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Lackluster Dodge Dart sales trigger layoffs

Hidden amidst the overall very positive sales figures that Chrysler released earlier this week were a few disappointments, the biggest of which may be the Dodge Dart. While Dodge sales in general were down 11 percent from a year ago, the Dart's poor figures stood out from the rest - with 4,888 units sold, the Dart was down 37 percent in February.
It comes as little surprise, then, that the automaker has announced layoffs at its assembly plant in Belvidere, IL. According to The Daily Herald, Dodge will temporarily lay off 325 workers "to balance vehicle supply with current sales demand." Put more simply, there are more Darts than buyers at the moment...
We don't think the Dodge Dart is a bad car, but it's playing in a market that offers a few standout sellers, like the Chevy Cruze, Ford Focus, Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla. According to AutoPacific analyst Dave Sullivan, as quoted by The Daily Herald, "great incentives on the Dodge Avenger" are also partly to blame for the Dart's poor showing.

Dodge Scat Pack for 5.7L Hemi V8 detailed, priced

Dodge revived the Scat Pack name back in November at the 2013 SEMA show. At the time, though, we were short of details on forthcoming upgrade packages, which were destined to add some oomph to the Challenger, Charger and Dart. We're still waiting to hear about the upgrades to the Dart's 2.4-liter four-pot, but Dodge has gone ahead and released the details on the upgrades to the 5.7-liter Hemi V8 in the Challenger and Charger R/T.
As we detailed in our original post, three different Scat Packs will be available that will allow customers to upgrade their cars without voiding the warranties. Starting with the $2,195 Stage 1 kit, owners will net an extra 18 horsepower and 18 pound-feet of torque thanks to a Mopar-branded cold-air intake, exhaust and ECU ref lash. Stage 1 is also the only package that could be installed outside of a Chrysler-authorized service center without voiding the warranty (a mechanically competent owner could even do it at home, we're told by Dodge). Stage 2 builds on the entry level Scat Pack, and adds performance camshaft kit, which boosts output over the stock 5.7 by up to 30 hp for $1,895. As with the Stage 1, the ECU is tweaked.
For those that want to go whole hog, they can add the Stage 3 for $4,995. The top-tier gets quite serious, adding CNC-ported cylinder heads, as well as high-flow headers and cats. Output over stock is 58 hp and 47 lb-ft of torque. Each kit comes with a pair of badges, just in case owners want a bit of visual flair.

Is Mopar readying a special-edition Dart for Chicago?

Chrysler has released the above teaser of a limited-edition Mopar 2013 model that will be unveiled at next month's Chicago Auto Show. Although the automaker doesn't announce what vehicle will get the Mopar treatment, closer investigation of the seats and center console suggest that this car will be a special version of the 2013 Dodge Dart.
This will be the fourth Mopar model in as many years, following on the heels of the Mopar 2010 Challenger, Mopar 2011 Charger and the Mopar '2012 300. There are no details for the Mopar '13 Dart, but we do see that the car will retain the signature black-and-blue color scheme as past Mopar editions. Like these previous models, we expect production of Mopar '13 Dart to be limited to just 500 units.
Scroll down for Chrysler's press release teasing the new Mopar model, and we'll be sure to bring you plenty of live images from the show floor in a couple weeks.