Dodge Hornet Concept nearing production

Dodge’s entrance to the small car market, the Hornet concept, was one of the highlights at the Geneva Motor Show and the latest reports indicate it’s been greenlit for production. The funky “micro-SUV” is part of Dodge’s strategy to cash in on the general market move towards smaller cars.

But with a price tag of around $10,000 Dodge will need help from manufacturers that can bring economies of scale to the project. “The B-segment hasn’t been very big here, and the cars are from companies that have already been making them elsewhere,” Tom Tremont, vice president of advanced design and strategy, said. “These are not high-profit-per-unit cars, and it’s better if we can spread the costs around with a partner.” Early indications is that the production partner will be Mitsubishi or Volkswagen, though Chinese carmaker Chery Automobile is also being considered.