Dodge Hornet confirmed
The long-rumored Dodge Hornet is official.
Tim Kuniskis, the Dodge brand CEO, confirmed the news during an online meeting with wrestler Bill Goldberg and Preston Patterson, the new Dodge brand ambassador who now carries the title “Chief Donut Maker.”
As he navigated a reporter’s question about Dodge’s future electrification plans – the brand plans both plugin hybrid and full electric vehicles – Kuniskis offered what he noted moments later would qualify as a scoop.
“I think we’ve actually even said when we get back into the small compact space this summer when we launch the Hornet, we will have a PHEV or variant of that,” said Kuniskis, using the abbreviation for plug-in hybrid.
The Hornet is expected to share an
architecture with the Alfa Romeo Tonale compact SUV, which debuted in February and is planned for launch in the United States early next year. The Tonale, which is being built in Italy, will feature a plug-in hybrid version and feature a lower price tag than other Alfa Romeo models.
Dodge and Alfa Romeo are both part of Chrysler parent Stellantis, which also owns Jeep, Ram, Fiat, Maserati and several other brands, including Peugeot, sold elsewhere in the world.
The specifics on the Hornet launch are muddied by the current supply chain crunch, Kuniskis said.
The Hornet represents a legendary name in automotive history.
The Hornet dates to the Hudsons of the 1950s, and carried over to American Motors Corp., when Hudson and Nash merged. AMC used the name on a line of compact cars in the 1970s, and AMC was eventually acquired by Chrysler.