Dodge

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Dodge

Type Division of Chrysler Group LLC
Industry Automobile
Founded
1900 (auto parts (Dodge Brothers))
1915 (automobiles)
Founder(s) John Francis Dodge
Horace Elgin Dodge
Headquarters Auburn Hills, Michigan, U.S.
Area served Global (except Europe)
Key people Reid Bigland, CEO
Products Cars, trucks, SUVs, vans/minivans
Parent Chrysler Group LLC
Divisions Ram
Website dodge.com (U.S.)
dodge.com (Global)
Dodge is a United States-based brand of automobiles, minivans, and sport utility vehicles, manufactured
by Chrysler Group LLC, a multinational manufacturer in a global strategic alliance with Fiat,
[1]
in more than 60
different countries and territories worldwide.
Founded as the Dodge Brothers Company in 1900 to supply parts and assemblies for Detroit's growing auto
industry, Dodge began making its own complete vehicles in 1915. The brand was sold to Chrysler Corporation
in 1928, passed through the short-lived DaimlerChrysler merger of 19982007 as part of the Chrysler Group,
was a part of Chrysler LLC owned by Cerberus Capital Management, a private equity investment firm, and is
now a part of the Chrysler Group LLC, which has an alliance with Fiat. Fiat has plans to evolve many Dodge,
Chrysler, and Jeep existing platforms and products into Fiat-Chrysler co-developed vehicles.
[2][3]

Contents
[hide]
1 History
o 1.1 Founding and early years
o 1.2 Death of the Dodge brothers, Sale to Chrysler
o 1.3 Pre-war years
o 1.4 World War II
o 1.5 Post-war years
o 1.6 Times of crisis
o 1.7 K-Cars and minivans
2 The modern era
o 2.1 DaimlerChrysler
3 Dodge trucks
o 3.1 Pickups and medium to heavy trucks
o 3.2 Vans
o 3.3 Sport utility vehicles
4 International markets
o 4.1 Argentina
o 4.2 Asia
o 4.3 Australia
o 4.4 Brazil
o 4.5 Canada
o 4.6 Europe
o 4.7 Mexico
5 Logos
6 Slogans
7 List of Dodge automobiles
o 7.1 Current models
o 7.2 Past models
8 See also
9 Notes
10 References
11 External links
[edit]History
[edit]Founding and early years


1915 Dodge Brothers Model 30-35 touring car


Dodge Brothers delivery trucks, Salt Lake City, 1920
After the founding of the Dodge Brothers Company by Horace and John Dodge in 1900, the Detroit-based
company quickly found work producing precision engine and chassiscomponents for the citys burgeoning
number of automobile firms. Chief among these customers were the established Olds Motor Vehicle
Company and the then-new Ford Motor Company. Dodge Brothers enjoyed much success in this field, but the
brothers' growing wish to build complete vehicles was exemplified by John Dodge's 1913 exclamation that he
was "tired of being carried around in Henry Ford's vest pocket."
By 1914, Horace had found a solution by creating the new four-cylinder Dodge Model 30. Marketed as a
slightly more upscale competitor to the ubiquitous Ford Model T, it pioneered or made standard many features
later taken for granted: all-steel body construction (the vast majority of cars worldwide still used wood-framing
under steel panels, though Stoneleigh andBSA used steel bodies as early as 1911);
[4]
12-volt electrical system
(6-volt systems would remain the norm until the 1950s); 35 horsepower
[5]
(versus the Model T's 20), and
sliding-gear transmission (the best-selling Model T would retain an antiquated planetary design until its demise
in 1927). As a result of this, and the brothers' well-earned reputation for quality through the parts they made for
other successful vehicles, Dodge Brothers cars were ranked at second place for U.S. sales as early as 1916.
That same year, Henry Ford decided to stop paying stock dividends to finance the construction of his new River
Rouge complex. This led the Dodges to file suit to protect their annual stock earnings of approximately one
million dollars,
[6]
in turn, leading Ford to buy out his shareholders; the Dodges were paid some US$25 million.
[7]

Also in 1916, Dodge Brothers vehicles won acclaim for durability while in service with the U.S. Army's Pancho
Villa Expedition into Mexico.
[8]
One notable instance was in May when the 6th Infantry received a reported
sighting of Julio Cardenas, one of Villa's most trusted subordinates. Lt. George S. Patton led ten soldiers and
two civilian guides in three Dodge Model 30 touring cars to conduct a raid at a ranch house in San
Miguelito, Sonora. During the ensuing firefight the party killed three men, of whom one was identified as
Cardenas. Patton's men tied the bodies to the hoods of the Dodges, returning to headquarters in Dubln and
an excited reception from US newspapermen.
[edit]Death of the Dodge brothers, Sale to Chrysler


1927 Dodge Brothers Series 124 sedan
Dodge Brothers cars continued to rank second place in American sales in 1920. However, the same year,
tragedy struck as John Dodge was felled by pneumonia in January.
[9]
His brother Horace then died
of cirrhosis in December of the same year (reportedly out of grief at the loss of his brother, with whom he was
very close).
[10]
With the loss of both founders, the Dodge Brothers Company passed into the hands of the
brothers' widows, who promoted long-time employee Frederick Haynes to the company presidency. During this
time, the Model 30 was evolved to become the new Series 116 (though it retained the same basic construction
and engineering features). However, throughout the 1920s Dodge gradually lost its ranking as the third best-
selling automobile manufacturer, slipping down to 7th in the U.S. market.
Dodge Brothers emerged as a leading builder of light trucks. They also entered into an agreement whereby
they marketed trucks built by Graham Brothers of Evansville, Indiana. The three Graham brothers would later
produce Graham-Paige and Graham automobiles.
Stagnation in development was becoming apparent, however, and the public responded by dropping Dodge
Brothers to fifth place in the industry by 1925. That year, the Dodge Brothers company was sold by the widows
to the well-known investment group Dillon, Read & Co. for no less than US$146 million (at the time, the largest
cash transaction in history).
[11]

Dillon, Read & Co. offered non-voting stock on the market in the new Dodge Brothers, Inc., firm, and along with
the sale of bonds was able to raise $160 million, reaping a $14 million (net) profit. All voting stock was retained
by Dillon, Read. Frederick Haynes remained as company head until E.G. Wilmer was named board chairman in
November, 1926. Wilmer was a banker with no auto experience and Haynes remained as president. Changes
to the car, save for superficial things like trim levels and colors, remained minimal until 1927, when the
new Senior six-cylinder line was introduced. The former four-cylinder line was kept on, but renamed the Fast
Four line until it was dropped in favor of two lighter six-cylinder models (the Standard Six and Victory Six) for
1928.
On October 1, 1925, Dodge Brothers, Inc., acquired a 51% interest in Graham Brothers, Inc., for $13 million
and the remaining 49% on May 1, 1926. The three Graham brothers, Robert, Joseph and Ray, assumed
management positions in Dodge Brothers before departing early in 1927.
Despite all this, Dodge Brothers sales had already dropped to seventh place in the industry by 1927, and
Dillon, Read began looking for someone to take over the company on a more permanent basis. Eventually
Dodge was sold to Chrysler Corporation in 1928.
[12]

[edit]Pre-war years


Dodge aimed for the luxury market in this advertisement for the 1933 models.
To fit better in the Chrysler Corporation lineup, alongside low-priced Plymouth and medium-priced DeSoto,
Dodges lineup for early 1930 was trimmed down to a core group of two lines and thirteen models (from three
lines and nineteen models just over a year previous). Prices started out just above DeSoto but were somewhat
less than top-of-the-line Chrysler, in a small-scale recreation of General Motors step-up marketing concept.
(DeSoto and Dodge would swap places in the market for the 1933 model year, Dodge dropping down between
Plymouth and DeSoto.)
For 1930, Dodge took another step up by adding a new eight-cylinder line to replace the existing Senior six-
cylinder. This basic format of a dual line with Six and Eight models continued through 1933, and the cars were
gradually streamlined and lengthened in step with prevailing trends of the day. The Dodge Eight was replaced
by a larger Dodge DeLuxe Six for 1934 and which was dropped for 1935. A long-wheelbase edition of the
remaining Six was added for 1936 and would remain a part of the lineup for many years.
The Dodge line, along with most of the corporations output, was restyled in the so-called Wind Stream look
for 1935. This was a mild form of streamlining, which saw sales jump remarkably over the previous year (even
though Dodge as a whole still dropped to fifth place for the year after two years of holding down fourth).


Dodge D11 Luxury Liner 4-Door Sedan 1939
Dodge (along with the rest of Chrysler) added safety features such as a smooth, flat dashboard with no
protruding knobs, curved in door handles, and padded front-seat backs for the benefit of the rear-seat
occupants.
[13]

Another major restyle arrived for the 25th-anniversary 1939 models, which Dodge dubbed the Luxury Liner
series. These were once again completely redesigned with new bodies for 1940, again in 1941, and a
refreshing for 1942. However, just after the 1942 models were introduced, Japans attack on Pearl
Harbor forced the shutdown of Dodges passenger carassembly lines in favor of war production in February
1942.
[edit]World War II
Chrysler was prolific in its production of war materiel from 1942 to 1945, and Dodge in particular was well
known to both average citizens and thankful soldiers for their tough military-spec truck models and ambulances
like the WC54. Starting with the hastily converted VC series and evolving into the celebrated WC series, Dodge
built a strong reputation for itself that readily carried over into civilian models after the war.
[edit]Post-war years


1946 Dodge Custom -IMG 0845


1956 Dodge Coronet


1946 Dodge FK6 bus operated by Eggedin 1940s
Civilian production at Dodge was restarted by late 1945, in time for the 1946 model year. The "seller's market"
of the early postwar years, brought on by the lack of any new cars throughout the war, meant that every
automaker found it easy to sell vehicles regardless of any drawbacks they might have. Like almost every other
automaker, Dodge sold lightlyfacelifted revisions of its 1942 design through the 1948 season. As before, these
were a single series of six-cylinder models with two trim levels (basic Deluxe or plusher Custom).
Styling was not initially Dodges strong point during this period, though that began to change by 1953 under the
direction of corporate design chief Virgil Exner. At the same time, Dodge also introduced its first V8 engine
the Red Ram Hemi, a smaller version of the original design of the famed Hemi. The new 1953 bodies were
smaller and based on the Plymouth. For 1954, sales dropped, the stubby styling not going over well with the
public.
New corporate Forward Look styling for 1955 began a new era for Dodge. With steadily upgraded styling and
ever-stronger engines every year through 1960, Dodge found a ready market for its products as America
discovered the joys of freeway travel. This situation improved when Dodge introduced a new line of Dodges
called the Dart to do battle against Ford, Chevrolet and Plymouth. The result was that Dodge sales in the
middle price class collapsed.


1958 Dodge Coronet Lancer hardtop coupe
Dodge entered the compact car field for 1961 with their new Lancer, a variation on Plymouth's Valiant. Though
it was not initially successful, the Dart range that succeeded the Lancer in 1963 would prove to be one of the
division's top sellers for many years.
Chrysler did make an ill-advised move to downsize the Dodge and Plymouth full-size lines for 1962, which
resulted in a loss of sales. However, they turned this around in 1965 by turning those former full-sizes into
"new" mid-size models; Dodge revived the Coronetnameplate in this way and later added a
sporty fastback version called the Charger that became both a sales leader and a winner on
the NASCAR circuit.
Full-size models evolved gradually during this time. After Dodge dealers complained about not having a true
full-size car in the fall of 1961, the Custom 880 was hurried into production. The Custom 880 used the 1962
Chrysler Newport body with the 1961 Dodge front end and interior. The 880 continued into 1965, the year a
completely new full-size body was put into production, the Polara entered the medium price class and
the Monaco was added as the top series. The Polara and Monaco were changed mostly in appearance for the
next ten years or so. Unique "fuselage" styling was employed for 1969 through 1973 and then was toned down
again for the 1974 to 1977 models.


1967 Dodge Coronet 440 sedan
Dodge is well-known today for being a player in the muscle car market of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Along
with the Charger, models like the Coronet R/T and Super Bee were popular with buyers seeking performance.
The pinnacle of this effort was the introduction of the Challenger sports coupe and convertible (Dodge's entry
into the "pony car" class ) in 1970, which offered everything from mild economy engines up to the wild race-
ready Hemi V8 in the same package.
In an effort to reach every segment of the market, Dodge even reached a hand across thePacific to its
partner, Mitsubishi Motors, and marketed their subcompact as the Colt to compete with the AMC
Gremlin, Chevrolet Vega, and Ford Pinto. Chrysler would over the years come to rely heavily on their
relationship with Mitsubishi.
[edit]Times of crisis


1977 Dodge Diplomat sedan
The 1973 oil crisis caused significant changes at Dodge, as well as Chrysler as a whole. With the exception of
the Colt and certain models of the Dart, Dodge's lineup was quickly seen as extremely inefficient. In fairness,
this was true of most American automakers at the time, but Chrysler was also not in the best financial shape to
do anything about it. Consequently, while General Motors and Ford were quick to begin downsizing their
largest cars, Chrysler (and Dodge) moved more slowly out of necessity.
At the very least, Chrysler was able to use some of its other resources. Borrowing the recently
introduced Chrysler Horizon from their European division, Dodge was able to get its new Omni subcompact on
the market fairly quickly. At the same time, they increased the number of models imported from Mitsubishi: first
came a smaller Colt (based on Mitsubishi's Mitsubishi Lancer line), then a revival of the Challenger (though
with nothing more than a four-cylinder under the hood, rather than the booming V8s of yore).
Bigger Dodges, though, remained rooted in old habits. The Dart was replaced by a new Aspen for 1976, and
Coronet and Charger were effectively replaced by the Diplomat for 1977, which was actually a fancier Aspen.
Meanwhile, the huge Monaco (Royal Monaco beginning in 1977 when the mid-sized Coronet was renamed
"Monaco") models hung around through 1977, losing sales every year, until finally being replaced by the St.
Regis for 1979 following a one-year absence from the big car market. In a reversal of what happened for 1965,
the St. Regis was an upsized Coronet. Buyers, understandably, were confused and chose to shop the
competition rather than figure out what was going on at Dodge.
Everything came to a head in 1979 when Chrysler's new chairman, Lee Iacocca, requested and received
federal loan guarantees from the United States Congress in an effort to save the company from having to file
bankruptcy. With bailout money in hand, Chrysler quickly set to work on new models that would leave the past
behind.
[edit]K-Cars and minivans


198182 Aries Special Edition
The first fruit of Chrysler's crash development program was the "K-Car", the Dodge version of which was
the Dodge Aries. This basic and durable front-wheel drive platform spawned a whole range of new models at
Dodge during the 1980s, including the groundbreaking Dodge Caravan. The Caravan not only helped save
Chrysler as a serious high-volume American automaker, but also spawned an entirely new market segment
that remains popular today: the minivan.


1991 Dodge Spirit R/T
Through the late 1980s and 1990s, Dodge's designation as the sporty-car division was backed by a succession
of high-performance and/or aggressively styled models including the Daytona, mid-sized 600 and several
versions of theLancer. The Dodge Spirit sedan was well received in numerous markets worldwide.
TheOmni remained in the line through 1990. Dodge-branded Mitsubishi vehicles were phased out by 1993 with
the exception of the Dodge Stealth running through 1996, though Mitsubishi-made engines and electrical
components were still widely used in American domestic Chrysler products. In 1992, Dodge moved their
performance orientation forward substantially with the Viper, which featured an aluminum V10 engine and
composite sports roadster body. This was the first step in what was marketed as "The New Dodge". Step two
was the new Intrepid sedan, totally different from its boxy Dynasty predecessor.
The Intrepid used what Chrysler called "cab forward" styling, with the wheels pushed out to the corners of the
chassis for maximum passenger space. They followed up on this idea in a smaller scale with
the Stratus and Neon, both introduced for 1995. The Neon in particular was a hit, buoyed by a clever marketing
campaign and good performance.


Cab Forward Design on a 1996 Dodge Stratus
[edit]The modern era
[edit]DaimlerChrysler


2006 Dodge Charger SRT8 sedan
In a move that never lived up to the expectations of its driving forces, Chrysler Corporation merged with
Daimler-Benz AG in 1998 to form DaimlerChrysler. Rationalizing Chrysler's broad lineup was a priority, and
Dodge's sister brand Plymouth was withdrawn from the market. With this move, Dodge became
DaimlerChrysler's low-price division as well as its performance division.
The Intrepid, Stratus, and Neon updates of the 1998 to 2000 timeframe were largely complete before Daimler's
presence, and Dodge's first experience of any platform sharing with the German side of the company was the
2005 Magnum station wagon, introduced as a replacement for the Intrepid. Featuring Chrysler's first
mainstream rear-wheel driveplatform since the 1980s and a revival of the Hemi V8 engine, it was a modest
success. The Charger was launched in 2006 on the same platform.
Further cost savings were explored in the form of an extensive platform-sharing arrangement with Mitsubishi,
which spawned the Calibersubcompact as a replacement for the Neon and the Avenger sedan. The rear-drive
chassis was then used in early 2008 to build a newChallenger, with styling reminiscent of the original 1970
Challenger.
In Spring 2007, DaimlerChrysler reached an agreement with Cerberus Capital Management to dump its
Chrysler Group subsidiary, of which the Dodge division was a part. On June 10, 2009, Italian automaker Fiat
formed a partnership with Chrysler in which a "New Chrysler" was formed and was given the name Chrysler
Group LLC, which Dodge remains a part of.
In response to very high motor fuel prices in Spring 2008, Dodge initiated a purchase incentive guaranteeing
the buyer of a new Dodge would have to pay no more than $2.99 per gallon of gasoline for three years. Shortly
after the promotion began, the average price of gasoline dropped well below $2.99 per gallon; working in
Dodge's favor.
[edit]Dodge trucks
Over the years, Dodge has become at least as well known for its many truck models as for its prodigious
passenger car output. In 2009, trucks were spun off into the Ram brand, named after the brand's most popular
truck, the Dodge Ram. However, it should be noted that even though the Ram trucks are marketed separately
from Dodge cars, Ram President Fred Diaz has stated that "Ram trucks will always and forever be Dodges.
Ram will always have the Dodge emblem inside and outside and they will be vinned as a Dodge. We need to
continue to market as Ram so Dodge can have a different brand identity: hip, cool, young, energetic. That will
not fit the campaign for truck buyers. The two should have distinct themes."
[edit]Pickups and medium to heavy trucks


1934 Dodge K-34 stake bed truck
Ever since the beginning of its history in 1914, Dodge has offered light truck models. For the first few years,
these were based largely on the existing passenger cars, but eventually gained their own chassis and body
designs as the market matured. Light- and medium-duty models were offered first, then a heavy-duty range
was added during the 1930s and 1940s.
Following World War II and the successful application of four-wheel drive to the truck line, Dodge introduced a
civilian version that it called the Power Wagon. At first based almost exactly on the military-type design,
variants of the standard truck line were eventually given 4WD and the same Power Wagon name.
Dodge was among the first to introduce car-like features to its trucks, adding the plush Adventurer package
during the 1960s and offering sedan-like space in its Club Cab bodies of the 1970s. Declining sales and
increased competition during the 1970s eventually forced the company to drop its medium- and heavy-duty
models, an arena the company has only recently begun to reenter.
Dodge introduced what they called the "Adult Toys" line to boost its truck sales in the late 1970s, starting off
with the limited edition Lil' Red Express pickup (featuring, a 360 c.i. police interceptor engine and visible big rig-
style exhaust stacks). Later came the more widely available Warlock. Other "Adult Toys" from Dodge included
the Macho Power Wagon and Street Van.
As part of a general decline in the commercial vehicle field during the 1970s, Dodge eliminated their LCF
Series heavy-duty trucks in 1975, along with the Bighorn and medium-duty D-Series trucks, and affiliated S
Series school buses were dropped in 1978. On the other hand, Dodge produced several thousand pickups for
the United States Military under the CUCV program from the late 1970s into the early 1980s.


1989 Dodge Ram pickup
Continuing financial problems meant that even Dodges light-duty models renamed as theRam Pickup line for
1981 were carried over with the most minimal of updates until 1993. Two things helped to revitalize Dodges
fortunes during this time. First was their introduction of Cummins powerful and reliable B Series turbo-diesel
engine as an option for 1989. This innovation raised Dodges profile among serious truck buyers who needed
power for towing or large loads. A mid-size Dakota pickup, which later offered a class-exclusive V8 engine, was
also an attractive draw.
Dodge introduced the Ram's all-new big-rig styling treatment for 1994. Besides its instantlypolarizing looks,
exposure was also gained by usage of the new truck on the hit TV showWalker, Texas Ranger starring Chuck
Norris. The new Ram also featured a totally new interior with a console box big enough to hold a laptop
computer, or ventilation and radio controls that were designed to be easily used even with gloves on. A V10
engine derived from that used in the Viper sports car was also new, and the previously offered Cummins turbo-
diesel remained available. The smaller Dakota was redesigned in the same vein for 1997, thus giving Dodge
trucks a definitive face that set them apart from the competition.
The Ram was redesigned again for 2002 (the Dakota in 2005), basically as an evolution of the original but now
featuring the revival of Chryslers legendary Hemi V8 engine. New medium-duty chassis-cab models were
introduced for 2007 (with standard Cummins turbo-diesel power), as a way of gradually getting Dodge back in
the business truck market again.
For a time during the 1980s, Dodge also imported a line of small pickups from Mitsubishi. Known as the D50 or
(later) the Ram 50, they were carried on as a stopgap until the Dakotas sales eventually made the imported
trucks irrelevant. (Ironically, Mitsubishi has more recently purchased Dakota pickups from Dodge and restyled
them into their own Raider line for sale in North America.)
[edit]Vans
Dodge had offered panel delivery models for many years since its founding, but their first purpose-built van
model arrived for 1964 with the compact A Series. Based on the Dodge Dart platform and using its proven six-
cylinder or V8 engines, the A-series was a strong competitor for both its domestic rivals (from Ford and
Chevrolet/GMC) and the diminutive Volkswagen Transporter line.
As the market evolved, however, Dodge realized that a bigger and stronger van line would be needed in the
future. Thus the B Series, introduced for 1971, offered both car-like comfort in its Sportsman passenger line or
expansive room for gear and materials in its Tradesman cargo line. A chassis-cab version was also offered, for
use with bigger cargo boxes or flatbeds.


2003 Dodge Caravan
Like the trucks, though, Chryslers dire financial straits of the late 1970s precluded any major updates for the
vans for many years. Rebadged as the Ram Van and Ram Wagon for 1981, this venerable design carried on
for 33 years with little more than cosmetic updates all the way to 2003.
The DaimlerChrysler merger of 1999 made it possible for Dodge to explore new ideas; hence the European-
styled Mercedes-Benz Sprinter line of vans was brought over and given a Dodge styling treatment. Redesigned
for 2006 as a 2007 model, the economical diesel-powered Sprinters have become very popular for city usage
among delivery companies likeFedEx and UPS in recent years. Because of their fuel efficiency major
motorhome manufacturer Thor Motor Coach made several Class C and Class A Motorhomes available on the
Dodge Sprinter Chassis including their popular Four Winds Siesta & Chateau Citation product lines.
Dodge also offered a cargo version of its best-selling Caravan for many years, at first calling it the Mini Ram
Van (a name originally applied to short-wheelbase B-Series Ram Vans) and later dubbing it the Caravan C/V
(for "Cargo Van"). However, for model year 2011, the Caravan C/V was rebranded as a Ram, called the Ram
C/V.
[edit]Sport utility vehicles
Dodges first experiments with anything like a sport utility vehicle appeared in the late 1950s with a windowed
version of their standard panel-truck - known as the Town Wagon. These were built in the same style through
the mid-1969s.
But the division didn't enter the SUV arena in earnest until 1974, with the purpose-built Ramcharger. Offering
the then-popular open body style and Dodge's powerful V8 engines, the Ramcharger was a strong competitor
for trucks like the Ford Bronco, Chevrolet Blazer andInternational Harvester Scout II.
Once again, though, Dodge was left with outdated products during the 1980s as the market evolved. The
Ramcharger hung on through 1993 with only minor updates, but was not replaced along with the rest of the
truck line for 1994.
Instead, Dodge tried something new in 1998. Using the mid-sized Dakota pickup's chassis as a base, they built
the four-door DurangoSUV with seating for eight people and created a new niche. Sized between smaller SUVs
(like the Chevrolet Blazer and Ford Explorer) and larger models (like the Chevrolet Tahoe and Ford
Expedition), Durango was both a bit more and bit less
[original research?]
of everything. The redesigned version for
2004 grew a little bit in every dimension, becoming a full-size SUV (and thus somewhat less efficient), but was
still sized between most of its competitors on either side of the aisle. For 2011 a new unibody Durango based
on the Jeep Grand Cherokee was released. The 2011 Durango shrunk slightly to size comparable to the
original model.
Dodge also imported a version of Mitsubishis popular Montero (Pajero in Japan) as the Raider from 1987 to
1989.
[edit]International markets
Dodge vehicles are now available in many countries throughout the world.
[edit]Argentina
Dodge came to Argentina in the early 20th century with imported cars & trucks. But, since 1960, has partnered
with a local representative: Fevre-Basset. The first vehicle made in Argentina was the pick up D-100
"Sweptilte".
[14]
For 1961 to 1980 arrives the trucks, like: D-400/DP-400 D-500/DP-500 DP600, DD900 &
DD1000 (the last two with one curiosity: the aircooled Deutz engine rather Perkins or Chrysler). Respecting the
passenger cars, made the Valiant I & II, and the local versions of the 1966 Dodge Dart (called Valiant III & IV).
For 1971, arrives the Dodge 1500, a rebadged Hillman Avenger from UK. In 1982, ceased the Dodge brand,
because Volkswagen bought the Fevre plant and the shares. Just past the 80's, in 1993 returns the Dodge cars
& pick ups to the country. Now, the Journey and the Ram sold in Argentina by Dodge.
[edit]Asia
Dodge entered the Japanese market in mid-2007, and re-entered the Chinese market in late 2007. Soueast
Motors of China assembles the Caravan for the Chinese market. Dodge had already been marketing its
vehicles in South Korea since 2004, starting with the Dakota.
Dodge vehicles have been sold in the Middle East for a considerably longer period of time.
[edit]Australia
Dodge re-entered the Australian market in 2006 with the Caliber, their first offering since the AT4/D5N trucks in
1979 and the first Dodge passenger car to be marketed in Australia since the Phoenix sedan was discontinued
in 1973. The second model to be introduced was the Nitro, with the Avenger and Journey followed. Dodge
chose not use the full model lines and engines available to them, the 2.7L V6 being available in the Journey
and Avenger instead of the 3.2 in the North American versions. However they did introduce diesel engines in all
their cars. Followng the Global Financial Crisis, Chrysler introduced the facelifted model of the Caliber and
discontinued the Avenger imports. From early 2012 on, model year 2010 cars were available. By early 2012 no
new cars were being brought into Australia aside from the new facelifted 2012 Journey. There are now rumours
that Dodge cars will be re-badged as Fiats in the Australian market as has happened in Europe. In contrast,
recent speculation has suggested that the Dodge nameplate would continue on until at least 2015, due to
consistent sales of the Journey.
[15]

[edit]Brazil
In Brazil, Dodge cars were produced between 1969 and 1981 with the models Dart, Charger, Magnum,
LeBaron (all powered by the same 318 cid V8 engine), and the compact 1800/Polara, based on the
British Hillman Avenger. The manufacturer was acquired by Volkswagen in 1981. In 1998, the Dakota pickup
started production in a new plant in Campo Largo, Paran by Mercedes-Benz, which belongs to its former
partner Daimler AG. It was built there until 2001 with petrol and diesel engines and regular, extended and crew
cabs. Recently,
[when?]
Dodge started sales of the imported pickup Ram 2500. The model portfolio is being
expanded, starting with the Journey crossover for the 2009 model year.
[edit]Canada
In Canada, the Dodge lineup of cars started down the road to elimination along with the Plymouth line when in
1988 the Dodge Dynastywas sold in Canada as the Chrysler Dynasty and sold at both Plymouth and Dodge
dealers. Similarly, the new Dodge Intrepid, the Dynasty's replacement, was sold as the Chrysler Intrepid.
For 2000, the new Neon became the Chrysler Neon. The Chrysler Cirrus and Mitsubishi-built Dodge Avenger
were dropped. Dodge trucks, which have been sold at Canadian Plymouth dealers since 1973, continued
without change. All Plymouth-Chrysler and Dodge-Chrysler dealers became Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep dealers.
The diluting of the Chrysler name did not go well in Canada, especially as the nameplate had been pushed as
a luxury line since the 1930s. For 2003, the revamped Neon appeared in Canada as the Dodge SX 2.0. Since
then all new Dodge models have been sold in Canada under the Dodge name.
[edit]Europe
Dodge started assembling lorries (trucks) in the United Kingdom, from imported parts, in 1922. In 1933 it began
to manufacture a British chassis, at its works in Kew, using American engines and gearboxes.
[16]

Two examples of right-hand drive Dodge trucks

Following Chrysler's takeover of the British Rootes Group, Simca of France, and Barreiros of Spain, and the
resultant establishment ofChrysler Europe in the late 1960s, the Dodge brand was used on light commercial
vehicles, most of which were previously brandedCommer or Karrier, on pickup and van versions of the Simca
1100, on the Spanish Dodge Dart, and on heavy trucks built in Spain. The most common of these was
the Dodge 50 series, widely used by utility companies and the military, but rarely seen outside the UK, and the
Spanish-built heavy-duty 300 series available as 4x2, 6x4, 8x2, and 8x4 rigids, as well as 4x2 semi-trailer
tractors. All of these were also sold in selected export markets badged either as Fargo or De Soto.
Following Chrysler Europe's collapse in 1977, and the sale of their assets to Peugeot, the Chrysler/Dodge
British and Spanish factories were quickly passed on to Renault Vhicules Industriels, who gradually re-
branded the range of vans and trucks as Renaults through the 1980s. They would eventually drop these
products altogether and used the plants to produce engines (in the UK) and "real" Renault truck models in
Spain. Dodge vehicles would not return to the UK until the introduction of the Neon, badged as a Chrysler, in
the mid 1990s.
The Dodge marque was reintroduced to Europe on a broad scale in 2006. Currently, the Dodge lineup in
Europe consists of the Caliber, Avenger, Viper SRT-10, Nitro and Dodge Journey. However, in 2010 Chrysler
pulled the Dodge marque from the UK lineup due to poor sales.
[17]

On June 1, 2011 the Dodge name was dropped from the rest of Europe when it was replaced by the Fiat brand,
where Fiat rebadged theDodge Journey as the Fiat Freemont. However, the Freemont is not available in the
Ireland or UK Fiat lineup.
[edit]Mexico
In Mexico, the Hyundai Accent, Hyundai Atos, and Hyundai H100 are branded as "Dodge" or "Verna by
Dodge", "Atos by Dodge" and "Dodge H100" respectively, and sold at Chrysler/Dodge dealers. Current models
are marketed with Hyundai logos instead of the "Ram" logo on previous model years.
[edit]Logos
Star: The original Dodge was a circle, with two interlocking triangles forming a six-pointed star in the
middle; an interlocked "DB" was at the center of the star, and the words "Dodge Brothers Motor Vehicles"
encircled the outside edge. Although the "Brothers" was dropped from the name for trucks in 1929 and
cars in 1930, the DB star remained in the cars until the 1939 models were introduced.
Ram: For 1932 Dodge cars adopted a leaping ram as the car's hood ornament. Starting with the 1940
models the leaping ram became more streamlined and by 1951 only the head, complete with curving
horns, remained. The 1954 model cars were the last to use the ram's head before the rebirth in the 1980s.
Dodge trucks adopted the ram as the hood ornament for the 1940 model year with the 1950 models as the
last.
Crest: For 1941 Dodge introduced a crest, supposedly the Dodge family crest. The design had four
horizontal bars broken in the middle by one vertical bar with an "O" in the center. A knight's head appeared
at the top of the emblem. Although the head would be dropped for 1955, the emblem would survive
through 1957 and reappear on the 1976 Aspen. The crest would be used through to 1981 on its second
time around, being replaced by the Pentastar for 1982. The knight's head without the crest would be used
for 1959.
Forward Look: Virgil Exner's radical "Forward Look" redesign of Chrysler Corporation's vehicles for the
1955 model year was emphasized by the adoption of a logo by the same name, applied to all Chrysler
Corporation vehicles. The Forward Look logo consisted of two overlapped boomerang shapes,
suggesting space age rocket-propelled motion. This logo was incorporated into Dodge advertising,
decorative trim, ignition and door key heads, and accessories through September 1962. See also: Forward
Look
Fratzog: Dodge's logo from September 1962 through 1981 was a fractured deltoid composed of three
arrowhead shapes forming a three-pointed star. The logo first appeared on the 1962 Polara 500 and the
mid-year 1962 Custom 880. One of its designers came up with the meaningless name Fratzog for the
logo, which ultimately stuck.
[18][19]
As the Dodge Division's logo, Fratzog was incorporated in various
badges and emblems on Dodge vehicles. It was also integrated into the design of such parts as steering
wheel center hubs and road wheel covers.
Pentastar: From 1982 to 1995, Dodge used Chrysler's Pentastar logo on its cars and trucks to replace the
Dodge crest, although it had been used for corporate recognition since late 1962. In advertisements and
on dealer signage, Dodge's Pentastar was red, while Chrysler-Plymouth's was blue.
Ram's head: Dodge reintroduced the ram's head hood ornament on the new 1973 Dodge Bighorn heavy
duty tractor units. Gradually the ram's head began appearing on the pickup trucks as Dodge began to refer
to their trucks as Ram. The present iteration of theRam's-head logo appeared in 1993, standardizing on
that logo in 1996 for all vehicles except the Viper. which is using the Viper'sHead
New logo: In 2010, with the separation of the Ram brand, two new Dodge logos were unveiled. The first
logo features the word "DODGE" with two inclined stripes. It was originally used strictly for marketing
purposes, however Dodge introduced the logo onto the grilles of the 2012 lineup.
A second emblem was revealed during the unveiling of the 2011 Durango, which uses the same five-point
shield-shaped outline of the old emblem, but with the ram's head replaced with a chrome cross reminiscent of
the brand's signature cross-haired grille.
[20]
This is only used on the steering wheel. A modified version of the
Ram's head logo is still used for the Ram brand, with "RAM" written across the bottom in bold white or black
lettering.

Dodge Brothers emblem ca. 1910, removed from the gate of the Dodge Main plant before its 1981 demolition

Dodge Brothers logo used from 1914 to 1927 (seen here on a modern belt buckle)

Forward Look corporate logo, shortly used in 1955 through 1962

Fratzog, used 19621981

Red Chrysler Pentastar logo, used 19661996

The Ram logo, used 19932010

New Dodge Logo, used 2010 to present

Crosshairs and shield logo on the steering wheel of all 2011 models except the Caliber and Nitro
[edit]Slogans
An American revolution (19821989)
The new Dodge (19922000)
Dodge. Different (20002001)
Grab life by the horns (20012007)
Grab life (2007-6 1/2 month of 2010)
Never neutral (2010present)
[edit]List of Dodge automobiles
Main article: List of Dodge automobiles
See also: List of Dodge concept vehicles
[edit]Current models
Avenger (19952000; 2008present)
Caravan (1984present)
Challenger (19701974; 19781983; 2008present)
Charger (LX) (1964 to 1978, 1983 to 1987. 2005present)
Dart (19601976; 2013-)
Durango (19982009; 2011present)
Journey (2008present)
Viper (19922010, 2012)
[edit]Past models
100 "Commando" (19701980)
330 (19631964)
400 (19821983)
50 Series (19791993)
500 (1964-unknown)
600 (19831988)
A100 (19641970)
Aries (19811989)
Aspen (19761980)
B Series (19481953)
C Series (19501960)
Caliber (20062012)
Charger (B-body) (19661978)
(Shelby) Charger (L-body) (19831987)
Colt (19711994)
Coronet (19491959, 19651976)
Custom (19461948)
Custom 880 (19621965)
Custom Royal (19551959)
D Series (19611993)
(Shelby/Shelby Z) Daytona (19841993)
Deluxe (19461948)
Diplomat (19771989)
Dynasty (19881993)
Intrepid (19932004)
La Femme (19551956)
Lancer (19551989)
Magnum (19781979, 20052008)
Matador (1960)
Mayfair (19531959)
Meadowbrook (19491954)
Mirada (19801983)
Monaco (19651978, 19901992)
Neon (19902005)
Nitro (20062012)
Omni 024 (19791982)
Omni (GLH) (19781990)
Phoenix (19601973)
Polara (19601973)
Power Wagon (19451980)
Ram 50 (19791996)
Ram Van (19712003)
Ramcharger (19742001)
Rampage (19821984)
Royal (19541959)
Shadow (19871994)
Sierra (19551956)
Spirit (19891995)
Sprinter (20042009)
SRT-4 (20032005)
St. Regis (19791981)
Stealth (19911996)
Stratus (19952006)
Town Panel and Town Wagon (19541966)
Wayfarer (19491952)
WC series (19401945)