Dodge Caliber makes Oz debut

THE first new Dodge in more than 30 years made its Australian debut at last week's Melbourne motor show, where parent company DaimlerChrysler gave the American marque its official brand launch in Australia.

While the big news is that earlier-than-expected local homologation approvalmeans that the first new Dodge to arrive, the Caliber five-door hatch shown in Melbourne in near-production form will go on sale in mid-2006 – well before its anticipated Sydney show launch.

Caliber will be followed on sale here in early 2007 by the Nitro compact 4WD, which co-incidentally was revealed just days ago in final production guise ahead of its official world debut at the Geneva motor show on February 28.

An all-new Dodge model will arrive Down Under every six months for the following three years, positioned as bolder and brawnier alternatives to the Chrysler and Jeep products also in the showroom.