Founded as the Dodge Brothers Company in 1900 in order to provide parts and assemblies for Detroit’s growing auto industry, Dodge began making its own complete vehicles in 1914. The brand was sold to Chrysler Corporation in 1928.
With a few reasonably popular models through the 60’s and 70’s, 1984 was when Dodge made its mark in the history books with the introduction of the wildly popular Caravan. The Caravan was designed especially for families and with women in mind. Built to seat up to seven passengers, the Caravan kick-started a whole new vehicle segment - the minivan. As the early '90s came into play, Dodge made inroads with the sports-car crowd with the impressive and distinctive V10-powered Viper roadster and an all-new Ram pickup.
Success continued through the 1990s. In 1998, Dodge came under the wing of German-based Daimler-Benz as part of the DaimlerChrysler merger. This merger brought an influx of German technology into the Dodge fold, with Mercedes platforms providing the base for several new rear-drive products. Dodge’s Hemi engine revival also raised eyebrows and drew interest to the brand. Dodge's first experience of any synergies with the German side of the company came in the form of the new Magnum sports wagon, which was introduced in 2005 as a replacement for the Intrepid. Featuring Chrysler's first mainstream rear-wheel drive platform since the 1980s and featuring a revival of the Hemi V8 engine, the Magnum was a modest success.
Things went well for a while, but they quickly soured as Dodge and the rest of Chrysler Group were caught unprepared as rising gas prices hit American consumers and a new drive for environmental awareness developed among the car-buying public. With record losses piling up, Daimler sold the Chrysler Group to a private equity group in 2007. With Dodge bringing in new, younger customers, if Chrysler is to survive, Dodge will no doubt be a big part of any resurgence.
Most Dodge models, including the Intrepid, Stratus and Neon, were redesigned in a careful evolutionary way during the early 2000s as Dodge engineers felt things out. The rebirth of the Charger in 2006 on the same platform was the real winner, however. The Dodge Charger is offered in a variety of models and quickly became a top contender in the mid-size market.
Use the drop-down menu below to sort through used Dodge vehicles for sale now in the Cincinnati area.
Most Dodge models, including the Intrepid, Stratus and Neon, were redesigned in a careful evolutionary way during the early 2000s as Dodge engineers felt things out. The rebirth of the Charger in 2006 on the same platform was the real winner, however. The Dodge Charger is offered in a variety of models and quickly became a top contender in the mid-size market.
Use the drop-down menu below to sort through used Dodge vehicles for sale now in the Cincinnati area.
