2013 Dodge Dart Compact Sedan: First Official Shots of the Interior

Last week, the Chrysler Group gave us our first look at the exterior details of the brand-new 2013 Dodge Dart compact sedan with the promise of teasing the interior on December 13.

True to its word, the Detroit automaker published a fresh batch of photos today giving us a sneak peek into the interior of the new Dart saloon, which will officially break cover at the 2012 North American International Auto Show in the second week of January.

The futuristic looking instrument binnacle houses an available 7-inch Thin Film Transistor (TFT) customizable cluster display with a light surround between the analog tachometer and fuel gauge.

On the upper side of the center console, we find the Chrysler Group's UConnect multimedia system sporting an 8.4-inch touchscreen that Dodge says is the largest of its kind in the compact segment.

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Marchionne Says 2013 Dodge Dart will be Certified at 40mpg, will get 9-Speed Auto

The Chrysler Group gave us our first taste of its sporty looking all-new 2013 Dodge Dart compact sedan on Tuesday with the release of a teaser photo gallery and the initial data on the car's specifications.

The Dart may prove to be one of the most important models in Dodge's recent history not only because it is the first Chrysler product to be based upon a Fiat architecture and in particular, the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, but also because CEO Sergio Marchionne told Reuters that he believes its fuel efficiency will be certified at "40 mpg or more by the end of the month".

The reason why that matters is that, under the deal made with the U.S. government to allow Chrysler to emerge from bankruptcy protection in 2009, the Italian company will receive the final 5 percent of stock if it develops a Fiat-based car that will be built in the U.S. and can get at least 40 miles per gallon.

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New 2013 Dodge Dart Compact Sedan Based on the Alfa Romeo Giulietta

The Chrysler Group has resurrected the Dart nameplate from the 1960s for its new Dodge compact sedan model that will receive its world premiere at the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit in the second week of January.

The new Dart is the first Chrysler Group vehicle to be based upon a Fiat architecture as it makes use of a modified version of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta hatchback's platform named Compact U.S. Wide (CUSW), which has been lengthened and widened to improve interior space.

The Detroit automaker says that 68 percent of the Dart's body is composed of high-strength steel, resulting in a "very strong and rigid structure".

Powering the 2013 Dodge Dart will be three four-cylinder gasoline powerplants including a new Tigershark 2.0-liter unit, a 1.4-liter MultiAir Intercooled Turbo engine that will most likely be shared with the Fiat Abarth 500 in the U.S., and a new Tigershark 2.4-liter MultiAir engine.

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