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Dodge

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

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 subsidaries merged with Daimler-Benz.

Contents

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.
1917 Dodge Brothers Touring car.
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1917 Dodge Brothers Touring car.

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 1917, 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.

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

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 and Simca of France, 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), and on pick-up and van versions of the Simca 1100. The most common of these was the Dodge 50 series, widely used by utility companies and the military, but rarely seen outside the UK.

The "Fratzog," the Dodge logo from 1962-76
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The "Fratzog," the Dodge logo from 1962-76

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.

North American model lineup

The Dodge logo on the hood of a 1998 Dodge Caravan
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The Dodge logo on the hood of a 1998 Dodge Caravan


Military trucks

T202 — 1/2 ton, 4x4 series truck (G-505)

T203 — 1/2 ton, 4x4 series truck


T207 — 1/2 ton, 4x4 series truck (G-505)


T211 — 1/2 ton, 4x4 series truck (G-505)


Dodge T214-WC54 ambulance
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Dodge T214-WC54 ambulance

T214 — 3/4 ton, 4x4 series truck (G-502)


T215 — 1/2 ton, 4x4 series truck (G-505)


T223 — 1 1/2 ton, 6x6 series truck


T236 — 3/4 ton, 4x4 series truck (Canadian built)


M-37 — 3/4 ton, 4x4 series truck (G-741)


T137 — 1 ton, 4x4 series truck


'''M-880 — 1 1/4 ton, 4x4 series truck

4x2 variants:

European models

Dodge concept vehicles

The Dodge Copperhead concept
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The Dodge Copperhead concept

(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

External links

 Dodge road car timeline, 1970-present
American market 		[[http://encycl.opentopia.com/ edit]]
Type 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Subcompact Omni
Colt
Charger
Compact Colt 400 Shadow Neon Caliber
Aspen Aries
Mid-size Mirada 600 Spirit Stratus Avenger
Diplomat Dynasty
Full-size Monaco ST.Regis Monaco Intrepid Charger
Polara Magnum Magnum
Dart
Coronet
Sports Charger Daytona Avenger Stratus
Challenger Challenger Stealth SRT-4 Challenger
Super Bee Viper
SUV Ramcharger Durango
Raider Nitro
Pickup Rampage Dakota
D Series Ram

Minivan Caravan/Grand Caravan
Van Ram Van/Ram Wagon Sprinter

Members and holdings of DaimlerChrysler :
Chrysler Group: Chrysler | Dodge | Jeep
Defunct Marques: Colt | Commer | DeSoto | Eagle | Fargo | Hillman | Humber | Imperial | Karrier | Plymouth | Simca | Sunbeam | Singer | Valiant
Mercedes Car Group: Global Electric Motorcars (GEM) | Maybach | Mercedes-Benz | Mercedes-AMG | Smart
Commercial Vehicle Brands: Freightliner | Mercedes-Benz | Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation | OriOn | Setra | Sterling Trucks | Thomas Built Buses | Western Star
Participations in: EADS (30.17%) | Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation (85%) | Freightliner | McLaren Group (40%)

 

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