LexFather

The Dodge brand is likely to be dropped from the Chrysler Group’s European line-up as part of partner Fiat’s new plans for the company, to be announced in mid-November.

Dodge was launched in Europe in 2006 but has failed to match Chrysler’s ambitions for it. Just under 4000 Dodges were sold in the UK in 2008.

At the same time, the Chrysler brand is to be moved upmarket. In its heyday in the US it was considered a more prestigious marque than Chevrolet and Ford.

Chrysler also plans to use the RAM nameplate as a brand for its commercial vehicles. This will allow the company to separate them from the Dodge line-up, whose performance credentials it plans to further develop.

As part of this strategy, Dodge will develop new models in concert with Alfa Romeo, despite the American brand’s planned withdrawal from Europe.



http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsAr...llCars/243824/

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

Sounds like a good start. Chrysler is a company in dire need of some direction and identity

I8ABMR

The name dodge itself sound like ****. DODGE?? Dodge what???? A ****ty car if you dont buy one

CDNROCKIES

Can't they kill it here too?

Blackraven

Agreed.

It looks only the Viper was the only model that worthy of being mentioned. Everything else from that brand though is ****.

mmarshall

It's unclear, though, whether Fiat can simply make a decision like that on its own. They own a large share of Chrysler, but ownership is also shared by the U.S. Government, the UAW, and regular shareholders.

Not surprising. Except maybe for the Caliber, the kind of vehicles thet Dodge makes, for the most part, don't appeal to a lot of Europeans. In addition, their material quality and fit/finish is poor.

Walter P. Chrysler, who founded the company, had a passion for engineering. Some of their best products (except for the poor drum brakes) were produced in the 1960's.



I don't know if that is going to work. For decades, the Ram name has been associated with pickups, though the ram logo was used on the steering wheel hub of some cars as well.

Alfa, like BMW, does some great chassis work, but their vehicles, like most that are Italian-designed, have traditionally had reliability problems.