dodge

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. In 1998, Dodge, along with all other Chrysler subsidiaries merged with Daimler-Benz.

History

In 1901, John Francis Dodge and Horace Elgin Dodge moved their Dodge Brothers Bicycle & Machine Factory to Detroit, Michigan. 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. Dodge Brothers helped finance the start of the Ford Motor Company as well as manufacturing parts for early Fords, to Ford and the Dodge Brothers mutual financial benefit.

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 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$146 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.

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, 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.

Following Chrysler Europe's collapse in 1977, and the sale of their assets to Peugeot, the Dodge factory was quickly passed on to Renault, who gradually re-branded the range of vans and trucks to Renault Trucks through the 1980s, eventually dropping the products altogether and using the factory for engine production. Dodge would not return to the UK until the introduction of the Neon, branded as a Chrysler Neon, in the mid 1990s.

Dodge is now part of DaimlerChrysler AG, based in Stuttgart. As of 2005, the Dodge brand has become known primarily for its trucks, which account for 78% of the division's sales. Dodge is attempting to change this with the introduction of the new Dodge Charger and the forthcoming Dodge Challenger.

The Dodge marque will also be promoted in Europe. Currently, the Viper is the only Dodge-branded vehicle in that market, but DaimlerChrysler will begin to heavily advertise the brand's Caliber and Nitro models with a masculine image.

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.

Logos

• Fratzog: 1962-1976
• Pentastar: 1976-1992
• Ram: (exclusively on trucks between 198? and 1992); on all Dodge vehicles since 1993.

North American model lineup

• Dodge 400 (1982-1983)
• Dodge 600 (1983-1988)
• Dodge A100 (19??-19??)
• Dodge 880 (1963-1964)
• Dodge Aries (1981-1989)
• Dodge Aspen (1976-1980)
• Dodge Avenger (1995-2000, 2007-present)
• Dodge B Series (1948-1953)
• Dodge Caliber (2006-present)
• Dodge Caravan (1984-present)
• 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)
• 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 Phoenix
• 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-present)
• Dodge Ram Van (1979-2003)
• Dodge Ram Wagon (1979-2003)
• Dodge Ramcharger (1974-1993)
• Dodge Rampage (1982-1984)
• Dodge Regent (1946-1959, Canada, rebadged Plymouth Special DeLuxe/Plymouth Cranbrook/Plymouth Savoy)
• Dodge Shadow (1987-1994)
• Dodge Sierra
• 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-)
• 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)
• Dodge W150
• Dodge W200

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-403
• 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

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

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

Dodge concept vehicles

• Dodge Avenger Concept (2003)
• Dodge Challenger Concept (2006)
• Dodge Copperhead (1997)
• Dodge EPIC (1992)
• Dodge Hornet (2006)
• Dodge Intrepid ESX (1996, 1998, 2003)
• Dodge Kahuna (2003)
• Dodge M4S (1984)
• Dodge M80 (2002)
• Dodge MAXXcab (2000)
• Dodge Polycar (1980)
• Dodge Powerbox (2001)
• Dodge Rampage Concept (2006)
• Dodge Razor (2002)
• Dodge Sidewinder (1998)
• Dodge Sling Shot (2004)
• Dodge Super 8 Hemi (2001)
• Dodge Tomahawk (2003, concept motorcycle)
• Dodge T-Rex (1997)

(Some of the concept cars created by Dodge were made into scale models by Hot Wheels. One of the concept cars, the Dodge Sling Shot, was even based on the Hot Wheels car, Sling Shot.)

See also

• List of Dodge automobiles
• List of automobile manufacturers

External links

• Dodge Cars, Trucks & SUVs
• Chrysler Group corporate official site
• DaimlerChrysler Official site
• Stock Mopar — site that features the Dodge muscle cars from the 1960s and 1970s.
• Custom Dodge cars and trucks - Photo gallery of customized dodge vehicles.
• History of Dodge in the UK
• 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