Dodge CEO Matt McAlear said that the company owes its dealers and customers a car that offers “style, attitude, and performance” during the New York Auto Show, hinting that the company could be working on a sub $30,000 sports car. Mazda Miata rival incoming?
Currently, the most affordable performance car in Dodge’s garage is the 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-six Charger, which starts at $49,995 (without the destination fees). That said, making a car capable of producing impressive numbers for a price that is nearly $20,000 less could be a bit of a stretch considering current prices.
The Mazda Miata and the Toyota GR86 start at around $30,000. Not to forget the Ford Mustang’s EcoBoost trims that start at $32,640. In a market dominated by SUVs and crossovers, any automaker would seriously think about scrapping a budget sports car program that caters to a niche market.
However, Dodge’s McAlear hasn’t denied working on an affordable fast car, according to a report by The Drive. When asked if there was an exploitable market for a sub-$30,000 sports car, the Dodge CEO said:
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“Yeah, there’s absolutely a market for affordability. There’s a market for affordability in something that nobody else is offering and separates us from the pack.”
Dodge Maintains Secrecy About Affordable Sport Car Program
While McAlear clearly states what Dodge intends to offer its dealers and customers, he hasn’t confirmed if the brand is working on an affordable sports car project. He added:
“Are we working on anything? Nothing that we can confirm or deny. I absolutely think that one of the things that we owe our dealers and owe our consumers are more affordable-price vehicles that not only just get you from point A to point B, but do so with style, attitude, and performance.”
The idea definitely appeals to McAlear, but again, there is no guarantee it would materialize. He said:
“I would love to see something happen, but it doesn’t mean we’re actually going to do it.”
What Dodge is working on is going “back to the basics” with its offerings. McAlear added:
“I think the biggest thing that we need to start doing is challenging the industry on what the expectations are from an entry level base vehicle. And I don’t mean that from the word ‘cheap’ or ‘less.’ I mean that from that of back to the basics.”
