It’s official, there’s a hot new Dodge Hornet that does its historic nameplate quite proud. No, it’s not the one that Dodge launched for the 2023 model year. Instead, it shares just a little DNA with that car but is mostly just an epic electric stunt car headed for Nitrocross.
Dubbed the Dodge Hornet R/T FC1-X, this new hotness comes with four axial flux electric motors that develop a combined 1,070 horsepower. According to the automaker, these cars can go from 0-60 mph in 1.4 seconds and produce nearly 2g of acceleration in the process.
On top of just building this batty vehicle, Dodge is employing Lia Block (Ken Block’s daughter) to drive one of the cars. She and the other drivers will compete in the Group E class at events where they have practice rounds, qualifying, heat races, and main events in five different categories.
Why would Dodge spend the money it has to build something so wacky, ridiculous, awesome, and impossible to produce for public roads? Marketing.
“Nearly 75% of Nitrocross race fans are between the ages of 18-34, making the series the perfect venue for Dodge to expand its motorsports presence and to showcase the Dodge Hornet to a youthful, enthusiastic new audience,” said Matt McAlear, Dodge brand CEO – Stellantis.
“We’re looking forward to a great inaugural Nitrocross season for the Dodge brand, with a championship-winning organization like the Dreyer & Reinbold Racing team carrying the Dodge banner and with fans getting the chance to experience the Dodge Hornet up close and personal through our Dodge Hornet Rally Rides. It all starts at Richmond”
Don’t forget that the Hornet is the most powerful car in its segment. Linking these new stunt cars to the production model enables Dodge to highlight its performance aspirations. In fact, during the event that happens this weekend, it’ll give fans the chance to ride along in a production-spec Hornet R/T on a specially built course.
Those interested in seeing one of these events can catch them at Utah Motorsports Campus on October 5 and 6, Firebird Motorsports Park near Phoenix, AZ on November 15 and 16, Miami Marine Stadium on January 11 and 12, or Las Vegas on March 1 or 2.
Why Don’t I Want A Normal Hornet?
If you’ve asked this question, you’ve not been in a Dodge Hornet. I’m just kidding. Maybe you own a Dodge Hornet and you love it. Maybe it’s your favorite car of all time and you’d own more than one if you could. You are unique.
Having driven two different trims of the Hornet I can confirm that they drive perfectly fine for an everyday crossover. In fact, I sort of like the way they communicate steering feedback and the somewhat whimsical exhaust note in the PHEV version. Even then, it does 0-60 mph in just 5.6 seconds.
In theory, you could race these two cars from a standstill and when the EV reached 60 mph you could greenlight a Dodge Durango SRT 392 and it would also reach 60 (4.1 seconds) before the production Hornet does.
Overall, it’s one of the better cars in the segment to drive which I personally prioritize over most other things. Of course, that’s also why I’d have something like a Toyota GR Corolla over a normal Hornet. It lacks some of the cargo space but checks every other box in a better way for me.
It’s just a bit too much of a ho-hum car for me which is fine if it’s properly fast. Now if Dodge ever comes close to selling this Nitro Hornet I’ll happily punch my ticket to the brotherhood of (electric?) muscle.
It’s an FC1-X racecar platform used by the entire Group E field, with a body that’s barely distinguishable from the “generic” FC1-X shell. It’s fine, but it’s not a Hornet by any stretch – probably why you want it lol.
That front end shot looks horrible. Did someone really sign off on that as an official promotional photo?
Looks like the one of the cars that got squashed by the steam roller in Richard Scarry’s ‘Cars and Trucks and Things That Go’
Honest question- are the Italian built Hornets (and other Stelantis vehicles) more reliable than some other Italian of the past? I’m and old and while I’ve loved many vehicles from Italy, reliability is not what comes to mind. Again, honest question…
I think the other issue is the prices are nearly Italian Alfa levels. The Hornet overall is pretty standard size and styling compared to say the Buick Envision, and all the asian equivalents, but the price is on the high side and the perceived quality from Italy is the biggest issue. Hyundai at one time had to do a 10 year 100K warranty to get past that. but nobody in Italy seems to be willing to go that far to prove the designers were on the mark.
Reminds me of the 600 hp all-wheel-drive dart that they didn’t sell either
I got a Hornet as a loaner from the Ford dealer when my Kia was getting a door replaced, and it was certainly fast, but beyond that, there were a lot of things that we ho-hum. Torque steer was also an interesting experience.
This is giving me strong Alfa Romeo SZ vibes for some reason.
I wouldn’t turn my nose up at a Hornet as a free upgrade from an “Economy, Mitsubishi Mirage or similar” rental, nor as a company pool car. But I wouldn’t spend my own money on one.
About as related as NASCAR Camrys are to street ones. Do the NASCAR Camrys sell any street ones? I know nobody buys coupes anymore, but with Hornet sales numbers being what they are, the coupes might then make up a decent percentage of overall sales.
I’d have the Alfa version, the Tonale GTV
This looks like if Mitsubishi went retro and made the Galant VR4 into the Galant VR4 Cross.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c0/Mitsubishi_GALANT_VR-4_%28E-EC5A%29_front.jpg/280px-Mitsubishi_GALANT_VR-4_%28E-EC5A%29_front.jpg
I’m curious what it weighs. Even with over 1,000 horsepower it couldn’t be much over a ton to do 60 in 1.6 seconds.
Depending on the source, specs I’m finding say somewhere between 2,700 and 3,500 pounds — looks like it varies depending on how much battery they load it up with?
For me this car is very much a singing pig. Unique and it sings very well…for a pig.
However the fact that you have a singing pig isn’t going to make me want to buy one of your ordinary pigs….
On a peripheral note:
I just don’t get electric car racing; for me it’s lacking in sensual appeal: it’s silent and scentless.
No roaring exhaust and no sweet, sweet smell of combustion gases?
It’s kind of like having sex with someone who just lays there.
“However the fact that you have a singing pig isn’t going to make me want to buy one of your ordinary pigs….
….
It’s kind of like having sex with someone who just lays there”
Perhaps that person could learn a thing or two from the pig.
https://youtu.be/yyr0IDweXx8?feature=shared
Car racing on TV is scentless, usually. For me it’s also silent, since I only watch TV at the bar.
I remember sitting in one of these (regular Hornet, not the race version) at a car show (I think it was pre-production.) My impression is that they were trying to make it do too many things—PHEV eco-car, Dodge sporty car, entry level Dodge replacement—and as a result made a vehicle that does none of these particularly well.
Honda CRZ formula, but in a less attractive package.
The Hornet name is the only thing I like about this car. Too bad it’s wasted here. The rest is totally forgettable. Seems like every time Dodge (or Chrysler, for that matter) makes a move these days I wind up screaming like Marlin Brando in “A Streetcar Named Desire.” Stellantis!!
I’d take the the original AMC version over the Dodge.
Me too, especially the Sportabout. I’d also take the Hudson version over the Dodge.
Murder Hornet was right. There.
Hopefully someone from Stellantis corporate reads this and gets working on a hot performance version. That’s genius.
It’s edgy, aggressive, and not really appropriate for an automobile name, but that’s why it’s so awesome. When you’re down as bad as Stellantis, you gotta throw the rules out the window.
Also, about the regular Hornet: I can tell that most everyone here piling on about how bad it is hasn’t even test-driven one, because the only real problem with it is the premium price.
It’s amazing watching companies try to make their CUV blobs look like race cars. Stop making CUVs into something they’re not.
Tangential side note, EV makers need to stop with EV CUVs that look like hot hatches. Make actual EV hot hatches or GTFO.
My boss works remote and comes out to my area every month or so for a week. He usually gets cars as rentals but they gave him a hornet a couple months ago. He said it was hands down the worst rental he’s had.
So, it’s basically a 3 door hot hatch with vaguely Hornet inspired styling cues? Yes, that is about the only way I’d even thinking about possibly being interested in considering a new Hornet
It’s funny, but I used to feel similar about NASCAR race cars – I always thought “why won’t Ford make a Fusion coupe? It looks really good.”
Of course, now I’d be excited to see a regular ole Fusion sedan again, so I guess its all relative…
So this was all for nothing, cause I don’t think it will help sell any hornets, if anything it shows you the only desirable hornet is not available for anyone other than Lia block.
I honestly love her name, my daughter’s name is also Lia.
How about a 3 door, 4 seat Hornet with just one of those 250+hp motors, lowered and smoothed off for the road at around the $25K-30K range?
Are you mad! That would be offering something that the market actually wants. Begone!
How right you are –
Car buyers are not the customers anymore – We and our payments are the product.
Dealers and shareholders are the customers these days.