Avenger Marketing

[BrewSwillis]

To watch the commercials, click on the YouTube links at the bottom:

Auburn Hills, Mich., Mar 2, 2007 - The unique technologies, gutsy performance and bold styling that are helping the all-new 2008 Dodge Avenger shoulder its way into the mid-size car market are the linchpins of the marketing campaign kicking off this weekend for the Dodge brand's newest car.

"Tuned Up" for example — a 30-second TV spot that debuts Sunday, March 4 during NHL hockey on NBC — illustrates the fun that's available from Avenger's 3.5-liter V-6 engine and six-speed Auto Stick transmission. Reinforcing the message that the 2008 Dodge Avenger is a high quality sedan that is a blast to own and drive, are new print ads, a second general market TV spot, multicultural TV and print ads, lifestyle and experiential events, gaming integration, interactive marketing, promotions and sweepstakes.

Still, it is at http://www.dodge.com/avenger where the tech-savvy target buyers of Avenger will find the mother lode of information about the all-new sedan. There, the key attributes of the 2008 Dodge Avenger are detailed in more than 70 engaging and interactive product story-telling modules using animation and video content.

"Our strategy is focused on appealing to import-inclined and multicultural consumers who are younger and more affluent than the segment," said Mark Spencer, Senior Manager – Dodge Marketing and Global Communications. "While the mid-size car segment tends to skew more female, the 2008 Dodge Avenger will be targeted toward a healthy balance of 30-somethings, and professional men and women who are outgoing, confident and independent. These people are heavy Internet users, so we've developed a robust Dodge Avenger Web site that will entertain and inform them."

"Dodge Avenger — with its bold, aggressive styling, innovative interior features, high levels of safety and reliability, great performance and handling, excellent fuel economy and affordable price — has along list of selling points that will impress consumers," said Tom Loveless, Director – Dodge Marketing and Global Communications. "Avenger is also important because it continues the brand's product offensive, which included the Dodge Caliber and the Dodge Nitro. The Dodge brand product portfolio has never been stronger."

Male targeted media placements for the Dodge Avenger will focus on sports, men’s interest and active lifestyles, while female targeted placements were chosen to attract today’s fashionistas. Connectivity platforms in key areas of music, social networking and fitness will be leveraged to bridge the gender split and appeal to both young men and women.

Dodge Home Page – As the focal point of the Dodge Avenger marketing campaign, the Dodge brand Web site continues to undergo enhancements and content improvements to meet the needs of Internet-savvy shoppers who routinely visit the Web long before they visit a dealer. Following in Dodge Nitro’s footsteps, the Avenger Web site will carry more rich media, more dynamic photos, animation, video and sound. The site has information on more than 70 product features in four key categories — exterior, interior, performance and safety/security. Deeper navigation leads to product feature storytelling, or “why buy” discussion on key features such as the heated/cooled cupholder, the Chill Zone™ beverage cooler, MyGIG™ Multimedia Infotainment System, the 2.4-liter World Engine, available all-wheel drive, and Electronic Stability Program with Traction Control.

Online – Complementing the Dodge site will be marketing elements for the Dodge Avenger that address the target lifestyle passions at such online sites as SI.com, MSN, FOX Sports, ESPN and Yahoo! Sports, The Onion and askmen.com. And for women, elle.com, Fandango, AOL Instant Messenger, Evite and Batanga will be leveraged to engage the consumer through social connectivity.

Television – The schedule has heavy sports and prime-time focus: the NBA on ABC and TNT, the NHL on NBC and Versus, and NASCAR on FOX. Prime-time shows include "Desperate Housewives," "The Nine," "Brothers and Sisters," "20/20," "Boston Legal," "House," "Prison Break," "24," "Law and Order," "Crossing Jordan," "Medium," and "Friday Night Lights," among others. On Monday, March 5, the 30-second TV spot "Tuned Up" will air on key networks including NBC and FOX, and in late night talk shows (Jay Leno, David Letterman, Craig Ferguson and Jimmy Kimmel). In the coming weeks, key African American programming includes "Girlfriends," "The Game," "Everybody Hates Chris," "CW," and "All of Us," and the "BET Awards." Hispanic network TV programming includes "Primer Impacto," "Despierta America," "el Gordo," "E la Flaca," and the Billboard Latin Music Awards.

DIRECTV – Dodge is the exclusive automotive sponsor of NASCAR Hot Pass, the satellite TV program for auto racing fans. Dodge Avenger will be advertised in rotation with other car lines on many of the program's outlets including the Hot Pass Mix Channel, the DVR showcase, online banner ads and via eNewsletters sent to over 500,000 subscribers.

Print – A custom unit to gauge handraiser interest in the Dodge Avenger was featured in the March issue of Lucky magazine. It is called the “Avenger sticker unit.” Readers can pull branded stickers from the sticker page in the upfront section of the magazine to flag pages noteworthy for online or in-store shopping. Three ad pages wrapped the bold and beautiful Avenger sticker page and hit newsstands on Feb. 23. Meanwhile, three new print ads will run in over 50 magazines: Sporting News, ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Spin, Elle, Glamour, Marie Claire, Jane, In Style, Men’s Fitness, GQ, Maxim and People. African American, Hispanic American and Asian print will be featured in Essence, DUB, Rides, Audrey, Asian Week, Complex, and Latina to name a few.

Gaming integration – Later this month, Dodge Avenger will be featured in the Tom Clancy "Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter" video game produced by Ubisoft. Robust in-game active and static product integration will be further complemented via a cross channel promotion plan to include retail POS, print, online promotion and TV promo spots. Starting in April, players will engage in an online competition and one lucky grand prize winner will drive off in an all-new 2008 Dodge Avenger.

Promotion/Sweepstakes – In a tie-in with NASCAR driver Juan Montoya and his Dodge Charger Texaco/Havoline #42 Race Car, an online question-and-answer game called “42 Days of Racing" launches in mid-June. Consumers can test their NASCAR racing knowledge and win thousands of instant prizes. One grand prize winner will drive home in a 2008 Dodge Avenger.

Events – Through early summer, Dodge Avengers will be on hand at high profile events, including presenting sponsorship of In Style magazine's “Movies at the Rock,” Self magazine's "Rock Bodies," and Elle magazine's “Fantasy Fashion League Draft Party.” Branded events such as Hot Import Nights (in Chicago, Boston, and Washington, D.C.) and Taste of Chicago and Taste of Dallas will also showcase the all-new Dodge Avenger throughout the calendar year.

TV Commercials

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4g07AarNDNk

"Tuned Up" opens in an indoor testing facility where a row of Dodge Avengers are being evaluated on dynamometers, their engines running. A technician is in the control booth, standing at a panel of scientific instruments. They include a row of Auto Stick gear shifters, just like those in the Dodge Avengers. Each shifter controls the speed of one of the 3.5-liter V-6 engines. Each time the technician engages a shifter, it causes one of the Dodge Avengers to emit a distinctive engine note. Eventually, he realizes that by "playing" the Auto Stick shifters, he can make the engines play the opening bars of "Smoke on the Water" by Deep Purple. The ad closes with a voice-over: "The all-new Dodge Avenger. It's a natural performer."

“Hot Pursuit” is another 30-second general market TV spot debuting in mid-March. It focuses on Dodge Avenger's heated/cooled front cupholder that keeps cold beverages cool and hot beverages warm. A man enjoying a Sunday drive in his 2008 Dodge Avenger presses a button to warm his hot drink in the cupholder. Above him, a fighter pilot radios to his co-pilot, "Commence heat-seeking missile test." A missile launches from the jet and begins chasing the Dodge Avenger. The driver is unaware that the missile is in hot pursuit because he's too busy enjoying his drive across winding roads. Finally, he turns off the heated cupholder, and the heat-seeking missile flies past him. The ad closes with a voice-over: "Did we mention it cools also? The all-new Dodge Avenger."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghD9pVDsk6Y

"Superhero" is a 30-second spot opens on the Dodge Avenger driving through a dark alley. It turns out of the alley and onto a bridge. The African-American driver says, “Home.” As he continues over the bridge, then onto a more rural street, supers appear on the screen that list features of the Dodge Avenger: Electronic Stability Program (ESP), the MyGIG Multimedia Infotainment System, 6-speed Auto Stick, and 3.5-liter V-6 engine. The Avenger pulls into a garage. Our hero gets out of the car, walks around the back, and opens the rear door. His small son is asleep on the back seat . The announcer asks, “What does your child’s favorite superhero drive?” Our hero lifts his son out of the car and carries him into the house. The voice-over ends with: "Technology, innovation, power. Perfect for the everyday superhero."

"Pasion" is in two versions, Spanish and English. (The latter is titled "Passion.") It communicates the passion that lives within Hispanics and the all-new Dodge Avenger. Passion is reflected through quick cuts of a woman dancing the flamenco, a musician tuning his guitar, a person playing castanets, juxtoposed with shots of the vehicle in action. On-screen supers show the heated/cooled cupholders, the 3.5-liter V-6 engine and MyGIG Multimedia Infotainment System. The voice-over ends with: "The all-new Dodge Avenger. Change your step."

Thanks to "Stratuscaster" from Allpar.com

[Satty]

Some suggested song for any Dodge commercial:

I'm Ugly and I Dont Know Why- Butt Trumpet

The Gambler- Kenny Rogers (Lets face it, if you're buying a Dodge, you're betting they're going to be around in a couple of years)

Edited March 3, 2007 by Satty

[Flybrian]

Dodge Offers $500 Cash Back on All-New Avenger

Evidence of an increasingly common trend, Dodge is offering a small incentive, $500 cash back, on the brand-new Avenger midsize sedan. The Avenger went on sale last month and is already selling well, despite the fact that national advertising hasn’t begun. Ford and Mazda recently offered similar incentives on new models that also looked to be popular. Usually, incentives are used to move unpopular or slow-selling models off the lots.

The incentive is good through April 2 and is available on all Avenger trims.

[BrewSwillis]

QUOTE

Dodge Offers $500 Cash Back on All-New Avenger

Evidence of an increasingly common trend, Dodge is offering a small incentive, $500 cash back, on the brand-new Avenger midsize sedan. The Avenger went on sale last month and is already selling well, despite the fact that national advertising hasn’t begun. Ford and Mazda recently offered similar incentives on new models that also looked to be popular. Usually, incentives are used to move unpopular or slow-selling models off the lots.

The incentive is good through April 2 and is available on all Avenger trims.

And your point is? ......American consumers expect an incentive, and might not buy a vehicle without the expected incentive??

And for the 100th time, this incentive is probably for using Chrysler Financial, in which Chrysler will make way more than their incentive back by financing you.

Don't look now, but the N. American car of the year, the Saturn Aura, has $500.00 cash back on the hood!

[Flybrian]

C'mon, you gotta love the timing.

[Intrepidation]

None of those commercials were very good. Which is ashame because Dodge used to have the best commercials IMO.

[FAPTurbo]

Will the Avenger be included in the next Grand Theft Auto as in game advertising, so I can find millions of ways to blow it up, roll it off a cliff, roll it down a hill, set it on fire and roll it down a hill, crush it with a monster truck, see how much plastic explosive can fit on it, or hire a hooker and drive it and her into the ocean?

[Intrepidation]

Will the Avenger be included in the next Grand Theft Auto as in game advertising, so I can find millions of ways to blow it up, roll it off a cliff, roll it down a hill, set it on fire and roll it down a hill, crush it with a monster truck, see how much plastic explosive can fit on it, or hire a hooker and drive it and her into the ocean?

I wish you could do that to a G6.

[Northstar]

Dodge is going to need a whole hell of a lot more money on the hood than $500 to sell the Avenger in any sort of volume. If you don't get leather, you better wear long sleeves if you plan on using the center armrest, because it's very sharp, hard plastic. If you get leather, than it's covered in fake leather, which is fine, but if you get cloth, well, watch out.

I'd say the Avenger is not even mid-pack when it's brand-new. Fusion, Accord, Camry, Altima, G6, Aura, 08 Malibu (though I didn't sit in it, it appears to be superior), Passat, Mazda6, and Milan are all better.

[Intrepidation]

Dodge is going to need a whole hell of a lot more money on the hood than $500 to sell the Avenger in any sort of volume. If you don't get leather, you better wear long sleeves if you plan on using the center armrest, because it's very sharp, hard plastic. If you get leather, than it's covered in fake leather, which is fine, but if you get cloth, well, watch out.

I'd say the Avenger is not even mid-pack when it's brand-new. Fusion, Accord, Camry, Altima, G6, Aura, 08 Malibu (though I didn't sit in it, it appears to be superior), Passat, Mazda6, and Milan are all better.

Let's not forget that the door armrests on the Aura are hard brittle plastic too. I dunno what they are on the Avenger but I'm just pointing out. I'll also point out that the Avenger sold more than the Aura this February.

It's nice you can at least have an option to get the arm rest padded...although it should be padded always.

Edited March 3, 2007 by Dodgefan

[FAPTurbo]

I wish you could do that to a G6.

I wish the game had a Mazda Millenia. That way I could slingshot the vehicle into a big rock, :AH-HA_wink: and see which one wins out.

[BlkHhr104]

I wish you could do that to a G6.

Whys that, we all know the engine in the DCX is gonna blow up eventually why not put it out of its misery.

[Intrepidation]

I wish the game had a Mazda Millenia. That way I could slingshot the vehicle into a big rock, :AH-HA_wink: and see which one wins out.

The rock. But that would be a sweet experiments to have

Whys that, we all know the engine in the DCX is gonna blow up eventually why not put it out of its misery.

Like GM never made a bad engine? Anyway what bad things have happened to the 3.5L?

[Northstar]

Let's not forget that the door armrests on the Aura are hard brittle plastic too. I dunno what they are on the Avenger but I'm just pointing out. I'll also point out that the Avenger sold more than the Aura this February.

It's nice you can at least have an option to get the arm rest padded...although it should be padded always.

The Aura has hard plastic on the tops of the doors like the Avenger, but the rest of the plastic on the door is not nearly as hard as the rest of the Avenger's door plastic. The Avenger should sell more than the Aura. Dodge sells to fleets, the Avenger has an I4, and costs thousands less. In addition, the Saturn dealer network is probably 1/10th as big as Dodge's.

The problem is I don't think you can get it padded without getting leather, and I'm going to guess that you can't get leather and nothing else.

[Northstar]

Actually, upon further review, the Avenger doesn't have any padding on the armrest even when you get leather:

I think I sat in a Sebring with leather and figured that they would give the Avenger with leather the same armrest as the Sebring with leather.

As you can see in the photo, it is not only hard, but rough, and for some reason they thought the front of it should be pointy.

[Satty]

Will the Avenger be included in the next Grand Theft Auto as in game advertising, so I can find millions of ways to blow it up, roll it off a cliff, roll it down a hill, set it on fire and roll it down a hill, crush it with a monster truck, see how much plastic explosive can fit on it, or hire a hooker and drive it and her into the ocean?

Just schedule a play date with Capriceman, then when you get to Detroit go directly to the Budget counter they'll have a number of Avengers you can destroy, Capman will help you out with the explosives and hookers. Just remember to get the insurance.

[Dragon]

That thing got a HEMI? umm...no

[Cory Wolfe]

Dodge is going to need a whole hell of a lot more money on the hood than $500 to sell the Avenger in any sort of volume. If you don't get leather, you better wear long sleeves if you plan on using the center armrest, because it's very sharp, hard plastic. If you get leather, than it's covered in fake leather, which is fine, but if you get cloth, well, watch out.

I'd say the Avenger is not even mid-pack when it's brand-new. Fusion, Accord, Camry, Altima, G6, Aura, 08 Malibu (though I didn't sit in it, it appears to be superior), Passat, Mazda6, and Milan are all better.

I wish the game had a Mazda Millenia. That way I could slingshot the vehicle into a big rock, :AH-HA_wink: and see which one wins out.

*slap* I think there should be a 'Laws of Auto Enthusiasts' list out there, and on it, be one that states "Thou shalt not make fun of a gay man's equally as gay car, for he most likely has better taste than your straight ass." Edited March 3, 2007 by blackviper8891

[DetroitNut90]

I liked "Tuned Up" (mainly because Smoke on the Water was a good song). "Passion" was ambiguous, and "Superhero" was bad. At least there weren't any rednecks in this batch.

I find the Avenger to be adequate. It's much, much better looking than the Sebring, and it somehow has a better interior. It should do well for Dodge (and I hope it does). That said...the SE version is not pretty at all. The Aura, Ford CD3 cars, Altima, Mazda6, and Jetta wipe the floor with it, and I expect the new Malibu and Accord will simply blow it out of the water.

[pow]

Meh, the ads are too trashy.

[deftonesfan867]

Some suggested song for any Dodge commercial:

I'm Ugly and I Dont Know Why- Butt Trumpet

The Gambler- Kenny Rogers (Lets face it, if you're buying a Dodge, you're betting they're going to be around in a couple of years)

:rotflmao:

[FAPTurbo]

Just schedule a play date with Capriceman, then when you get to Detroit go directly to the Budget counter they'll have a number of Avengers you can destroy, Capman will help you out with the explosives and hookers. Just remember to get the insurance.

[BrewSwillis]

Actually, upon further review, the Avenger doesn't have any padding on the armrest even when you get leather:

I think I sat in a Sebring with leather and figured that they would give the Avenger with leather the same armrest as the Sebring with leather.

As you can see in the photo, it is not only hard, but rough, and for some reason they thought the front of it should be pointy.

Upon further review, that armrest is the one with a flip up screen for a DVD player, are you going to be able to get that in the new Malibu?? I hope so.:

There is also a padded one:

[Flybrian]

In all honesty, the Avenger is fine. Its the Sebring that needs help all-around. It really shouldn't even be a Chrysler if they care about what Chrysler means at all

[Intrepidation]

Actually, upon further review, the Avenger doesn't have any padding on the armrest even when you get leather:

I think I sat in a Sebring with leather and figured that they would give the Avenger with leather the same armrest as the Sebring with leather.

As you can see in the photo, it is not only hard, but rough, and for some reason they thought the front of it should be pointy.

I thought I read a review that stated you could get padding for the arm rest in R/T models...I forget which review it was though.

Really, R/T is the model to get...it looks the best and has the best features (of course, it is top level). The Avenger has a lot of neat features you won't find in the Camry, Aura, or the new Malibu (heated/cooled cupholders, 20 gig hard driver, a real nav system)...which may make all the difference to buyers.

Edited March 4, 2007 by Dodgefan

[BrewSwillis]

I thought I read a review that stated you could get padding for the arm rest in R/T models...I forget which review it was though.

Really, R/T is the model to get...it looks the best and has the best features (of course, it is top level). The Avenger has a lot of neat features you won't find in the Camry, Aura, or the new Malibu (heated/cooled cupholders, 20 gig hard driver, a real nav system)...which may make all the difference to buyers.

Dude....look two post up.

[Intrepidation]

In all honesty, the Avenger is fine. Its the Sebring that needs help all-around. It really shouldn't even be a Chrysler if they care about what Chrysler means at all

+1

Chrysler can keep the Sebring name but the car needs a total redesign ASAP.

[Intrepidation]

Dude....look two post up.

Lol I see that now...I hadn't refreshed the page in hours XD

So you loose the padded arm rest if you get the DVD system? I'd say screw the people in back then

[Northstar]

Upon further review, that armrest is the one with a flip up screen for a DVD player, are you going to be able to get that in the new Malibu?? I hope so.:

There is also a padded one:

Ok, so you can get a padded one, like I originally thought before I saw a picture of one with leather without the padding. Apparently you can't get one if you get the DVD player though, which is ridiculous. "Daddy, let's get the one with the DVD player so I can watch movies. The only sacrifice you have to make is you'll have to be very careful when using the center armrest so it doesn't hurt you."

The only person getting owned is the one who pays $915 to get leather and a padded armrest only to pay $1195 more so thier padding can be removed and a DVD player installed, as well as having a sore spot on their arm.

[Intrepidation]

I don't get why it can't still be padded with the DVD player installed.

[Northstar]

I don't get why it can't still be padded with the DVD player installed.

The only explanation I have is that the cover is different when you get the DVD player (see the extra cut-out?). I guess the padded material goes over that area that's cut out, but I don't see why they couldn't design a different cover for the armrest with the DVD player. Or they could have just made the material better to begin with and not had the stupid part that sticks out and it wouldn't need padding.

[Intrepidation]

I suppose if the plastic was decently textured it's ok...but I'd still prefer padding.

[Northstar]

I suppose if the plastic was decently textured it's ok...but I'd still prefer padding.

Padding is definitely better, but I don't usually mind if it's not. That was not the case in the Avenger.

The Avenger actually looks pretty good in black (just saw a pic of it on dodge.com in black) because it hides the huge bumper.

[regfootball]

show some love, IT'S GOT LIGHTED CUPHOLDERS FOR CHRISSAKES!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Northstar]

show some love, IT'S GOT LIGHTED CUPHOLDERS FOR CHRISSAKES!!!!!!!!!!!!

See, the Avenger has some cool features, but it'd be a better car if they took whatever it cost to make those features available and just made the rest of the car better. A below-average interior is not made above-average by some cool lighting or a fridge in the dash. I'd rather have a competitive interior and not have those features that I'll use very rarely.

[Intrepidation]

Padding is definitely better, but I don't usually mind if it's not. That was not the case in the Avenger.

The Avenger actually looks pretty good in black (just saw a pic of it on dodge.com in black) because it hides the huge bumper.

Some cool pics of the Avenger:

[BrewSwillis]

"Daddy, let's get the one with the DVD player so I can watch movies. The only sacrifice you have to make is you'll have to be very careful when using the center armrest so it doesn't hurt you."

:rotflmao:

You think someone is gonna get "hurt" on a non-padded armrest.

I drove around for over two years with this armrest on my '02 Monte Carlo SS......and still kept my right arm!!

[Northstar]

:rotflmao:

You think someone is gonna get "hurt" on a non-padded armrest.

I drove around for over two years with this armrest on my '02 Monte Carlo SS......and still kept my right arm!!

Padding is definitely better, but I don't usually mind if it's not. That was not the case in the Avenger.

You saying again?

I don't mind if it's not padded, as long as the material is not in a shape and of such hardness that it makes it sharp. When I sat in the Avenger, as soon as I touched the armrest without knowing I instantly jerked my arm back up... as if I had touched something hot... it was like a reflex. It seriously felt like something was trying to cut me. Did it? No, but that's what it felt like.

Maybe you should quit making lame excuses such as "oh, it can have a rough and sharp armrest because it has a DVD player!!!11" and "But my MC didn't have padding so this is perfectly fine without padding!" and face that fact that it sucks and quit making yourself look like an idiot for defending Chrysler at all costs, even when it is quite obvious something is made horribly.

[BlkHhr104]

Like GM never made a bad engine? Anyway what bad things have happened to the 3.5L?

Haha no I know they have built bad engines, I was just instigating, well I dunno, not a big fan of DCX so I don't pay attention, I'm sure nothings wrong with the 3.5, but I like the 3.6 GM, but I would much rather take that DCX 3.5 over Ford's 3.5.

[Intrepidation]

Haha no I know they have built bad engines, I was just instigating, well I dunno, not a big fan of DCX so I don't pay attention, I'm sure nothings wrong with the 3.5, but I like the 3.6 GM, but I would much rather take that DCX 3.5 over Ford's 3.5.

Yeah the 3.6 is a pretty sweet engine...I'd like to drive an Aura thusly equipped.

[big blue]

Have to admit, those new Avenger pics look a lot better than those cruddy spy pics of the base model car. I still can't get those images out of my head though, I think that black Avenger looks particularly nice. Then again, a lot of cars dressed in black look better

[Intrepidation]

Have to admit, those new Avenger pics look a lot better than those cruddy spy pics of the base model car. I still can't get those images out of my head though, I think that black Avenger looks particularly nice. Then again, a lot of cars dressed in black look better

You can't go wrong with black :3

What is the name of the song/who is it sung by that plays during the video clip on the Dodge website?

Edited March 4, 2007 by Dodgefan

[CSpec]

I sat in an Avenger yesterday: what a piece of junk.

[Dragon]

def better in pics. but it doesn't look a good on the street. tail is nice, but I don't like the body line "bump" in fron of the rear wheels lke the charger. Those only look good/appropriate on RWD IMO.

Something about the front just isn't right

[6t5frlane]

I like the first commercial ! And I kinda like the car. Maybe because it is different then all the others out there. Kudos to DODGE

[pow]

The Avenger/Sebring are hopeless compared to other midsizers, but they might stand a chance against compacts, IMO. Offer a manual, reduce the price by $1500, and market them as Civic and Corolla competitors.

[Intrepidation]

The Avenger/Sebring are hopeless compared to other midsizers, but they might stand a chance against compacts, IMO. Offer a manual, reduce the price by $1500, and market them as Civic and Corolla competitors.

They are not hopeless if people are buying them. they offer unique style and features that other competitors don't. This gives them their own niche. Are they perfect? No, but name me a car that is...they all have issues. The Fusion has a crappy engine. The Aura has build quality issues and no Nav. The Camry has tranny issues and build quality issues, the Accord is fat and getting old (although still the benchmark for the segment I think).

[Northstar]

They are not hopeless if people are buying them. they offer unique style and features that other competitors don't. This gives them their own niche. Are they perfect? No, but name me a car that is...they all have issues. The Fusion has a crappy engine. The Aura has build quality issues and no Nav. The Camry has tranny issues and build quality issues, the Accord is fat and getting old (although still the benchmark for the segment I think).

I agree with Empowah. There is little hope for the Avenger and Sebring.

Fusion has better interior, exterior, and will be getting the 3.5 (of course styling subjective, but I don't see how anyone can find the Sebring more attractive, perhaps the Avenger though).

Aura has better interior, exterior, and powertrain. Build quality on the Aura is as good as it was on the Avenger and Sebring I sat in.

Camry has better powertrain, better interior, worse exterior IMO, but it's the Camry, so they have no shot at stealing its sales.

Accord has better powertrain, better interior, exteriors about the same.

Milan same as Fusion.

Altima better everything.

When I say better interior, I mean simply based on materials, as one can certainly argue that they like how the Sebring/Avenger interiors look.

[Intrepidation]

I agree with Empowah. There is little hope for the Avenger and Sebring.

Fusion has better interior, exterior, and will be getting the 3.5 (of course styling subjective, but I don't see how anyone can find the Sebring more attractive, perhaps the Avenger though).

Aura has better interior, exterior, and powertrain. Build quality on the Aura is as good as it was on the Avenger and Sebring I sat in.

Camry has better powertrain, better interior, worse exterior IMO, but it's the Camry, so they have no shot at stealing its sales.

Accord has better powertrain, better interior, exteriors about the same.

Milan same as Fusion.

Altima better everything.

When I say better interior, I mean simply based on materials, as one can certainly argue that they like how the Sebring/Avenger interiors look.

When does the Fusion get the new 3.5? It'd be a great car then. it easily has the best interior (except the Accord). Good build quality and soft materials everywhere. It also looks very good if a bit bland.

I still don't think it's hopeless, for the reasons I mentioned above. The Avenger is a car for the tech Savvy and Dodge is working to capitalize on that. It'll carve out a niche for itself. I have yet to sit in one so I can't say what I think of the materials but I like teh design a lot. I also like the exterior alot.

I want one, a black R/T...no rear seat DVD

[Flybrian]

Well, if its tech-savvy, Dodge needs to point that out more than their lame spots do now. A brief mention of MyGig with zero explanation does nothing to bring this technology to the minds of people.

For the Sebring, it needs...work...just like Mr. T. Lots of it.