Hoovey689

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Dodge Caliber's Alfa Romeo-based replacement spotted wearing crosshairs

When we first caught wind of the Fiat intention to get cozy with Chrysler, our first thoughts leapt to the slew of sexy Italian compacts that could conceivably make their way to the states. Of all the hardware that could potentially be Americanized, the Alfa Romeo Giulietta was the one hatch that had our loins stirring the most. Now our elite squad of spy photographers have nabbed a few photos of a four-door version of the hatch wearing a split crosshair grille. From the looks of things, these are full-production spec prototypes out for desert testing. The whispers kicking around the web lead us to believe that the car will be called the Hornet and should lock horns nicely with metal like the Ford Focus.

To say that we can't wait to usher the Caliber out the door is an understatement. Given that the compact segment has grown into a fiercely competitive slice of the market, Dodge needs hardware that can perform on style, efficiency and economy. Here's hoping the Hornet is up to the task.

While the vehicle in the image above was originally photographed with matte black vinyl covering its flanks, we've colorized the sheet metal to give us a better idea of what to expect from the sedan version of the car.

Gallery:
http://www.autoblog.com/photos/dodge...photo-4474496/

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/09/23/d...d-wearing-cro/

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Elantra rear anyone? hah