Now that the FCA-PSA merger has led to the creation of Stellantis, CEO Carlos Tavares has ensured fans that all of the company’s 16 brands will get a decade to prove they’re worthy of being preserved. Sure, marques like Chrysler and Lancia, with their disappointing sales, clearly seem endangered. But, even though Dodge might appear out of trouble, it only has three models in its current line-up. And while a fourth one is one the way, this digital proposal envisions a fifth Dodge, bringing back the Journey nameplate.
Launch the Dodge configurator right now and you’ll only get to choose between the Challenger, Charger, and the Durango seven-seater SUV. Nevertheless, the company has all but confirmed that a compact crossover dubbed Hornet will soon join the party, with this being based on the 2023 Alfa Romeo Tonale.
Now, these days, die-hard enthusiasts cope with the never-ending stream of crossovers and SUVs that so many people enjoy buying by telling themselves these moneymakers allow car companies to keep building the performance cars we adore (it might just be the other way around, though).
So, digital artist Theottle has decided to virtually gift Dodge with yet another crossover to ensure the Mopar people get all the funding they need to keep their muscle cars alive for as long as possible.
The pixel master prepared a revival of the Journey nameplate, which was a mid-size crossover offered between 2009 and 2020. And while this spent its final years on the U.S. market as a rebadged Fiat Freemont, the artist aptly points out that the name is currently used in Mexico for a rebadged Chinese Trumpchi GS5 crossover.
Dynamic Alfa Romeo DNA for the virtual Dodge Journey rebirth
Instead of the modest offerings mentioned above, this rendering uses the said Alfa Romeo path (while through in some Durango styling cues), introducing the new Journey based on the Stelvio. The Italian high-rider shares its Giorgio platform with the Giulia sedan and, in its 560 Stelvio Q form, arguably offers the most engaging handling in the crossover/SUV segment.
And while the plan sounds like a blast for velocity lovers, things are quite different in the real world. For some reason, Alfa Romeo hasn’t designed the Giorgio platform with full electrification in mind. So, while this was previously rumored to support the next generation of Dodge muscle cars, we now know it will be retired later this decade when the Giulia and the Stelvio D-segment models end their production.
Instead, Dodge’s electrified future, which includes muscle cars and crossovers/SUVs, will be lined up with the rest of Stellantis, thus using the company’s STLA platforms (pronounced “Stella”), which were presented in last year’s electrification plan.
