| Posted on 2/4/04 6:29 p.m. CST |
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CHICAGO — Today the Dodge group continued its several-year tradition of debuting new trucks at the Chicago Auto Show when Joe Eberhardt, Chrysler Group executive vice president of sales, marketing and service, unveiled the 2005 Dakota. Taking aim squarely at the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon, as well as the Nissan Frontier and Toyota Tacoma, Eberhardt claimed the new Dakota would retain its place as the largest, most powerful and most capable pickup truck in its class.
The truck, which is officially classified as a compact but is often considered the only midsize pickup on the market, has grown 3.7 inches in length and 2.7 inches in width. It will be available in two configurations: a four-door Quad Cab and a Club Cab with rear-hinged rear doors. Both iterations are built on the same 137.3-inch wheelbase and measure 218.8 inches long overall. Quad Cab models have a 5-foot-3-inch bed, while the Club Cab has a 6-foot-6-inch bed. Eberhardt said the Dakota’s interior is 7 inches wider than the Colorado’s and added that the Quad Cab is the only pickup in its class with six-passenger seating.
Engine offerings begin with a 3.7-liter single-overhead-cam V-6 that produces 210 horsepower and 235 pounds-feet of torque; this power plant is the only standard V-6 in the segment. In addition, the only available V-8 in the class is a 4.7-liter V-8, which pumps out 230 hp at 4,600 rpm and 290 pounds-feet of torque at 3,600 rpm. A high-output version of the 4.7-liter generates 250 hp at 5,200 rpm and more than 300 pounds-feet of torque at 3,600 rpm.
Fuel economy is up 3 to 4 percent in models featuring the 4.7-liter engine thanks to an electronically modulated converter clutch (EMCC). The EMCC allows partial torque converter lockup at low speeds, which cuts down on the inevitable power losses. In addition, dual knock sensors more accurately tailor combustion via greater spark advance.
A Getrag six-speed-manual transmission is standard on trucks with the 3.7-liter and base 4.7-liter engines. A four-speed automatic is optional on models equipped with the 3.7-liter, while the five-speed automatic is offered on Dakotas powered by either of the 4.7-liter engines.
Four-wheel drive comes standard with a part-time transfer case, and a full-time four-wheel-drive mode is optional. The two- and four-wheel-drive models share the majority of suspension components, including the coilover shock front suspension. In turn, ride heights are the same between the two- and four-wheel-drive models. The rear suspension is a leaf spring setup revised from the current Dakota.
Like Dodge’s Ram and Durango, the new Dakota features a fully boxed frame. Its increased torsional rigidity will mean better handling, a quieter ride and improved crashworthiness. The Dakota’s octagonal front-frame rail tips — borrowed from the Durango — absorb more energy in an impact and are replaceable for better, easier, less expensive collision repairs.
The current Dakota was styled like the previous Durango, but the redesigned truck features more of the Ram’s details. Its shapes are more angular than either the previous Dakota or the Ram, and it lacks the fender flares apparent on the Durango. The Dakota’s bold, chrome grille is of a similar proportion to the Durango’s, but it is a cleaner execution with straighter, simpler lines. The layout of the Dakota’s instrument panel is similar in appearance to the Durango’s. One other styling carryover from the Durango is the dual pod taillights inspired by the Power Wagon concept of the late 1990s.
The 2005 Dakota goes into production in July and will arrive in showrooms in the fall. Pricing information is not yet available. |
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