|
NO thanks to rising fuel prices, interest on sport-utility vehicles
are sagging. But CATS Motors Inc., the distributor of the Dodge
brand in the Philippines, apparently believes all is not lost in
this segment as it launched on July 3 the Dodge Nitro. And if ever
there’s a vehicle that could ignite interest in the sport-ute
segment, the brash and totally badass Nitro would be it.
An obvious product of a company
that subscribes to the pitch “Grab Life by the Horns,” the Nitro
can’t also be mistaken for anything other than an American SUV.
The Nitro, even as a midsize, is massive and muscular, with a front
end that’s dominated by acres of blinding chrome and flanks
defined my bulbous wheel arches. This thing is unabashedly macho
fueled by testosterone.
Dodge was right when—at the
concept stage of the vehicle three years ago—it declared the Nitro
is designed to attract customers seeking style, performance and
utility.
Style
Dodge starts the Nitro attack
with bold colors, the vehicle’s signature anodized red paint job
not the least bit timid. In electric blue, menacing black or any
other color, the Nitro is no wallflower either.
Then again, how could it be one?
Dodge’s trademark crosshair grille is swathed in shine, wrapping
around a front end that’s characterized by blunt edges and
expanses of flat unadorned surfaces. Massive wheel arches not only
break up the Nitro’s tidy lines or provide buffed musculature, but
are in fact functional as they tautly hug 20-inch wheels. Besides
being huge, these alloys are glimmering paeans to bling culture as
well.
Round fog lamps, structured
bumpers and an assortment of plastic appendages further make the
Nitro’s boxy lines look meaner.
Performance
Looks are nothing if it can’t
be backed up, and Dodge made sure the Nitro can deliver in this
regard. Powering the sport-ute is a 3.7-liter V6 engine that makes
205 horsepower (at 5,200rpm) and 319 Newton-meter of torque (at
4,000rpm)—respectable ratings for hauling, highway cruising or
speeding away from green lights. An electronic throttle control is
fitted to the vehicle to ensure driver control and optimum fuel
delivery, Dodge said, while an exhaust gas recirculation valve on
the engine helps improve fuel consumption.
The Nitro’s huge wheels are
attached to an independent coil spring suspension in the vehicle’s
front and a modern five-link setup in the rear. Dodge said the front
suspension is a happy compromise between control and ride quality
while the rear’s—upper and lower trailing arms, track bars and
all—provide lateral stiffness for outstanding handling. The
Nitro’s generous wheel travel guarantees a consistent ride quality
even when the vehicle is fully loaded or towing a trailer, Dodge
added.
A part-time, shift-on-the-fly
four-wheel-drive system means relative go-anywhere capability while
disc brakes in all four wheels, ABS with Brake Assist, traction
control and electronic stability control will likely save the
Nitro’s good looks from harm. Airbags with occupant classification
system, anchors and tethers for child seats and other collision
energy absorbing structures protect the passengers as well.
Utility
The Nitro’s boxy shape
translates to excellent cabin room, the compact five-link rear
suspension allowing for a flat floor. Dodge obviously paid attention
to the vehicle’s interior details to maximize space, as such that
it shrink-wrapped the Nitro’s headliner to create more headroom.
Also, the Nitro’s front
passenger seat and the second-row seats can be folded flat to make
room for cargo, and the vehicle’s “Load ’n Go” floor can
slide 18 inches toward the rear of the vehicle for convenient
loading and unloading of bulky luggage. Dodge said the “Load ‘n
Go” floor can support more than 180 kilograms and is made from
heavy-duty plastic for easy cleaning. There’s an optional utility
table, too, so useful the Nitro promises to be.
Which should not come as a
surprise. As Dodge Vice President for Truck Design Rick Aneiros puts
it, “The Nitro is not just an exercise in design; its attributes
are functional and purposeful.”
--
Brian Afuang
|
