Dodge to unveil Hornet PHEV this summer
While the faux-reality show produced by Dodge as a marketing stunt to select their so-called Chief Donut Maker may have been fodder for a joke or two by uptight freelance writers, it also provided the opportunity for top brass to muse about future products. During an online event last night to wrap the production, Dodge boss Tim Kuniskis dropped a fire beat tidbit about the upcoming Hornet plug-in hybrid.
In response to questions about future electrified vehicles which will bear the Dodge name, Kuniskis said “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.” Whether that statement was planned or a slip of the tongue by Kuniskis, it's the first official word that Dodge will re-enter the competitive small crossover segment — and with an electrified version to follow, no less. Oh well; at least he's the boss and can't really fire himself for loose lips.
Back when the joint was still using FCA letterhead, the company applied for a trademark of the Hornet name. At the time, it was unclear how the moniker would be used. After all, Dodge has been on a naming spree with the Challenger, so it could easily have been applied to a high horsepower flavour-of-the-month variant of the venerable reardrive muscle car. Last summer, Stellantis honcho Carlos Tavares told investors during a presentation that Dodge would be introducing a PHEV in 2022, quickly followed by spy shots allegedly taken inside an Italian factory of what appeared to be an Alfa Romeo Tonale wearing Dodge-style sheet metal (explaining the featured shot on this post).
Speaking of muscle cars, Kuniskis also spoke of his yen to show off an all-electric ripsnorter of a performance vehicle this year — perhaps during the Woodward Dream Cruise in August — but global challenges could prevent that from happening. Those of you with long memories will recall the edge of such a machine, complete with old-school Fratzog badging, was given the briefest of appearances in an official Dodge promo video earlier this year.