History of Dodge
Automobile manufacturer Stellantis, with headquarters in Auburn Hills, Michigan, owns the Dodge brand as an American branch. Performance automobiles have long been a part of the Dodge lineup, and for a significant portion of its history, Dodge served as Chrysler's mid-priced brand above Plymouth.
Dodge was once a provider of components and assemblies to Detroit-based manufacturers like Ford. It was established in the early 1900s by brothers Horace Dodge and John Dodge as the Dodge Brothers Company machine shop. They started producing entire vehicles under the "Dodge Brothers" name in 1914, before the Chrysler Company was established.
From 1910 until it shut down in January 1980, the Dodge main plant was situated in Hamtramck, Michigan. With the passing of the brothers in 1920, their families sold the business to Dillon, Read & Co. in 1925 before selling it to Chrysler in 1928.
Between 1998 and 2009, there were many ownership changes for the Dodge brand at Chrysler, including the 1998–2007 merger with Daimler-Benz AG, the following sale to Cerberus Capital Management, the 2009 government bailout, the Chapter 11 bankruptcy that followed, and the takeover by Fiat.
Together with the integration of Fiat S.p.A. and the Chrysler Group into the organizational framework of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, the Chrysler Group was renamed FCA US LLC in 2014. On January 16, 2021, a second merger took place between FCA and the PSA Group (Stellantis), creating the carmaker with Netherlands headquarters the second-largest in Europe, after Volkswagen.
Throughout time, the Dodge lineup grew to encompass a variety of vehicles, including small cars, sedans, pickup trucks, and enduring RAM trucks. Dodge has grown to be associated with dependable, superior American automobiles today.
Vehicle range
Through the 1970s, Dodge produced full-sized passenger cars in both base and deluxe trims, pickup trucks, sports cars, SUVs, coupes, minivans, sedans, and station wagons. It also produced compact cars, including the Dart from 1963 to 1976 and midsize vehicles like the "B-Body" Coronet and Charger from 1965 to 1978.
Interesting facts about Dodge
The Dodge Brothers automobiles were rated second in U.S. sales as early as 1916, and the brothers had a well-deserved reputation for producing the best quality truck, gearbox, and motor parts for other successful vehicles.
The Dodge cars received praise for their sturdiness in military duty in 1916 as well. Truck convoys were first used by the US military during the Pancho Villa Expedition, part of the 1910 U.S. - Mexico Border War. For the fight in Mexico, General "Blackjack" Pershing acquired a fleet of 150 to 250 Dodge Brothers automobiles.
Around 8,000 touring automobiles and 2,600 commercial vehicles, such as screen-side trucks and panel vans, which were mostly utilized as ambulances and repair trucks, were among the over 12,800 Dodge cars and light trucks that were deployed in World War I.
Until the US entered the Second World War, Dodge remained the leading manufacturer of light-wheeled vehicles for the US military.
After the Second World War, Dodge created the Power Wagon, a civilian variation, and successfully incorporated four-wheel drive into their truck lineup. Initially based nearly completely on the military-type design, variations of the ordinary truck line later received 4WD and the same "Power Wagon" moniker.
Throughout the 1980s, Dodge introduced a wide range of new models, including the ground-breaking Dodge Caravan, based on this straightforward and resilient front-wheel drive architecture.
Save for the Dodge Stealth, which was sold through 1996, Mitsubishi automobiles with the Dodge nameplate were phased out by 1993. Yet, many domestic American Chrysler models continued to incorporate electrical and engine components produced by Mitsubishi.
The 1994 Ram's makeover was a commercial success, and Motor Trend awarded it "Truck of the Year" that year.
Shortest Dodge model
The Dodge Caliber has the smallest dimensions, with a length of 173.8 inches, a wheelbase of 103.7 inches, and a width of 68.8 inches.
Motorsport history
Dodge has a rich racing legacy that is rooted in the founding brothers' concern with engineering excellence and their love of speed and competitiveness. The adaptability, speed, dependability, and design expertise of Dodge cars are demonstrated by their racing vehicles, which they create to compete effectively across a variety of races, circuits, and circumstances. Dodge has made a name for itself as a dominant force in motorsports by competing in and taking first place in a huge variety of competitions, including those held on dirt tracks, NASCAR's long-distance speedways, the NHRA's quarter-mile burst drag strips, the Bonneville Salt Flats, and Europe's Le Mans and Spa courses. The Dodge brand stands out as the leading sports car brand in the US because of its capacity to participate in such a wide range of extremely different and technically demanding events.
Dodge's dedication to racing is evidenced by the fact that it continues to support and sponsor teams and events not only in the NASCAR and NHRA but also in other motorsports, like motorcycle Supercross and the Dodge Viper Cup, a series of road races that not only honors the creation and development of Dodge's most iconic car but also aids in the training of upcoming racing drivers. In addition to being a prominent sponsor and competitor in the TORC off-road truck racing series, Dodge also has a squad in the cutting-edge Formula DRIFT racing series.
Dodge’s biggest competitors
The biggest rivals of Dodge are Kia, Chevrolet, BMW, Ford, Toyota, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, General Motors, Lexus, Volkswagen, Cadillac Automobile Company, Audi, Lincoln, Nissan Motor, Tata Motors, Porsche, Maserati, Acura, Volvo Car, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V., and Peugeot.
Pros and cons of Dodge’s models
Most popular models
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1967 Dodge Dart - It's impossible to ever outperform the classics, and the 1967 Dodge Dart is a shining illustration of this idiom. There was a great interest in owning the Dart all around the world since it gave this well-known corporation an altogether new appearance.
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1968 Dodge Charger - One of the best models ever made is Charger. The 1968 Dodge Charger, however, takes the cake as the greatest iteration of this design since it entirely revived this brand and greatly benefited Dodge's business. The 1968 Charger completely changed the brand's appearance, which boosted sales.
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1970 Dodge Challenger RT - called the greatest Dodge vehicle ever produced. The fact that the 1970 Dodge Challenger RT was the first Challenger has a significant influence on its ranking as the best Dodge model ever. From a historical perspective, this vehicle effectively transported Dodge and elevated them to the upper echelons of global corporations.
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1992 Dodge Viper - Dodge Vipers have always been among the most well-liked and reliable cars the business has ever produced, but the 1992 model could be the greatest iteration of the design. In 1992, the Viper offered a brand-new notion of speed, and as a result, it sold a lot of different kinds of vehicles.
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2007 Dodge Ram - Because of its appearance and, more significantly, its all-around power, this model is the epitome of what a truck ought to be. It is unquestionably worthwhile to purchase this truck because Dodge made it exactly properly.
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2008 Dodge Challenger - is one of the company's top models, with a powerful engine, being the reason why it is well-liked by the sports car enthusiast community.
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2009 Dodge Viper Coupe - The 2009 Dodge Viper Coupe is perhaps one of the most powerful Vipers ever made. As a sports car, one would naturally anticipate it to be swift, yet in the end, this vehicle performed quite well.
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2009 Dodge Challenger - It is not difficult to understand why the 2009 Dodge Challenger is one of the most adored cars the brand has ever produced. Although this sports vehicle has a distinctive appearance in terms of styling, it is unquestionably efficient and functions flawlessly.
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2017 Dodge Viper - is currently among the most well-liked sports cars in the world. This Viper's aesthetic has a futuristic feel, which is usually popular with customers. Most significantly, it has the ideal form overall.
The worst models
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1955 Dodge Royal
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1955 Dodge La Femme
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1976 Dodge Aspen
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1978 Dodge Omni
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1981 Dodge Aries
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2004 Dodge Durango
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2007 Dodge Nitro
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2012 Dodge Nitro
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2012 Dodge Caliber
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2016 Dodge Journey
Innovations made by Dodge
The Dodge Brothers Motor Corporation was founded in 1913, and by 1914, John and Horace had built and unveiled the Dodge Model 30-35 touring automobile, a four-cylinder vehicle. It was positioned as a little more premium alternative to the well-known Ford Model T and introduced or standardized several features that are now taken for granted, such as all-steel bodywork. The great majority of automobiles still have steel panels sandwiched between wood frames. Additional advancements were 35 horsepower engines as opposed to the 20 horsepower of the Model T, 12-volt electrical systems (6-volt systems would remain the standard until the 1950s), and sliding-gear gearbox (the best-selling Model T retained an antiquated planetary design until its demise in 1927).
At least a year before Ford, Plymouth, and other well-known automakers introduced it, the Coronet Diplomat was Dodge's first pillarless hardtop coupe. It debuted in 1950. The Red Ram Hemi, a scaled-down replica of the renowned Chrysler Hemi's original design, was also unveiled at the same time by Dodge as their first V8 engine. The redesigned bodies from 1953 were based on the Plymouth and were smaller. Sales declined in 1954 as a result of the public's disapproval of the stubby style. A fully automated PowerFlite gearbox was also introduced in 1954.
Three-speed TorqueFlite, a novel automatic transmission, was first introduced in 1957. Up until 1965, PowerFlite and TorqueFlite were both operated by mechanical pushbuttons. All three Dodge series—Custom Royal, Royal, and Coronet—featured the 4-door pillarless hardtop starting in 1956, the same year that the majority of other manufacturers provided this body design. All of Dodge's pillarless versions used the "Lancer" moniker.
With the addition of the luxurious Adventurer package in the 1960s and the availability of sedan-like rooms in its Club Cab bodies in the 1970s, Dodge was one of the first truck manufacturers to include amenities often found in cars.
The Aspen, which debuted in mid-1975 as a 1976 model, served as Dodge's successor to the Dart. In addition to being lighter than the Dart and having more inside and trunk space, this new design also had marginally improved fuel efficiency. Transverse-mounted torsion bars in the redesigned front suspension enhanced both handling and ride quality.
A driver's side airbag was one of the first Chrysler-made items to be included as standard equipment in Diplomats manufactured between mid-1988 until the end of production, about two model years before the rest of Chrysler's range (they were also among the only cars at the time to offer a tilt steering column with an airbag).
The brand-new, front-wheel-drive Chrysler Corporation C-body cars (Dynasty and New Yorker) were the first mass-produced automobiles in the world to feature fully multiplexed, fiber-optic wiring connecting all electronic accessories and controllers when they made their debut for the 1988 model year. The new Ultradrive or A604 (List of Chrysler transmissions) electronically controlled four-speed automatic gearbox made its debut in 1989 and ended up being the only transmission available for V6 versions through the Dynasty's last manufacturing year in 1993. V6 engines were found in the great majority of Dynasties sold to individual customers; four-cylinder variants were often used in fleet sales.
Safety and reliability
Dodge has a long history of offering drivers affordability and dependability, which has helped to make them a popular option for those searching for either a new car or a used automobile. According to RepairPal, the average cost of a Dodge owner's yearly maintenance in 2022 will be $634 for all of their current model-year vehicles. While being below the industry average, this still positions Dodge as more expensive than brands like Toyota ($441) and Nissan ($500) but less expensive than cars from Chevrolet ($649), Ford ($775), and GMC ($744). With a dependability rating of 3.5, Dodge places exactly in the center of the pack, ranking 19th overall out of 32 automakers.
The Dodge Grand Caravan, which scores 4 out of 7 Most Dependable Minivans, is the most dependable Dodge model and places highest in its vehicle class. Dodge Charger and Durango arrive after the Grand Caravan.
Electric models
The first Dodge electric muscle car, called Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Concept, will be launched in 2024. It will be the brand’s North Star as it moves into the future beyond its famed SRT hellcat engine, one that’s tailpipe emission-free. A Dodge confirmed their plan to future Dodge muscle cars as electric-only models.