Dodge

For other uses of the word, see Dodge (disambiguation).

Dodge

Dodge Logo
Company type	Division
Industry	Automobile
Founded	1914
Headquarters	Auburn Hills, Michigan , United States
Products	mid-prices cars, muscle cars, performance vehicles, sports cars, SUVs, vans, Pickup Trucks
Parent	Chrysler LLC
Website	www.dodge.com (U.S.) www.discoverdodge.com (Global)

Dodge is a brand name of automobiles and light to heavy-duty trucks. From 1914 to 1927, the company was named the Dodge Brothers Motor Vehicle Company. The Chrysler Corporation acquired the Dodge company in 1928 and ran it as a midrange car and truck brand. In 1998, Dodge, along with all other Chrysler subsidiaries merged with Daimler-Benz to form DaimlerChrysler. The Chrysler part of DaimlerChrysler, including Dodge, was sold to a private equity company in 2007, and now operates under the name Chrysler LLC.

History

1917 Dodge Brothers Touring car.

Dodge Brothers 4-Door Sedan, from a 1920 magazine advertisement.

In 1901, John Francis Dodge and Horace Elgin Dodge moved their Dodge Brothers Bicycle & Machine Factory to Detroit, Michigan from Windsor, Ontario where they were making intricate auto parts. Their bearings and other parts were in demand with the early automobile industry, and they helped design motor parts for early Oldsmobiles.

In 1902, the Dodge Brothers were approached by Henry Ford, who was looking for help in financing his own automobile company. They helped finance the start of the Ford Motor Company as well as manufacturing parts for early Fords, to Ford's and the Dodge Brothers' mutual financial benefit. Through 1913, nearly all Ford running gear (chassis, suspension, brakes, engines, transmissions, etc.) were built by Dodge.

In 1914, the Dodge Brothers started their own auto company, which they named the Dodge Brothers Motor Vehicle Company, choosing 50 dealers initially from hundreds of applications, some of which remain successful today. In that first year, Dodge introduced the "Old Betsy," a rugged car built for reliability and durability. That year Dodge built a total of 249 new cars. In a boost to their fortunes, the Dodge brothers brought a successful lawsuit against Ford in 1917. In the same year, Dodge Brothers began building motor trucks as well, at first for use by the United States Army during World War I, then commercially after the war's end.

In 1925, the Dodge Brothers Company was purchased by Dillon, Read & Company for US$148 million, said to be the largest cash transaction in history up to that time. Dillon Read in turn sold Dodge to the Chrysler Corporation on July 31, 1928.

Dodge in Europe

Argentinian Dodge firefighting truck

Following Chrysler's takeover of the British Rootes Group, Simca of France, and Barreiros of Spain, and the resultant establishment of Chrysler Europe in the late 1960s, the Dodge brand was used on light commercial vehicles, most of which were previously branded Commer or Karrier (Rootes subsidiaries), on pick-up 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 top-weight 300 series available as 4x2, 6x4, 8x2, and 8x4 rigids, as well as 4x2 semi-trailer tractors. All of them 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 Dodge British and Spanish factories were quickly passed on to Renault Véhicules Industriels, who gradually re-branded to Renault the range of vans and trucks through the 1980s, eventually dropping the products altogether and using the plants to produce engines in the UK and some real Renault truck models in Spain. Dodge would not return to the UK until the introduction of the Dodge Neon SRT-4, branded as a Chrysler Neon, in the mid 2000s.

The Dodge marque was reintroduced to Europe in 2006. Currently, the Dodge lineup in the Europe consists of the Caliber, Avenger, SRT-10 and Nitro. These models are soon to be joined by the all new Dodge Journey.

Dodge as a brand of Chrysler

File:DSCN6089.JPG

The original Dodge Brothers logo on a belt buckle. This was used from 1914-1927.

Dodge was a part of DaimlerChrysler AG, based in Stuttgart. As of 2005, the Dodge brand has become known primarily for its trucks and vans, which account for 78% of the division's sales. Dodge is attempting to change this with the introduction of many new car models including the Dodge Caliber, Dodge Avenger, Dodge Charger, Dodge Magnum and the soon to be released Dodge Challenger.

Dodge recently re-entered the Australian market in 2006 after a 30 year absence. Dodge Australia plans to release a new model every six months for the next three years, amid plans to re-ignite the brand's interest down under. The first of such models is the Dodge Caliber, which was well received at the recent 2006 Melbourne Motor Show. The second model to be introduced was the Nitro with the Avenger to join them shortly.

Dodge vehicles are now available in many countries throughout the world. In 2006, Dodge sold more than 1.3 million vehicles in the global market. In Spring 2007, DaimlerChrysler reached an agreement with Cerberus Capital Management L.P. to sell off its Chrysler Group subsidiary of which the Dodge division is part.

In Mexico, the Hyundai Accent, Hyundai Atos, and Hyundai H100 are branded as "Dodge" or "Hyundai by Dodge" and sold at Dodge dealers.

In Canada, the Dodge lineup of cars was merged with the Chrysler lineup so Canadians instead of receiving the Dodge Intrepid, Dodge Dynasty or second gen Dodge Neon, received the Chrysler Intrepid, Chrysler Dynasty and Chrysler Neon. As of 2003, this decision has changed and the car line of Dodge in the US are now badged as Dodge's in Canada.

Logos

File:Fratzog.jpg

"Fratzog," the Dodge logo from 1962-76

"Pentastar", the Dodge logo from 1976-95

• Fratzog: 1962–1976
• Pentastar: 1976–1995
• Ram: (exclusively on trucks between 1981 and 1996); Began appearing on Dodge vehicles in 1993, on all Dodge vehicles except the Viper since 1996.
• Many Dodge trucks had a cast aluminum ram head mounted on the hood; during the mid-eighties theft of these exceeded the Mercedes-Benz star.

North American model lineup

• Dodge 330 (1963-1964)
• Dodge 400 (1982–1983)
• Dodge 600 (1983–1988)
• Dodge A100 (1964–1970)
• Dodge 880 (1962–1965)
• Dodge Aries (1981–1989)
• Dodge Aspen (1976–1980, 2007-present)
• Dodge Avenger (1995–2000, 2008–)
• Dodge B Series (1948–1953)
• Dodge Caliber (2007–present)
• Dodge Caravan (1984–2007)
• Dodge Challenger (1970–1974, 1978–1983 (second generation was a rebadged Mitsubishi Galant), 2008–)
• Dodge Charger (1966–1978, 1983–1987, 2006–present)
• Dodge Charger Daytona (1969, 1977, 2006, 2007)
• Dodge Colt (1971–1994, rebadged Mitsubishi Lancer/Mirage)
• Dodge Conquest (1984–1986, rebadged Mitsubishi Starion)
• Dodge Coronet (1948–1958, 1965–1976)
• Dodge Crusader (1951–1958, Canada, rebadged Plymouth Cambridge/Plymouth Plaza)
• Dodge Custom 880 (1962–1965)
• Dodge D Series (1961–1980)
• Dodge Dakota (1987–present)
• Dodge Dart (1960–1976)
• Dodge Daytona (1984–1993)
• Dodge Diplomat (1977–1989)
• Dodge Durango (1998–present)
• Dodge Dynasty (1988–1993)
• Dodge Grand Caravan (1987–present)
• Dodge Intrepid (1993–2004)
• Dodge Kingsway (1946–1952), Canadian model (1946–1950, rebadged Plymouth DeLuxe); (1951–1952, rebadged Plymouth Concord)
• Dodge Lancer (1961–1962, 1985–1989)
• Dodge Magnum (1978–1979, 2005–present)
• Dodge Mayfair (1953–1959, Canada, rebadged Plymouth Belvedere
• Dodge Mini Ram Van (1984–1988, commercial version of the Dodge Caravan)
• Dodge Mirada (1980–1983)
• Dodge Monaco (1965–1978, 1990–1992)
• Dodge Neon (1995–2005)
• Dodge Nitro (2007–present)
• Dodge Omni (1978–1990)
• Dodge Polara (1960–1973)
• Dodge Power Wagon (1945–1968)
• Dodge Raider (1987–1990, rebadged Mitsubishi Montero)
• Dodge Ram (1981–present)
• Dodge Ram 50 (1979–1993, rebadged Mitsubishi Mighty Max)
• Dodge Ram SRT 10 (2004–2006)
• Dodge Ram Van (1979–2003)
• Dodge Ram Wagon (1979–2003)
• Dodge Ramcharger (1974–1993)
• Dodge Rampage (1982–1984)
• Dodge Rebel (not produced)
• Dodge Regent (1946–1959, Canada, rebadged Plymouth Special DeLuxe/Plymouth Cranbrook/Plymouth Savoy)
• Dodge Shadow (1987–1994)
• Dodge Sierra (1955-1957)
• Dodge Spirit (1989–1995)
• Dodge Sportsman (1971–1978)
• Dodge Sprinter (2003–present, rebadged Mercedes-Benz Sprinter)
• Dodge SRT-4 (2003–2005)
• Dodge St. Regis (1979–1981)
• Dodge Stealth (1991–1996, rebadged Mitsubishi 3000GT)
• Dodge Stratus (1995–2006)
• Dodge Super Bee (1968–1971, 2007–present)
• Dodge Town Panel (1955?–1966)
• Dodge Town Wagon (1955?–1966)
• Dodge Tradesman (1971–1978)
• Dodge Viper (1992–present)
• Dodge Viscount (1959, Canada, rebadged Plymouth Fury)

Military trucks

T202 — ½ ton, 4x4 series truck (G-505)

• Dodge VC-1
• Dodge VC-2
• Dodge VC-3
• Dodge VC-4
• Dodge VC-5
• Dodge VC-6

T203 — ½ ton, 4x4 series truck

• Dodge VF-401
• Dodge VF-402
• Dodge VF-40]
• Dodge VF-404
• Dodge VF-405
• Dodge VF-406
• Dodge VF-407

T207 — ½ ton, 4x4 series truck (G-505)

• Dodge WC-1
• Dodge WC-3
• Dodge WC-4
• Dodge WC-5
• Dodge WC-6
• Dodge WC-7
• Dodge WC-8
• Dodge WC-9
• Dodge WC-10
• Dodge WC-11

T211 — ½ ton, 4x4 series truck (G-505)

• Dodge WC-12
• Dodge WC-13
• Dodge WC-14
• Dodge WC-15
• Dodge WC-16
• Dodge WC-17
• Dodge WC-18
• Dodge WC-19
• Dodge WC-20

Dodge T214-WC54 ambulance

Dodge WC 51 Weapon Carrier

Dodge WC 53 Carryall

Dodge WC-52 Weapon Carrier 1942

T214 — ¾ ton, 4x4 series truck (G-502)

• Dodge WC-51
• Dodge WC-52
• Dodge WC-53
• Dodge WC-54
• Dodge WC-55
• Dodge WC-56
• Dodge WC-57
• Dodge WC-58
• Dodge WC-59
• Dodge WC-60
• Dodge WC-61
• Dodge WC-64

T215 — ½ ton, 4x4 series truck (G-505)

• Dodge WC-21
• Dodge WC-22
• Dodge WC-23
• Dodge WC-24
• Dodge WC-25
• Dodge WC-26
• Dodge WC-27
• Dodge WC-40
• Dodge WC-41
• Dodge WC-42
• Dodge WC-43

T223 — 1½ ton, 6x6 series truck

• Dodge WC-62
• Dodge WC-63

T236 — ¾ ton, 4x4 series truck (Canadian built)

• D¾ APT

M-37 — ¾ ton, 4x4 series truck (G-741)

• Dodge M-37
• Dodge M-42
• Dodge M-43
• Dodge XM-711B1

T137 — 1 ton, 4x4 series truck

• Dodge M-601

M-880 — 1¼ ton, 4x4 series truck

• Dodge M-880
• Dodge M-881
• Dodge M-882
• Dodge M-883
• Dodge M-884
• Dodge M-885
• Dodge M-886
• Dodge M-888
• Dodge M-890

4x2 variants:

• Dodge M-891
• Dodge M-892
• Dodge M-893

European models

• Simca / Dodge VF2
• Commer / Dodge Spacevan
• Dodge / Renault 50 Series (including 4x4 and military 4x4 variants)
• Dodge / Renault 100 series "Commando"
• Dodge 300
• Dodge 500

Dodge concept vehicles

File:DodgeCopperhead.jpg

The Dodge Copperhead concept

• Dodge Avenger Concept (2003)
• Dodge Caravan DBX (1990)
• Dodge Challenger Concept (2006)
• Dodge Charger Concept (1999)
• Dodge Copperhead (1997)
• Dodge Demon Concept (2007)
• Dodge Deora (1967)
• Dodge EPIC (1992)
• Dodge Firearrow Roadster I (1954)
• Dodge Hornet (2006)
• Dodge Intrepid ESX (1996, 1998, 2003)
• Dodge Kahuna (2003)
• Dodge M4S (1984)
• Dodge M80 (2002)
• Dodge MAXXcab (2000)
• Dodge Mirada Turbine (1980)
• Dodge Polycar (1980)
• Dodge Powerbox (2001)
• Dodge Rampage Concept (2006)
• Dodge Razor (2002)
• Dodge Sidewinder (1998)
• Dodge Sling Shot (2004)
• Dodge Street Van (1978)
• Dodge Super 8 Hemi (2001)
• Dodge Tomahawk (2003, concept motorcycle)
• Dodge T-Rex (1997)
• Dodge Venom (1994)

See also

• List of Dodge automobiles
• List of automobile manufacturers
• For the historic Dodge (UK), see Rootes

External links

• Dodge Cars, Trucks & SUVs
• Dodge UK
• Chrysler LLC official site
• Custom Dodge cars and trucks - Photo gallery of customized dodge vehicles.
• History of Dodge in the UK
• Sweptline.com History of 1967-71 Dodge Pickups, Vans and other trucks.
• Old Dodges.com Site devoted to Dodge Medium and Heavy-Duty Trucks of the 1960's and 1970's, primarily focusing on the Dodge Bighorn Trucks(1973-1975).
• Allpar A site dedicated to everything mopar.
• ww2dodge.com Wiki about the military Dodge's produced 1939 - 1945