2007 Dodge Caliber

 2007 Dodge Caliber
2007 Dodge Caliber

Flexible two-box design

Press Release

Built for Global Appeal

Dodge Caliber will be available in close to 100 countries outside North America, which led designers and engineers to consider global market demands when developing this all-new compact car.

In addition to its global powertrain, Dodge Caliber meets safety, feature and convenience standards in markets around the world. To ensure its success in global volume markets, Caliber will launch outside North America with both right- and left-hand drive models and an available turbo diesel engine. Dodge Caliber also meets and complies with all regulatory requirements, as well as off-set crash tests in Europe and Australia and front-impact compliance for Japan and Australia. Dodge Caliber’s manual and automatic transaxle shifters are packaged in the center stack instead of the floor console, which is more common in Japanese and European markets. The Caliber’s transaxle also has been upgraded to provide excellent shift quality and shift effort that is as smooth as any compact car on the road today.

A High-Caliber Line-up

Dodge Caliber enters the U.S. market priced $410 below the outgoing Dodge Neon with more content, including standard side-curtain air bags. The newest compact car on the market is available in Caliber SE, Caliber SXT and Caliber R/T models.

At a U.S. MSRP of $13,985 (including $560 destination charge), the Dodge Caliber SE includes a standard 148 horsepower 1.8-liter World Engine coupled with a five-speed manual transaxle. Other standard equipment not typically found in compact cars at this price includes; standard side-curtain air bags, a vinyl load floor, auxiliary radio input jack, electrically lit front cup holders, 12-volt power outlet, a center console sliding armrest that moves forward 3 inches to accommodate shorter drivers.  The armrest lid features a unique flip pocket for storing a cell phone or an MP3 player. Additional standard features include body color grille and fascias and black door handles, flexible 60/40 split-fold rear seats, manual windows and locks, fabric seats, tilt steering wheel, dome and cargo lights and 15-inch wheels and tires.

Optional features on the Dodge Caliber SE include a 158-horsepower 2.0-liter World Engine coupled with the second-generation CVT2 (which includes standard anti-lock brakes), six-disc radio with cassette and MP3 CD play capability, Power Group (which includes driver one-touch power window, power locks, remote keyless entry and power mirrors), body color liftgate appliqué, air conditioning, Chill Zone® (which is an integrated instrument panel beverage cooler included with air conditioning), integrated instrument panel beverage cooler, speed control, SIRIUS Satellite Radio, Uconnect™ hands-free communication system, trailer tow group, floor mats and MusicGate Power (a nine-speaker Boston Acoustics premium sound system with subwoofer that includes two articulating speakers packaged in the liftgate. When the liftgate is open, the speakers can swing down from the trim panel to face rearward for tailgating and other activities).

Dodge Caliber SXT features a standard 148 horsepower 1.8-liter World Engine coupled with a five-speed manual transaxle. In addition to the many standard features included on the SE model, the SXT adds 60/40 rear seats that both fold flat and recline, a fold-flat front passenger seat, a dual-purpose re-chargeable/removable interior lamp, map light, air conditioning, Chill Zone® tachometer, power windows, mirrors and door locks, remote keyless entry, 110-volt electrical outlet in the center console, manual seat height adjuster, floor mats, bright silver IP bezels and switches. The Dodge Caliber SXT’s exterior features standard black dual power mirrors, body-color body-side molding, chrome grille and 17-inch wheels and wheel covers.

Available options on the Dodge Caliber SXT beyond those offered on the SE model include a 2.0-liter World Engine coupled with the CVT2, leather steering wheel with radio control options, heated seats, power sunroof, fog lamps, 17-inch aluminum wheels, a Security Group (which includes tonneau cover, alarm and air filtration system) and a Driver Convenience Group (which includes compass and temperature gauge, universal garage door opener, electrochromic mirror and tire pressure monitor) and a Leather Interior Group (which includes leather seats, heated front seats and manual lumbar adjuster).

A Sport Package also is available on the SXT model and includes fog lamps, 17-inch aluminum wheels and a Sport Appearance Package (which includes cloth seats with colored inserts, color-keyed PRNDL and instrument panel bezels).

The Dodge Caliber R/T with all-wheel drive features a standard 172-horsepower 2.4-liter World Engine with dual VVT coupled with CVT2, anti-lock brakes, AutoStick, a sport-suspension, performance steering and 18-inch aluminum wheels.

In addition to the standard features on the SE and SXT models, standard features on the Dodge Caliber R/T include leather steering wheel with radio controls, tonneau cover, premium fabric seats, silver bezels on the instrument panel and chrome interior door handles. 

The Dodge Caliber R/T’s exterior features a chrome grille, body-color lower fascias, body-color sill moldings, chrome plated body-side moldings, body-color door handles and fog lamps.

An optional feature on the Dodge Caliber R/T models equipped with all-wheel drive, beyond those offered on the SXT, include 18-inch chrome wheels.

All 2007 Dodge Caliber models will be available in Inferno Red Crystal Pearl Coat, Solar Yellow Clear Coat, Sunburst Orange Pearl Coat, Marine Blue Pearl Coat, Steel Blue Metallic Clear Coat, Bright Silver Metallic Clear Coat, Black Clear Coat and Stone White Clear Coat.

All models feature a two-tone interior color theme of dark and lighter shades of Pastel Slate Gray or Pastel Pebble Beige. An optional Sport Appearance Package includes Pastel Slate Gray with red, yellow, orange or blue seat inserts that coordinate with the exterior color, center stack and shifter bezels.  

Full model details, specifications and pricing for markets outside North America will be released ahead of the vehicle’s launch in each respective market.

2007 Dodge Caliber Production

Production of the Dodge Caliber begins in early 2006 at the newly refurbished Belvidere (Ill.) Assembly Plant. The new four-cylinder World Engines for this vehicle are built in the state-of-the art Global Engine Manufacturing Assembly (GEMA) plant in Dundee, Michigan.

DODGE CALIBER PRELIMINARY SPECIFICATIONS

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES

Wheelbase 103.7 (2635)

Track, Front 59.8 (1520)

Track, Rear 59.8 (1520)

Overall Length 173.8 (4413.9)

Overall Width 68.8 (1747.2)

Overall Height 60.4 (1533.1)

Ground Clearance 7.0 (178)

Frontal Area, sq. ft. (sq. m) 24.5 (2.28)

Drag Coefficient 0.375

NAFTA Curb Weight, lb. (kg) – Est SE 2966 (1345)

SXT 3039 (1378)

R/T FWD 3156 (1432) (late availability)

R/T AWD 3308 (1501)

Fuel Tank Capacity, gal. (L) 13.6 (51.5) – FWD, 13.5 (51.1) - AWD

ACCOMMODATIONS

Seating Capacity, F/R 2/3

Front

Headroom without sunroof 40.0 (1015.6)

Leg Room 41.8 (1061.5)

Shoulder Room 54.2 (1377.8)

Hip Room 52.2 (1325.3)

SAE Front Volume Index, cubic ft. (cu.m) 52.4 (1.485)

Rear Seat

Headroom 38.9 (989.3)

Leg Room 35.6 (905.1)

Knee Clearance 0.9 (21.8)

Shoulder Room 53.4 (1357.2)

Hip Room 49.6 (1260.8)

SAE Rear Seat Volume Index, cubic ft. (cu. m) 42.8 (1.212)

SAE Interior Volume, cu. ft. (cu. m) 95.2 (2.697)

Cargo Volume Indexes

Rear Seats Up, cu. ft. (cu. m) 18.5 (0.525)

Rear Seats Folded, cu. ft. (cu. m) 48.0 (1.36)

EPA Interior Volume Index, cu. ft. (cu. m) 113.9 (3.225)

Liftover Height 27.6 (701.4)

All dimensions measured at curb weight with standard tires.

Source: Text & Photos courtesy DaimlerChrysler AG

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