Dodge intends to make its mark in Europe with the new Caliber

Dodge revealed the Caliber concept car in Geneva, firmly stating its intentions to break into the European marketplace. According to the Dodge PR machine, the "Dodge Caliber concept brings emotion to the C-segment sea of sameness", which I'm sure Honda and Audi amongst others would have a thing or two to say about.

There is no getting away from the chunky, sculpted styling though, and the imposing Dodge face certainly does stand out from any crowd. The "Sunburst Orange" paintwork helps of course. In the metal, the Caliber feels like a mid-size MPV, with high sides and good use of space inside. Dodge reckons the Caliber mixes coupe looks with SUV functionality. Admittedly, from the side, if you squint a little, the shape appears to taper in a coupe-like fashion, thanks to the blackened roof and rear spoiler.

Unusually, very few technical details have been provided for the Caliber. We expect a production version to surface before the end of the year, perhaps at the Frankfurt Motor Show. At this stage we can but speculate at its engine line-up, though it would be suicide for there not to be diesel options. Being part of the DaimlerChrysler family, Dodge would have easy access to Mercedes' line-up of state-of-the-art diesel units. Being the sporty brand of the group we would expect emphasis on V6 petrol and perhaps even the "Hemi" V8s currently making a come back in the States.

It is not easy to pick out potential rivals. The Caliber looks more like an SUV along the lines of the Lexus RX, yet is likely to be only two-wheel drive, and is quite a lot smaller. It is closer in size to the new VW Golf Plus, but will be aimed at a younger audience. Whatever happens, the Caliber will be on sale in Europe in the near future and it will change little from the concept shown in Geneva.