Dodge has some tricky waters to navigate. It got a ton of publicity from the Last Call series of limited edition V8s, but now the high-octane heroes are pretty much gone – with the exception of the Durango SRT Hellcat – it has to transition to pushing the message about the very different EVs and hybrids that will take their place in showrooms.
The little Hornet is one of those new-generation cars and its hard to think of something less like a traditional muscle car. An all-wheel drive subcompact SUV with a tiny 1.3-liter, four-cylinder hybrid drivetrain, it might look like a strong package to SUV buyers, but it’s not likely to be on your average Hemi owner’s radar. That’s why Dodge has come up with this ‘A New Breed’ promo and roped in its departing V8 hotrods to help convince us that the Hornet R/T really is part of the muscle family.
The testosterone-oozing intro shows a Hornet steaming through a parking garage and waking a sleeping Challenger as it passes. Cut to a Charger overtsteering round a corner to take up the chase, whereupon the sedan and coupe are joined by a Durango on a hunt to work out whether the interloper is friend or foe.
Related: Dodge CEO Predicts A Fun Fast Future Despite The Demise Of ICE Muscle Cars
A narration worthy of a DC movie trailer tells us the V8 cars notice the cornered Hornet’s hood vents aren’t the kind of thing normally found on a diddy SUV, before supposedly recognizing themselves in the all-wheel drive hybrid. The Challenger celebrates this implausible discovery with a massive burnout and a roar from its V8 – which might not have been the marketing team’s best idea since it only reminds us of the two things Dodge’s first electrified performance car can’t do.
For its size, price and segement, however, Dodge‘s Hornet R/T packs a decent performance punch, using its 288 hp (292 PS) and 383 lb-ft (519 Nm) to reach 60 mph (96 km/h) in 5.6 seconds. Plus the ability to travel up to 30 miles (50 km) without consuming a drop of gas is something that Hemi buyers have on occasion probably wished they had when it’s still a week from payday.
The ‘A New Breed’ campaign comprises a 60-second spot for the brand’s social media channels and a 30-second version that will run across broadcast and digital media.