Dodge Neon deserves a comeback – Stellantis can do it tomorrow

The primary all-new compact Mopar for the reason that malaise-era Ok-Automotive, the Dodge Neon was a revelation. Its enjoyable, approachable face, its “Hello.” advertising and marketing marketing campaign, all of it was pitch-perfect for the unsure instances it was launched into. Now, a era later, Stellantis faces equally unsure instances – and a brand new Neon might go a good distance in the direction of serving to the outdated Chrysler Co. do what it does finest: come again from the brink.

In the event that they needed to, Stellantis might make it occur tomorrow.

In the present day, Stellantis is in bother. Very similar to it was within the early 90s, the corporate is hemorrhaging money, preventing with the unions, and struggling to promote higher-end vehicles. In the present day as then, what the corporate wants is an inexpensive, easy new automotive to get folks within the showrooms – and in 1994, that new automotive was the Neon.

Within the mid-late Nineteen Nineties, the Dodge Neon was in all places. It was inexpensive, enjoyable to drive, and kind of dependable. It was additionally economical and fuel-efficient, however it wasn’t that method. It was offered as a enjoyable, smiling face with funky spherical lights. In R/T and ACR spec, it was offered as an much more enjoyable, smiling face, and provided severe efficiency chops that also get the grizzled Gen X guys on the SCCA/NASA monitor days excited.

Commercial – scroll for extra content material

Stellantis is promoting a automotive proper now, right now, that meets all that standards. It’s the correct dimension, it’s fairly inexpensive, and it’s obtained the correct tech – out there as each a PHEV and a pure EV – for its time.

It’s even obtained some funky spherical lights!

Lancia Ypsilon HF

As you’ll be able to see from the specs, above, the first-gen Neon is fairly shut by way of dimension and efficiency, with the fashionable Ypsilon providing considerably improved emissions, expertise, and security upgrades in comparison with the OG Neon, which didn’t even supply anti-lock brakes (ABS) as commonplace on its base or Highline fashions (it was commonplace on the Sport and, later, R/T trims).

There’s even a contemporary allegory for the extremely track-focused ACR model of the Neon, which shipped with its adjustable suspension, anti-sway bars, disc brakes, and close-ratio transmission. That’s the Lancia Ypsilon HF, a 280 HP sporty compact EV that made its debut final week and initially impressed this text.

Try the unique launch advert for the 1995 Plymouth Neon, beneath, and inform me they couldn’t do a shot-for-shot remake with a rebadged Ypsilon and make it instantly related to automotive consumers in 1995 within the feedback.

Plymouth Neon launch industrial from 1994

Authentic content material from Electrek.

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