Monday 5th January 2004

Dodge Slingshot

Gunning for the Smart Roadster

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DaimlerChrysler have chosen the new year to chuck another offering out to those seeking small, affordable, roof off fun. Sunday may be a day of rest for many, but the execs at Dodge were busy launching the 'Sling Shot'.

The sturdy looking convertible is very much in the mould of the Smart Roadster with a meagre 3 cylinders scraping around for 100bhp to propel the car. Fuel efficiency is touted as one of the main design criteria for the car.

The Sling Shot is designed for wind in the hair action. It gets a roof panel and side rails that can be stored in the boot, while a canvas roof panel can slide back and out of the way like a roll top desk for open-air driving.

Commenting on the new chariot, Trevor Creed, Senior Vice President of Chrysler Group Design quipped, without taking a breath: "Sling Shot is a dynamic, creative look at the never-ending quest to offer visually exciting design, structural integrity, operating efficiency and the all –important fun-to-drive quotient in an affordable, entry level sports car. ”

Dodge claim that the car is a concept but the engineering seems pretty well advanced so our money's on a production version of some type.

Watch the launch on PistonHeads.TV

[anonymous-user]

Not only is it very much in the mould of the Smart Roadster, it is a Smart Roadster. Under the skin it's pretty much identical - just a slightly tweaked engine and a few new panels. As the cost of building it on the platform should be pretty low, production would be quite likely, but in the land of big V8s and $2.50 gallons of fuel (or about that) is fuel economy going to be that much of a selling point?

[LuS1fer]

Not forgetting the cargo capacity to carry a small bag of potatoes. Can't see the yanks having much use for it but why shouldn't they be bored to death by it as well.

[stevenrt]

I test drove a Smart Roadster and wanted to like it, but the gearshift quality is so rough it spoils the experience. You pull the paddle and the gear change is really rough. Other than that the car is OK, except it is way overpriced here in Australia.

[danmangt40]

I'm over in the US, North Carolina specifically, and the most I've ever paid for a gallon of premium was $1.87. I filled up my yank tank (Lincoln LS V8) with premium (93 octane) at $1.56 this morning

[danmangt40]

oh right, and I'd LOVE a slingshot. 45 mpg in something fun? hell yes! The best I've done in the lincoln is 25.0 mpg over a 13 hr drive.

[merriadok]

I think fleets of these at metro terminals around cities would be great. Ride the train in, get your slingshot, zip around the city cleanly and efficiently, park easily nearly anywhere, then get back to the metro stop and go home to your gas-guzzling V8. Surely these could put a smile on peoples faces around town.

[LuS1fer]

Not with that gearbox.

[Stig]

It looks ilke a Sagaris

[Apache]

you're going to become a pain with this aren't you?

[errek72]

Now how about this (not entirely sure that this is the right group to post this in); a small light car with two seats, incredibly low US style pricing (see Dodge Magnum) and a Diesel engine? Should be a huuuge seller over here on the continent and heaps of fun (Smart ForTwo has a turbodiesel that should fit),
Just a thought...

[LuS1fer]

It's got a square arse not a Saggy Arse

[danmangt40]

I think the 0-60 prediction of 10 seconds is slow. Isn't the curb weight 1740 lbs? With 100 hp, that's 17.4 lbs/hp, not far off a v6 mustang, at 3300 lbs/200 hp= 16.5. I would really be shocked if it was anywhere near that slow.

[dinkel]

www.mbcanada.com/forum/index.php?s=94727f4f5d44998c44c6836e0eddb1d8&showtopic=166&st=0&

Diesel is to come

[john75]

Looks like a Renault Clio V6 in terms of styling.

[smartwombat]

Looks to me like a Velsatis tried to hump an Audi TT.

All round disc brakes instead of current smart drum rears (like discs seen on Brabus V6 roadster last year).

Totally naff rear end shape IMO, compared to current Roadster Coupe, but it does away with the huge bar that blocks the headlights of the car behind you until it's up your exhause pipe.

Interesting extension of the doors rearwards over the tridion frame, with handles high up.

The front end has lost the nice curves over the wings and it looks more like a modersn jelly-mould, and less like a roadster.

[lightningghost]

definitely a roadster. 'Tis a beautiful car . Shame about teh shitty name

[TheLemming]

Got to admit I quite like this one. The styling is a definite improvement over the smart roadster, which I just cant like no matter how much I want to...

[kedelbach]

Oil's almost at $45/barrel, so enjoy the cheap gas while it lasts!

I've been driving a Smart Roadster here in Germany as a compnay car for the past 4 months, and love it. When I come back to the USA next year, if DC is selling this for under $20,000, I will buy one.

http://tinyurl.com/45bnt

My previous car was an Opel Speedster, and while not as raw or fast, the Roadster is about 10 times easier to live with everyday (lectric windows, useable stereo, electric top, tight and quiet ride, double the storage space - front and back, can hold about 20 bags of potatos - and much easier to park on the street).

Lots of fun on the Nürburgring as well - pics here:
http://tinyurl.com/67ofk

Sure its marketed to a wide range of people - my ideal Roadster/Slingshot would have a quicker steering box, (no assist), if not a clutch activated sequential box then at least the ability to switch off the auto-upshift at redline, and lets say 100hp instead of my 82. Other than that, its a brilliant car that can hit 190kph/120mph on the Autobahn, gets 30-45mpg, and on the Ring delights in embarassing cars with 3 or 4 times the HP (at least in the curves

BTW the 10 sec 0-60 time is deceiving. The auto-clutch box is a bit slow off the line, but on the roll acceration is fine, and feels faster than it even is.
Amazing what 700 turbo-charged cc's can do with only 1700lbs!

cheers
Kurt

PS - will be back at the Ring this weekend if anybody wants a passenger lap :-)

[dinkel]

kedelbach said:

( . . . ) and on the Ring delights in embarassing cars with 3 or 4 times the HP (at least in the curves BTW the 10 sec 0-60 time is deceiving. The auto-clutch box is a bit slow off the line, but on the roll acceration is fine, and feels faster than it even is. Amazing what 700 turbo-charged cc's can do with only 1700lbs! cheers Kurt

can hardly believe that. Any Chims out there ( 4 x 82 = 5 litre V8) to confirm?

[LuS1fer]

I am reminded of the video filmed at the Nurburgring where a stock Corvette C5 successfully held off and ultimately blew away a race-prepped Exige....so the claim would perhaps be valid only against certain cars carrying a lot of weight.