In 1927, the firm of Dodge released its first 6-cylinder model Dodge Senior Six. brake which has been equipped with a hydraulic drive — the following year she replaced all the previously released cars with 4-cylinder engines.
The ensuing economic crisis put the company Dodge to the brink of bankruptcy, and a good way out of this situation was its acquisition by Walter Chrysler, the owner of the company. In his new status Dodge began producing cars, is unified with the products of other group members. So, Dodge DA release in 1929 and was already a copy of one Il car firms Chrysler, Dodge and later appeared in DC kraslawski engine. In the period 1935 to 1939 years designers of the company Dodge has designed and launched into serial production a number of interesting patterns with the original for the time, “aerodynamic” body.
The famous army superdip of world war II Dodge WC-52 (Dodge 3/4)
The Dodge Ramcharger is a large SUV wagon
The outbreak of the Second world war brought new fame to the firm, who created a series of four-wheel drive army vehicles, which have received recognition in many countries of anti-Hitler coalition, including the Soviet Union.
The first cars of the post-war development firm Dodge released in 1949, it was a machine with 6-cylinder engines working volume of 3.667 liters and 102 HP — including Dodge Coronet, whose appearance, according to some historians of the car industry, was one of the samples at a Russian car GAZ-12 ZIM edition 1950.
Cars with a monocoque body firm began producing later than in Europe — only in 1960, with its conveyor descended frameless cars Dodge Polara and Dodge Matador.
In the 1960-ies was developed following the example of European companies and compact avtomobilchiki Dart and Lancer. The latter, however, could be considered only small on the American scale, he was equipped with row “six” working volume of 2,785 liters!
In the 1970-ies saw the light and the first front wheel drive car with Dodge became licensed Omni, created on the basis of French cars Simca Horizon.
This was the car with the automatic transmission on the basis of the Chrysler Le Baron.
In 1980-ies of the firm Dodge released economical front-wheel drive Dodge Shadow cars and five-door hatchback Lancer.
Representatives of the new direction in American design steel compact Didge Neon with two-liter engine, the coupe Avenger sedan Intrepid. which today look quite modern.
In 1990-e years, Dodge created a lot of vehicles — both all-wheel drive, and drive one of the axes. Most often it was a machine with the appearance of monumental jeeps including a Dodge Ramchardger equipment which largely borrowed from the traditional American “big pickup trucks”, as well as five-door wagon Dodge Durango, produced with both rear-wheel and all-wheel-drive chassis.
Appearance has a large SUV and vehicle size class (Golf-class) Dodge Caliber of 2008 is the first vehicle with Dodge, arrived in Russia through official channels since the days of lend-lease supplies for the army jeep Dodge 3/4.
Indeed, if we consider Caliber, regardless of its true dimensions, the machine can make the crossover for it says signature and a huge grille, large hood, top of which is located nearly a meter from the ground level, and unusually large for a vehicle of this class clearance from 195 to 205 mm. depending on the modification. In short, firm Dodge created a smaller copy of the large American SUV, squeezed it into the dimensions of a hatchback-class Golf.
Geometric diagram of the Dodge Caliber
Dodge Caliber — styled crossover FWD car size class (Golf-class)
As suggested by marketers, such appearance is due to the competition in the European market, for which the intended Caliber. Apparently, the designers felt that the classic design of cars of a Golf class has exhausted the reserves of novelty, and interested buyers here can be something extravagant — for example, a hatchback C-class with interior and exterior styling of the American crossover. In addition, the consumer niche called “compact hatchback terrain” in many European countries not yet occupied.
So, the Dodge Caliber is a front wheel drive hatchback size class (Golf-class). However, for Americans the firm offers all-wheel drive version with a link to the rear axle, the installation of which pokupatel will have to pay from two to three thousand euros. The machine can be equipped with one of three engines – a gasoline with a working volume of 1.8 l complete with a five-speed manual transmission, the diesel with a working volume of 2.0 l complete with V-belt CVT CVT2 and a two-liter turbo diesel engine complete with a six-speed manual transmission.
It should be noted that these gasoline engines was the result of cooperation of firms DaimleChrysler, Mitsubishi and Hyundai. The engines equipped with system of adjustment of phases at inlet and outlet, and intake manifold with variable geometry.
According to the company, a car with a CVT for 6 — 8 per cent more economical than cars with other types of transmission, the variator is able to work in a larger range of gear ratios. It is interesting that the resource of the main part of the variable — V — belt- are designed for the whole lifetime of the car. It is only necessary every 100 thousand km change oil in the box.
In the opinion of the testers, CVT CVT2. created by Japanese firm Jatco, is not working too clearly — in transient regimes celebrated a lot of jerks and delays, and with a sharp push on the gas pedal, the motor immediately spins up to 6000 rpm, giving the car adequate acceleration. However, the CVT can operate in a manual mode in which gears are shifted almost instantly.
The trunk capacity of the car can change speed, folding rear, and right front seats
Spare tire-stowaway located under the hard floor of the boot
The front part of the vehicle interior
The dashboard is classic — it are the speedometer, tachometer and fuel level and coolant temperature
Torque is applied to the front wheels of the Dodge Caliber using the powerful rod of equal length, capable of withstanding considerable loads.
Steering is power rack and pinion transmission ensures good maneuverability when driving at low speed without compromising performance at higher speeds. The gear ratio from the steering wheel to the front wheels — 16.6 : 1; lock to lock “steering-wheel” makes a turnover of 2.76.
Front suspension independent, spring, type McPherson rear independent, spring, multi-link. The energy suspension is well matched to the crossover, it is enough for the bumpy dirt road, and cobblestone road.
Brakes front and rear ear — disc, with front — vented. The intensity of the slowdown with the included ABS beautiful, and that despite the rather considerable stroke of the brake pedal. The braking distance of the vehicle from a speed of 100 km/h to full stop is 40.6 m from speed 0 to 150 km/h and 91.6 meters. Although the Dodge Caliber is a compact car size class With, it has components of brake systems designed for larger and heavier models. In particular, exactly the same front brake calipers are used on the Chrysler 300, Dodge Magnum and Dodge Charger, while rear calipers on midsize crossovers Chrysler.
For visibility Caliber is one of the last places in the Golf class
The basic sizes of the “habitable zones” Dodge Caliber
In the basic version is equipped with Caliber brakes with ABS, six airbags, air conditioning, Central locking, and mirrors and side Windows with electric drive.
It should be noted that the Caliber resembles a crossover not only looks but also the high level of passive safety. The us office of road safety, the NHTSA investigated the car on its own methodology, consisting of frontal crash test — frontal impact of the car into a concrete wall at a speed of 56 km/h and side crash test when the car is at speed 62 km/h on the bias enters the cart with deformable barrier. For both tests Caliber has received the maximum five stars. Looked good car and in the process of running a test of the rollover probability of the coup machine does not exceed 15 percent, which amounted to four stars.
Independent testers noted a lack of visibility from the driver’s seat of the car, due to purely “crossover” design of the car with its narrow Windows and massive pillars of the windshield. The total angle of view at the Dodge Caliber is only 232 degrees is significantly less than most cars of the same class.
Technical characteristics of the car Dodge Caliber
The boot capacity from Caliber 530 l, spare wheel-“stowaway” is it under hard flooring. With the rear seats folded the Luggage compartment capacity increases to 1360 liters. When transporting long items, the backrest of the right front seat folds and car can be loaded, for example, rails with a length of up to 2.7 meters.
In principle, this front wheel drive car with improved maneuverability and a completely off-road ground clearance, not burdened with excessive and not always necessary accessories, it came to the Russian motorists. If only the price match and class of car, and its quality! However, in the United States for Caliber in the basic version asking only $ 14,000, however this does not mean that in Russia it will cost the same. Even the first cars appeared in our country, equipped with an engine with a displacement of 1.8 l, ABS, six airbags, air conditioning, electric Windows, electric mirrors and Central locking, sold for 18 200 — not dollars, but euros! Well, today to talk about the rapidly changing prices even somehow indecent. All, however, is even the global crisis, and then the Dodge Caliber is befitting for him a niche in the Russian market. The car was, in fact, good.
I. EBCTPATOB
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The Dodge Caliber hatchback size class C. the Older generation were very familiar brand these military vehicles, which, along with lend-lease “Studebakers” and “jeep” roads have been worthy of the great Patriotic war, ending his difficult path in Berlin. We are talking about cars of the American company Dodge, the most prominent representative of which in our country was the famous Dodge 3/4 four wheel drive jeep, overgrown terrain, the capacity of which amounted to 0.75 tons.