, but this is a four cylinder. "Thats what gives this car its credibility on the street," says Caliber SRT4 designer Greg Howell. The tuner crowd likes high performance and style. This style was designed for single guys, but not excluding the married ones. "Theyll still want to be able to do their performance thing and be able to kinda sneak off every once in a while to pull a couple of stop light starts," says Herb Helbig, senior manager of SRT performance. The cars debut at the Chicago Auto Show puts it in the spotlight of the media, car dealers, and consumers that will roam the displays starting Friday. "A lot of people are going to see this car," says Helbig. "A lot of people are going to see the Caliber. And I think that will do nothing but bolster sales right through the roof." Those sales could mean big things for the state-of-the-art robotic plant in Belvidere where the car will be produced. "Its a big deal for the Belvidere assembly plant," says Helbig. "Its going to be built on the same flexible line that builds the base Caliber. Those robots can change their tooling in 45 seconds." Production of the Caliber SRT4 will start a year from now. The car will be available in May 2007.