Dodge Phoenix Reviews

The facilities – set to open in August in the Gold Coast’s only dedicated vehicle precinct -- will house the group's Mazda, Hyundai, and prestige used-vehicle dealerships.They will complement the group's Southport and Tweed outlets and will comprise three showrooms, each with workshop facilities along with customer amenities. The construction project is understood to represent a $10 million investment for the company which is rolling out the facilities on a 1.5ha site at 4 Brabham Circuit.The Frizelle motor group will join the Grand Motors, Von Bibra Motors, and Hinterland Toyota dealerships at the Automall, which also is home to a number of complementary businesses. Its site was purchased at a cost of $9.57 million from RPA Properties in a deal that settled in 2011.The Frizelle group called tenders for the showroom project in October and the construction contract was awarded to Condev, which launched initial siteworks before Christmas. The showroom facilities, conceived by Design Imagery, will share 4950sq m of floorspace and 93 parking bays and each will feature display space, parts and administration areas.They will offer driveway service, house a combined 31 vehicle-servicing bays, and accommodate a range of client facilities including lounge areas and wi-fi-enabled work spaces. The two brand-specific buildings will comply with Mazda and Hyundai corporate image guidelines and all buildings will feature LED lighting to minimise power use.They also will utilise low-emission, energy-efficient glazing to minimise the airconditioning load. Rainwater will be stored for irrigation and general dealership usage. The group's dealer principal, James Frizelle, said the project represented a significant growth milestone for the business and had been made possible by the company's strong customer base."We strongly believe the market will support the expansion at Robina and we will continue to strive to provide top-level sales and after-sales care for our customers," he said. Executive Brett Frizelle said the Automall project presented a prime market area opportunity for the group's Mazda and Hyundai marques which were continuing to grow market share."We have confidence that the Coast market will continue to grow and there is the convenience factor for existing customers of the central-city location," he said. "We also see big opportunities in the used-car segment. "We expect to sell 11,000 vehicles in calendar 2013 and are trading a large number of high-quality vehicles."The Frizelle Automotive Group's dealerships also include Audi, Volkswagen, Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Skoda marques. 

   

But that's not stopping Brisbane plumber and earthmover Andrew Wilson, 49. His 1926 French Amilcar AC will be the oldest car in the field at the 17th annual Leyburn Sprints on the southern Darling Downs this weekend, but it is still expected to give the more modern cars a run for their money. “It holds the lap record for vintage cars at Phillip Island, Lakeside and Winton circuits and is considered the fastest vintage car in Australia,” says Wilson. Despite costing more than Wilson is brave enough to admit in front of his partner, Millie Davenport, he's prepared to spin the wheels and burn some rubber at the iconic sprint event around the streets of Leyburn. “They're getting a bit expensive to go racing,” he says. “It could cost a lot of money if you crash them.” So Wilson is planning to stay on the tarmac and off the barriers this weekend. Last year his Amilcar, which is powered by a supercharged AC Bristol two-litre straight-six engine, not only won the vintage category but finished half way through the field. “It's detuned now, but it still scares the hell out of you,” he said. Wilson's Amilcar will be among about 190 high-performance historic cars lining up for the time trials in the sleepy former gold town 220km southwest of Brisbane.  The entry list spans eight decades and includes other European and British thoroughbreds such as MG, Auto Union, Sunbeam, Jowett and Alfa Romeo and rare Australian-built racing marques Elfin, ASP, Bolwell, Centaur, Skelta and Bowin. The event celebrates the 1949 Australian Grand Prix on a nearby ex-wartime airstrip and is run around the streets past houses, the post office, a general store, RSL club and historic hotel. Competition starts at 8am on Saturday and Sunday. Adult entry is $15 a day or $25 for the weekend. Children under 14 are admitted free.  www.leyburnmotorsprints.com.au/  

Building the Alfa Romeo and Fiat brands are the priorities for the man charged with overseeing the Fiat Chrysler group in the Asia-Pacific reason. And that rules out a right-hand drive version of the Dodge Dart compact sedan, at least for this generation of the car, given it shares much of its undperinnings with the Alfa Giuletta already on sale here. Mike Manley wears many caps within the Fiat Chrysler group. As the boss of Jeep and Asia-Pacific head of Fiat and Alfa, he’s also the man responsible for the vehicles coming to Australia. And the Dodge brand doesn’t figure in that planning as he looks to rationalise the number of marques and models in the group’s line-up. “Dodge has basically become a North American brand,” Manley says. “Progressively I’ve removed Dodge from markets around the world. I’ve taken it out of Europe, I’ve taken it out of China. That said, Dodge is a loved brand in Australia, whether it’s the American heritage or the muscle cars … so the theory is yes, in practice you can never say never. “We’re looking at how we develop the portfolio with which brands to make sure we have a viable product plan for our dealers and us to grow our business. And I think in that area, Alfa Romeo has huge potential. “The jury is out in terms of right-hand drive Dart, because there are other options for us. You take Giuletta, Viaggio at the moment is only left-hand drive, but that’s a great car too…” The Fiat-badged Viaggio is a restyled version of the Dart, meaning it also owes its existence to the Giuletta platform. The Viaggio is the spearhead for Fiat’s push into China and goes on sale next month. A move into India - and another 1.2 billion aspirational auto owners - is the logical next step for the Viaggio. Indian cars are right-hand drive, which would give Fiat’s Australian operation access to a vehicle that would be much easier to base a business case on. Fiat Chrysler Group Australia spokeswoman Lenore Fletcher is more open in the company’s aims. “If it has a steering wheel on the right hand side, we’ll look at it,” she says. “We’re doing that now as part of the takeover (private importer Ateco sold the Fiat and Alfa brands until May 1 this year) process.”  

..to be joined by Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge product. Belcar Group managing director Bob Corradini says the new brands are a more compact direction for the company. "We're dealing direct with the manufacturers now so it's a good direction,'' he says. "It's a fantastic future for the Chrysler Jeep Dodge brand, we're hitting our targets. The group is also expanding its other brands, with French brand Citroen now based solely at the Walkerville showroom to be joined by a Chinese ute next month. "We'll have from September 1 the Foton utility, we're facelifting the showroom to accommodate the two brands,'' he says. The light-commercial side for Belcar will be further expanded, with growth planned for the Isuzu ute showroom. "We still have the Isuzu ute franchise as well, they are just over the road and we have recently acquired the property where the utes are now and we've bought the corner block to revamp it to house Isuzu . . . there's a lot going on,'' he says. After more than four decades in the automotive trade, Mr Corradini says the industry could still face a tough couple of years given the European financial situation, but he remains confident. "I think our new franchises and Fiat and Alfa, I think our future is pretty rosy,'' he says.  

General sales manager Bruce Partridge said the sales, service and parts teams had a wealth of experience and knowledge in all things automotive, combined with an unrivalled enthusiasm for the brands to share with every customer that visits."At Salters Chrysler Jeep Dodge we pride ourselves on exceeding the expectations of our customers, providing the best in service, sales and care,'' he said. "From buying the perfect car for a customer and their family to providing its 200,000km service, Salters Chrysler Jeep Dodge will be there every kilometre of the way."We look forward to welcoming customers to Salters Chrysler Jeep Dodge.'' The Salters brand lives on at Moorooka following the acquisition of the iconic car yard by Centenary Motors last year. After 37 years on the Moorooka Magic Mile, Alex Salter retired, but the dealership continues to trade under the Salters name, including new and used Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge vehicles. 

Spearheading the return of a factory-backed SRT Viper Racing team to the American Le Mans Series (ALMS), the SRT Viper GTS-R is also intended to add a lot of halo effect to the SRT sub-brand under Fiat ownership. The team is fielding two identical GTR-S cars, each powered by an 370kW/680Nm 8.0-litre V10 instead of the 477kW/813Nm 8.4-litre V8 that powers the street-legal versions.

The ad for the Dodge Dart might be funny, but the car itself is a deadly serious prospect for the Chrysler brand under Fiat ownership. The compact sedan is the first really ripe fruit from grafting the brands together. It's based on the same platform as the (Fiat owned) Alfa Romeo Giulietta platform and will be powered by a 1.4-litre turbocharged, twin intercooled MultiAir engine developing 119kW and 230Nm -- also seen behind grilles sporting Fiat's scorpion Abarth logo.Dodge will also launch a hi-po R/T version with a "Tigershark" 2.4-litre MultiAir four-cylinder developing 137kW and 232Nm.With doubts being raised about the future of Dodge brand in Australia, we may not see the Dart here unless it's given a strong push into other global right-hand drive markets like Britain and South Africa. 

Graham Smith reviews the 2008, 2009 and 2010 Dodge Journey as a used buy.