Dodge Dart-based Chrysler 100 coming in 2016

The Chrysler Group is killing off a variety of models in an effort to remove redundancies among the five Chrysler brands but according to Automobile Magazine, Sergio Marchionne has confirmed the Chrysler 100 - a compact, entry level hatchback similar in size to the Dodge Dart – will arrive in 2016. Considering that the Dart is based on the brand new Compact US Wide (CUSW) platform that Chrysler has planned to use for multiple future models, we would speculate that the 100 will ride on some version of that Alfa Romeo-based US platform.

The Chrysler 100 will likely follow a similar luxurious direction that we see in the Chrysler 200 and 300, offering a premium entry level model that is currently unavailable throughout the Chrysler Group lineup. The pricing would probably be somewhat similar to the Dodge Dart but with the Chrysler 100 being a luxury model, the 100 could have a slightly higher starting price. A base price in the range of $16, 995 would make the new Chrysler 100 a couple grand cheaper than the entry level Chrysler 200 sedan while still separating itself from the more sport-themed Dodge Dart.

Considering that the Chrysler Group is making such a strong effort to not have vehicles overlapping, we should expect that the Chrysler 100 will have an exterior design that makes it as clearly different from the Dodge Dart as possible. We can expect lots more chrome on the 100 along with vastly different front and rear fascias – including a taillight that is very unlike the massive wrap-around taillight of the Dodge Dart.

Like the Dart, the Chrysler 100 will be a front wheel drive model most likely available with the same 4-cylinder engines found in the Dart. This would indicate that the entry engine could be the 2.0L Tigershark followed by the 1.4L MultiAir Turbo motor and while the Dart offers a manual transmission, the plusher Chrysler compact sedan could feature a standard automatic (possibly dual clutch) transmission. It will be interesting to see if the Chrysler 100 receives a premium trimline with the same 2.4L Tigershark engine that we will get in the third quarter of 2012 under the hood of the Dodge Dart R/T or if that range-topping engine will be preserved for the sporty Dart models. The Chrysler 100 could take a stronger stance on fuel economy and avoid the Dart R/T engine but we could expect to see a super-efficient model similar to the upcoming Dart Aero. This means that the new 100 sedan could allow the Chrysler brand to offer a vehicle that yields better than 40 miles per gallon.

The Chrysler 100 is not set to hit the US until 2016 which means that it could possibly be a 2017 model year vehicle. With that being some 5 model years away, a great deal could change before the new Chrysler 100 arrives but with this information from Automobile Magazine coming from company CEO Sergio Marchionne – there is a good chance that the Chrysler brand will soon have a new compact model in its showrooms.

Source: Automobile Magazine