- Dodge’s CEO floated the possibility of an affordable halo vehicle priced under $30,000.
- He said that the model could be a “weekend car” aimed at budget-conscious buyers.
- While the vehicle sounds like a pipedream, the exec suggested they’ll focus on affordability.
With the death of the Chevrolet Camaro and the reimagining of the Dodge Challenger into the pricey Charger Daytona, affordable sports cars are becoming a rarity. However, the Mazda MX-5 Miata, Ford Mustang, Subaru BRZ, and Toyota GR86 all start in the low $30,000 range.
They could potentially be joined by another entry as Dodge CEO Matt McAlear recently said there’s a “market for an entry-level halo and a top-of-the-line halo.” Speaking to The Drive, the executive alluded to how popular vehicles such as the Polaris Slingshot and RZR have become.
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McAlear then talked pricing and suggested a “sub-$30,000” sticker could attract people looking for a “weekend car.” He went onto envision something relatively basic without heated seats and countless driver assistance systems. In essence, something affordable and fun.
The executive said the company would need to “get original like the Viper” and come to market with a unique product that is distinctively Dodge. He went on to suggest it wouldn’t be a Corvette, Camaro, or Mustang competitor as it would embrace a “different kind of performance.”
While that’s pretty open-ended and far from concrete, it appears Dodge hasn’t given up on their sporty aspirations. However, a sports car that costs less than $30,000 sounds like a pipedream thanks to inflation, regulations, and a brewing trade war.
That being said, McAlear seems to have realized Stellantis’ sky high sticker prices aren’t working. In particular, he said “Having a value play just to get people on the showroom floor is important” and “I think we have to do a better job making our vehicles affordable for the masses.”
