This weekend DaimlerChrysler division Dodge is expected to begin marketing efforts on their 2007 Caliber, a brand new compact car model with a starting price under $14,000. Among the car’s standard amenities is a device holder and an auxiliary input jack that both work with an iPod.
Dodge is careful not to say that either the jack or the holder is specifically for the iPod, but in photos of the Caliber’s interior on the company’s Web site, a video iPod is in plain sight and occupies the space perfectly. The “MP3/Cell Phone Holder,” as it’s called, flips open from the center console armrest, pivoting at an angle. The holder is rubber-lined to keep the iPod securely in place and provide you with easy access to it while the car is in motion.
The iPod connects to the base radio in the Caliber using the auxiliary stereo input jack. It provides a direct connection “without the hassle of cassette tape adaptors or unreliable FM transmitters,” according to Dodge.
Audio options on the Caliber include a 458-watt MusicGate Power nine-speaker stereo with subwoofer from Boston Acoustics. The optional system also includes rear articulating speakers that swing down from the liftgate when it’s been opened, so you can continue to listen to your music after the car is parked.
Other features include a cooled beverage storage been located in the dashboard, behind the glove box door. It can keep up to four 20-ounce bottles or cans chilled at 45 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the car maker.