Chrysler announced that it would bring back the Dart nameplate for Dodge's first compact sedan since the Neon was phased out in 2005. The company is planning a slow reveal, with snippets of the four-door's exterior and interior trickling out between now and the vehicle's full unveil at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show.

Chrysler said that the 2013 Dodge Dart was adapted from the award-winning Alfa Romeo Giulietta. Kristin Starnes, a Dodge spokeswoman, said in a telephone interview that the Dart would be longer and wider than the Giulietta, and that it would be a four-door sedan rather than a four-door hatchback.

Though output levels were not disclosed, Chrysler announced that the Dart would be available with three different power plants from Fiat, the corporate parent of Chrysler and Alfa. These engines are a 16-valve 2-litre four-cylinder, a 16-valve 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder with Fiat's MultiAir valve-throttling system; and a 16-valve 2.4-litre four-cylinder with MultiAir. The Fiat 1.4-litre MultiAir is shared with the Fiat 500 and If the Fiat 500 Abarth is any indication, that means we're looking at somewhere around 160bhp. Such output would be good enough to challenge the Jetta Sport. Three transmissions would be offered, although details are still murky at the moment. However, I believe that the dual clutch transmission developed by Fiat Powertrain Technologies could be one possibility.

Chrysler says that 68% of the vehicle's architecture is comprised of high-strength steel, which means the 2013 Dart should retain much of the rigidity that made the Giulietta. The dart is supported by four-wheel independent suspension with optional 18-inch wheels. With the Dart, Dodge will be entering the royal rumble consisting of the Cruze, Civic, Jetta, Focus and many more.