As ordained by its parent Stellantis, American automaker Dodge is at a crossroads. As such, some nameplates will reinvent themselves for the EV lifestyle, others will have to retire, and maybe a few will return.
We already know the clock is inexorably ticking for the Hemi V8-powered Dodge Charger and Challenger. The former will reinvent itself back to a two-door lifestyle to honor the original but will also adopt the Banshee EV lifestyle. Oh, and according to the rumor mill, there's also a chance we might see the Hurricane inline-six turbo mills under the hood.
Meanwhile, the latter might be dropped entirely and retire to car Valhalla. Interestingly, Dodge now has exactly four models on sale – two passenger cars and two CUVs. We already know what will happen with the Charger and Challenger, while the all-new Hornet is the latest addition to the roster, so its spot is safe and sound for the moment.
We don't see the three-row mid-size Durango bowing out anytime soon, either – it's more likely that the third generation, which is more than a little overdue for a complete redesign, won't survive for long and make way for a fourth iteration rocking Stellantis' latest EV powertrain options. However, if the Challenger is retired, there will be an imbalance.
Some might want to see it return as a four-door muscle sedan in Charger's place, for sure. But others might think it would be wiser for Dodge to push the pedal to the metal and take advantage of the current passion for crossovers, SUVs, and trucks. So, the imaginative realm of digital car content creators believes that maybe it's time for a quick revival.
After resurrecting the related Jeep Patriot, Dimas Ramadhan, the virtual automotive artist behind the Digimods DESIGN channel on YouTube, has also taken up the task of revealing the Dodge Caliber's rebirth! That's not a bad idea, as the compact crossover SUV would fit like a glove between the affordable Hornet and the big three-row Durango.
Interestingly, unlike the Jeep Patriot, which takes after other models from the same brand – like the European Avenger and the other American Jeeps, this time around, the pixel master has found inspiration for the Caliber revival outside Dodge's area of expertise – it subtly resembles the Ram Rampage truck. However, the decision is still logical as the Rampage is a unibody compact design, so it could easily donate the platform, if not the looks.
With a Charger rocking both Hurricane SST (straight-six turbo) mills and Banshee EV options, the little Hornet with both gas and PHEV choices, and the bigger Durango presumably going full-EV to fight the likes of Rivian R1S and Tesla Model Y/X, slotting the returning Caliber in between the big and small CUVs could work like a charm if Dodge plays its cards right. Cool or not?
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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