Caliber, A class will share parts

Harald Hamprecht | | Automobilwoche - - Starting in 2010, the Dodge Caliber and Mercedes-Benz A class and B class will share many components, DaimlerChrysler CEO Dieter Zetsche confirmed in an interview last week.

"We must not talk about a common platform for creation of siblings with Chrysler models," Zetsche said in an interview with Automobilwoche, which, like Automotive News, is published by Crain Communications. "Jointly developed components are enough to achieve economies of scale across Mercedes volumes. We are under way on this but not at the end of the decision-making process."

The Dodge Caliber is built on the same GS platform as the Jeep Compass and Patriot. Chrysler originally started work on the platform with Mitsubishi.

Zetsche did not specify what components the vehicles might share.