Dodge Turns to Crowdsourcing to Sell Darts

Social media has played an increasing role in the automotive industry during the past few years. Now Dodge is using a form of social media called crowdsourcing to alter the new-car buying process.

What is crowdsourcing? In this case, if you're looking to buy a new Dodge Dart, you'll now have the ability to reach out to your friends and family via the Dodge Dart Registry to help fund the purchase. This registry is similar to KickStarter, a popular online crowdsourcing community used for supporting independent film productions, inventions and other projects that need funding.

Through the Dodge Dart Registry, those wanting to someday drive a new Dart off a dealer lot, can build — or should we say customize — their own Dart, which will then appear on a public page for people to sponsor. Money raised through that individual's registry can be applied to either the full purchase of the new vehicle or toward specific parts like special wheels, heated seats or keyless entry. On your profile, you can upload a photo — maybe of that old clunker you're trying to replace — write a short biography and set limits for donation tiers.

Marchionne: Dodge Dart May Get Nine-Speed Transmission

Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne said today that the Dodge Dart's disappointing-to-him performance in the U.S. should be improved once Dodge gives the compact sedan more powertrain options, and that may include a nine-speed transmission the automaker is developing.

More 2013 Detroit Auto Show Coverage

Marchionne said that the automaker used "powertrain solutions that, in today’s world and in hindsight, were not and are not the ideal solution." Dodge started sales with a manual transmission, which few American buyers choose, and then followed that with a double-clutch automatic, which Marchionne described as an approach that is more appealing to European drivers, not U.S. shoppers. The solution, he said, is for Dodge to expand the Dart’s powertrain offerings.

Dodge to Introduce 2013 Dart GT at Detroit Auto Show

Chrysler has announced that yet another new trim level is joining the list for its 2013 Dodge Dart lineup, and it's set to be introduced next week at the 2013 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The new Dart GT will join the SE, SXT, Rallye, Aero and Limited trims, building off the Limited model and going in a decidedly sporty direction. It goes into production in the spring.

The GT will feature a frankly impressive list of standard equipment, including a two-tone leather interior, automatic climate control, Chrysler's 8.4-inch touch-screen, dual exhaust, a unique sport suspension, 18-inch wheels, heated steering wheel and front seats, and special exterior trim. The only powertrain will be the 2.4-liter Tigershark engine making 184-horsepower, delivered through a standard six-speed manual transmission or optional six-speed automatic with manual-shift function.

Regular Cars that Take Premium Gasoline

It's common to see "requires 91 octane gasoline for best performance" on the fuel door of sports or luxury cars. So, we scratch our heads when we see the same premium recommendation on a family car, hybrid or non-performance car. According to AAA's FuelGauge Report, the price difference between regular and premium gas is 32 cents nationally. Spending an additional $4.80 on a 15-gallon refuel isn't an insignificant amount of money, and you could save it if you buy a similarly efficient car at a similar price that runs on regular gasoline. 
 
Below is a list of cars that you may not guess recommend or require premium fuel. The manufacturer's fuel recommendation from the owner's manual or consumer website is listed alongside each vehicle. 

2013 Dodge Dart Aero Priced at $20,090

When the 2013 Dodge Dart Aero goes on sale in the coming months, it will start at $20,090, including a $795 destination fee.

That’s less expensive than the 2013 Chevrolet Cruze Eco ($20,475) and the 2013 Ford Focus SFE ($20,185), but it costs more than the 2013 Mazda3 with SkyActiv ($19,170).

The Dart Aero slots in-between the Dart Rallye ($18,790) and the Dart Limited ($20,790) trims in terms of pricing. Standard equipment includes cruise control, automatic headlights, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, projector headlamps and LED taillamps. Fuel-saving features on the Dart Aero include lightweight aluminum chassis components, active grille shutters, underbody aero kit and low-rolling-resistance tires.

Dodge Dart, Lexus ES and Two More Named Top Safety Picks

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s list of Top Safety Picks has grown by four cars. The 2013 versions of the Lexus ES, Dodge Dart, Hyundai Santa Fe and Subaru XV Crosstrek have earned IIHS’ top award.

To earn the safety nod, a car must receive the highest score of Good in front, side, rear and rollover crash tests. The rollover test looks at a vehicle’s roof strength. To pass this crash test, a car’s roof must withstand a force of four times its weight.

The ES and Santa Fe have been redesigned for the 2013 model year. Both the ES 350 and ES 300h, a hybrid, have been named Top Safety Picks, besting the 2012 ES 350 that earned a Marginal score in the rear crash test. The 2012 Santa Fe also was a Top Safety Pick.

The new-for-2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek’s crash-test scores are no surprise since it’s based on the Subaru Impreza, which is also a Top Safety Pick. The Dart is also new for 2013.

Related

Tougher IIHS Crash Test Could Mean Fewer Top Safety Picks

Roof-Strength Ratings Offer Insight on Rollover Safety

More Safety News

2013 Dodge Dart Aero Rated at 41 MPG

The EPA released gas-mileage figures for the most fuel-efficient Dodge Dart powertrain, the Dart Aero.

The model will get 28/41/32 mpg city/highway/combined with a six-speed manual transmission. The six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission will net 28/40/32 mpg. However, the Aero achieves these figures while sipping on premium gasoline, which will likely be a major detractor for compact-car shoppers.

July's Fastest and Slowest Selling Cars

Who says old cars won’t sell? July's fastest sellers include newbies like the redesigned Nissan Altima and two Hyundai Elantra additions — the coupe and GT hatchback — but a number of cars that have been on the market a year or more are flying off lots. The year-old Volkswagen Passat, our Best of 2012 car, averages just five days to sell. The Kia Soul, which went on sale way back in spring 2009, takes just a week to sell. The Hyundai Tucson, Kia Optima and Subaru Outback are also among July's fastest sellers, and all of them are at least 2 years old.

On the newer side, the Dodge Dart and Scion FR-S are off to a fast start. The Scion marks its second month in a row among the fastest sellers. Other repeat performers include the Cadillac XTS and Ford Escape (second month each), Hyundai's Veloster and Accent hatchbacks (third month), Soul (fourth month) and Toyota Prius c (fifth month). The Subaru Impreza has the longest tenure here, having been among the fastest monthly sellers since just after it hit dealerships in November 2011. July marks the Impreza's eighth consecutive month.

Daily News Briefs: July 10, 2012

Chrysler will launch the ad campaign for the 2013 Dodge Dart at tonight's Major League Baseball All-Star Game, Automotive News reports. Dubbed "How to Change Cars Forever," the commercial paints a fast-paced montage of how to develop a car sans committees, finance guys and other killjoys. There's even a cameo of New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. It might seem odd for Brady to appear in a baseball game, but the campaign should run well into pigskin season. Expect heavier marketing this September, Automotive News says. Dodge's new tagline, "New Rules," shows up at the end of the 90-second spot. The Dart went on sale last month, but inventory is still ramping up. As of today, Cars.com shows less than 1,000 Darts in national inventory. Click below to watch the ad.

Top 10 Best-Selling Cars: June 2012

Sales for major automakers improved more than 20% over a dismal June 2011 as the hardest-hit brands during last year's Japan earthquake recorded huge year-over-year gains. Toyota gained 60.3%; Honda picked up 48.8%, and Nissan added 28.2%. Not that the Detroit Three stayed behind: Ford sales improved 7.0% last month, while GM and Chrysler both piled on double-digit gains of 15.5% and 20.3%, respectively. On strong gains for the Jeep and Chrysler brands, Chrysler reported its best June since 2007 and its 27th consecutive month of year-over-year gains.

The results made for a similar list of best-sellers to last month, with one swap — the Ford Escape for the Honda CR-V. The Escape improved 28.0% with a slight uptick in year-over-year incentives as the redesigned 2013 Escape trickled into dealerships, but the 2013 might be a hard find. The prior-gen 2012 Escape still outnumbers its sharp-looking successor by more than a 4-to-1 ratio on Cars.com's national new-car inventory, and Ford sales chief Ken Czubay said each 2013 Escape takes just five days to sell.