New Dodge Compact Car Features Advanced Steel Technologies
01/05/2012 - High-strength steel will be used in an industry-leading 68% of the all-new 2013 Dodge Dart's body structure, according to the Steel Market Development Institute.
High-strength steel will be used in an industry-leading 68% of the all-new 2013 Dodge Dart's body structure, according to the Steel Market Development Institute (SMDI). The Dart, which marks Dodge's re-entry into the compact sedan segment, will debut at the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit on January 9.
According to Dodge, the Dart is the first Chrysler Group vehicle based upon the Fiat architecture, adapted from the Alfa Romeo Giulietta. The Dart's new compact U.S. wide architecture includes a body structure that uses a wide variety of high-strength steel grades.
"High-strength steel allows automakers to offer the very best in safety, lightweighting, and fuel efficiency, while still maintaining a brand's unique look and feel," said Ron Krupitzer, Vice President, Automotive Applications for SMDI. "The Dodge Dart is an excellent example of how advanced steels can be implemented to create groundbreaking vehicles that meet the evolving style and performance needs of customers, while still being safe, affordable, and environmentally conscious."
The vehicle will be made in America, at Chrysler Group's Belvidere Assembly Plant in Illinois.
The Steel Market Development Institute (SMDI), a business unit of the American Iron and Steel Institute, grows and maintains the use of steel through strategies that promote cost-effective solutions in the automotive, construction, and container markets, as well as for new growth opportunities in emerging steel markets. SMDI investors include AK Steel Corp., ArcelorMittal Dofasco, ArcelorMittal USA LLC, Nucor Corp., Severstal North America Inc., ThyssenKrupp Steel USA, LLC, and United States Steel Corp.
