Slow Dodge Dart Sales Lead To Layoffs

Poor sales of the new Dodge Dart have pushed Chrysler to temporarily lay off 325 employees at the Belvidere assembly plant that produces the compact sedans in northern Illinois.

Chrysler Group LLC confirmed the layoffs Monday, hours after releasing February sales figures showing a 37 percent decline for the Dart, the Rockford Register Star reported. The layoffs will last through the rest of the week and affect employees on all of the plant’s three shifts.

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carsnyc - 3/4/2014 11:35:42 AM

+2 Boost

I've only seen three Darts in NY. I hope the new 200 does better.

Patronus - 3/5/2014 1:42:19 AM

+3 Boost

Let's see, take a beautiful and beautifully named Alfa Romeo Julieta, re-skin it to look like a rental car and call it Dodge Dart.

What result were they expecting?

randy3023 - 3/5/2014 10:32:40 AM

+2 Boost

It looks so similar to a '93 Neon. It just wonder why FiatChrysler approved this particular design.

It should have been branded a Fiat. The build quality of the Neon so infamously poor, I feel its troubled history did hurt this car's potential.

mini22 - 3/5/2014 7:12:41 PM

+1 Boost

The problem with this car was the launch. The 1.4 turbo is not enough engine for this cars weight.The 2.4 should have been launched from the get go along with the 9 speed auto tranny.The suspension ,while not bad, needs to be tightened up a bit.The dashboard feels a bit cheap. It should take on some of the new 200 cues.Due these things and then improve the marketing to get people back in the showroom.

cidflekken - 3/6/2014 3:16:54 AM

+1 Boost

Yup. Another car that 001 personally reviewed in April 2012 and had virtually 99% positive things to say. The only negative remarks were regarding front-end styling. And, he ranked it #1 on his preference list in this segment. And (shocker) look where we are now.

cidflekken - 3/6/2014 3:20:44 AM

+1 Boost

Per above, sorry, not trying to bash on 001. But as I've said before, every car that he personally reviews, he comes back with pretty much nothing but positive things to say. and many of those cars, the Dart a perfect example, end up being pretty average overall. Maybe 001 truly feels that positive about these cars, or maybe he's hiding negative comments as to continue to get invites to new-car drives. Only he knows.