2010 Dodge Demon: An Attainable Dream Sports Car

Chrysler exhibited the all-new Dodge roadster concept, called the Demon, at the Geneva Motor Show in March. The vehicle is designed to compete with the popular Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky, as well as the Mazda MX-5. 

The 2010 Dodge Demon is scheduled to hit showrooms in late 2009, one in the latest in front wheel drive production vehicles coming out in the next few years from Chrysler. The Styling of the 2010 Dodge Demon comes from the V-10 Dodge Viper and will likely carry over with little change from the Demon.

Exterior Attitude

The body side of the Dodge Demon main character line flows up and over the front wheel, then drops diagonally to an angular color-keyed vent on the rear fender that directs cooling air to the rear brakes. In similar fashion, the compound rear fender surface curves up and over the rear wheel, sweeping into a broad diagonal plane extending to the tail lamp. The resulting muscular fender form projects boldly beyond the main body, underscoring that the Dodge Demon concept is a rear-wheel-drive machine.

The rear surface of the body is divided into three planes with two chamfered outboard planes, dominated by long, tapering trapezoidal tail lamps. Up front, the signature Dodge crosshair grille is stuffed into an aggressive, menacing, trapezoidal opening that thrusts boldly forward.

Encompassing the upper portions of the front fenders and sporting two recessed air outlets, the Dodge Demon's hood is hinged at the front, adding a just-for-fun performance-car look and feel.

The 19-inch brushed aluminum wheels are set into assertive, asymmetrical openings that reprise the body's playful combination of curves and planes.

"In the manner of timeless British sports cars, the interior of the Dodge Demon is purposely functional, not frivolous," said Dan Zimmermann Dodge Demon Principal Interior Designer. "Everything you really need the gauges, circular AC outlets, radio is encapsulated in a cross-car brushed aluminum bezel that also accentuates the width of the cabin. Secondary controls and features, such as the HVAC knobs and the passenger-side glove box, are located below this bezel," Zimmerman added.

Interior Design

The wide, brushed aluminum console bezel also incorporates the recessed emergency brake handle, with the window switch gear, softly lit cup holders and 12V power outlet organized into a graphically unified shape. The upper portion of the instrument  panel, including the cluster brow, is accented by a stitched seam with contrasting silver thread.

"In the manner of timeless British sports cars, the interior of the Dodge Demon is purposely functional, not frivolous," said Dan Zimmermann Dodge Demon Principal Interior Designer. Immediately forward of the wheel, the four-gauge cluster features classic white-on-black dials with graphics inspired by sports watches. The doors feature durable, vertical grab handles, each anchored to a silver bezel housing the chrome door remote handle. The lower portion of each door features a stylish brushed aluminum bezel that encapsulates the large circular speaker grille and then drops sharply as it moves rearward to form the map pocket outer panel, mimicking a feature line on the car's exterior.

Individual brushed aluminum and carbon fiber roll bars are positioned directly behind the bucket seats. With long seat tracks, there is ample storage behind the seats. The Dodge Demon concept is an affordable Dodge sports car which merges brand cues of bold design and powerful performance with an open-air "fun-to-drive" attitude.

The raised plateau at the rear of the console incorporates a covered storage bin with a lid that serves as an armrest between shifts while the portion of the console extending under the instrument panel has an open bin handy for incidentals.

The steering wheel employs an aluminum open-spoke design with each of the three spokes intersecting the small circular hub for a timeless sports car look. Immediately forward of the wheel, the four-gauge cluster features classic white-on-black dials with graphics inspired by sports watches. Each circular gauge is set handsomely inside a finely detailed silver and chrome bezel ring, while gauge pointers are colored to match the exterior.

The doors feature durable, vertical grab handles, each anchored to a silver bezel housing the chrome door remote handle. The lower portion of each door features a stylish brushed aluminum bezel that encapsulates the large circular speaker grille and then drops sharply as it moves rearward to form the map pocket outer panel, mimicking a feature line on the car's exterior.

The Dodge Demon's seats feature contoured bolsters that are just high enough to provide support when cornering, yet do not hinder ingress or egress. Set in exposed low-gloss carbon fiber shells, the black seats with integral head restraints feature inserts of textured 'Momentum' fabric mated to fabric bolsters, with specific sew lines accented by silver thread. Individual brushed aluminum and carbon fiber roll bars are positioned directly behind the bucket seats. With long seat tracks, there is ample storage behind the seats.

An Attainable Dream Car

The Dodge Demon Concept is a "compact, nimble 'roadster with attitude'" and "an attainable dream car," according to its maker. To us, it was Chrysler's answer to the Honda S2000, Mazda MX-5, Pontiac Solstice, and Saturn Sky. In early 2008, Chrysler announced the production version will use a front-wheel-drive chassis sourced from Chinese automaker Chery, so the Demon's sporting pretensions may be in question.

The 2010 Dodge Demon bowed in concept-car form at the 2007 Geneva Auto Salon in Switzerland, which observers took as a sign that the Demon would spearhead a major Dodge sales push into overseas markets, where the brand is largely unknown.

"While the iconic Dodge Viper is a dream car for many, the Dodge Demon is designed to be an attainable dream car," said Jae Chung Dodge Demon Principal Exterior Designer, Chrysler Group. The resulting muscular fender form projects boldly beyond the main body, underscoring that the Dodge Demon concept is a rear-wheel-drive machine. Learn more about the produciton of the Dodge Demon for more research.