Avoid DETROIT – The first electric vehicle for the Dodge brand under Stellantis will be a plug-in hybrid crossover called the Hornet, a resurrected name most recently used for a 1970s station wagon. The compact crossover will be Dodge’s new entry-level vehicle, with a starting price of less than $30,000 for a Hornet GT model with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. The plug-in hybrid model, which Dodge calls the Hornet R/T, will start around $40,000. Although the Hornet is not one of Dodge’s signature cars, it is an important vehicle for the brand’s sales and electrification strategy. It marks a return to the lower-priced market, after the Dart sedan and Journey crossovers were discontinued in 2016 and 2020, respectively. “We believe the potential is tremendous with the growth of this segment,” Dodge CEO Tim Kuniskis said during a media briefing. He declined to discuss sales expectations for the vehicle, which was revealed Tuesday night at an event in Pontiac, Michigan. 2023 Dodge Hornet GT Avoid The compact crossover segment is one of the industry’s largest segments, but Kuniskis said Dodge will position the Hornet differently from competitors. Dodge says the Hornet will have class-leading performance and will offer unique aspects, including a “Power Shot” mode for the plug-in hybrid that instantly delivers an additional 25 horsepower to the vehicle. The Hornet R/T PHEV will make more than 285 horsepower and 383 foot-pounds of torque, according to Dodge. It will be able to travel more than 30 miles before firing a turbocharged 1.3-liter internal combustion engine to power the vehicle. Dodge says the GT model will make at least 265 horsepower and 295 foot-pounds of torque. The Hornet GT is expected to hit US showrooms late this year, followed by the plug-in model next spring. The vehicles will be produced at a plant in Italy alongside the Alfa Romeo Tonale, which shares a common platform and components but different design features. 2023 Dodge Hornet GT GLH Concept Avoid Dodge also introduced a concept vehicle called the Hornet GT GLH (Goes Like Hell) – another name resurrected from the mid-1980s Dodge Omni GLH – that could be built using aftermarket parts or go into production later, offering additional performance to the vehicle range. The Hornet’s reveal comes a day after the company confirmed it will discontinue the Dodge Charger and Challenger cars at the end of next year. They are expected to be replaced by at least one new electric performance car from 2024.
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Stellantis was created by the merger of the car manufacturer Fiat Chrysler and the French Groupe PSA. It has 14 car brands including Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Jeep and Peugeot. The company is investing $35.5 billion in vehicle electrification and support technologies by 2025. The name Hornet was first used for a car manufactured in the 1950s by Hudson Motor, which was popularized in recent years by Disney’s “Cars” franchise. It was then used by American Motors in the 1970s, followed by Chrysler, now known as the Stellantis, for a concept car that never went into production in 2006. 2023 Dodge Hornet GT GLH Concept Avoid
