The History of Dodge Automobiles in America

Founded in Detroit, Michigan in 1900, the Dodge Brothers Company gained fame producing engines and chassis’ for early car companies, including Oldsmobile and Ford.

The brothers, Horace and John, had larger ambitions, however, and by 1914 were producing the Dodge Model 30, a four cylinder vehicle billed as an “upscale version” of crosstown rival Ford’s Model T.

From the onset, the Dodge Brothers were true pioneers in automobile production, making the first all steel bodies, introducing the 12 volt electrical system and innovative transmissions. Drives took to Dodges in such strength, that as early as 1916, they were the number two automobile producer in the United States.

The company’s fortunes continued to rise until 1920 when it suffered with the deaths of the founders within a year of each other. Passing first to the owner’s wives, then to others, Dodge eventually was acquired by Chrysler in 1928. During the interim time, the company’s rank as a top producer of autos had slipped, but its reputation as a manufacturer of light trucks had grown.

Like all auto manufacturers, during the years leading up to and including World War 2, the company’s output focused on the war effort, but post war, Dodge continued its introduction of innovative changes that created a new popularity for the car line.

As Americans took to a new way of travel via the recently introduced interstate highway system, Dodge’s styling and more powerful engines were appealing to the consumer market.

Into the sixties and seventies, the manufacturer’s rep grew as a producer of “muscle cars,” and an entirely new demographic of buyers discovered the mark.

Falling into difficulty during the oil crisis in the 70s, Dodge, under Chrysler’s tutelage, rushed a series of compact, energy efficient cars to market with limited success.

Chairman Lee Iacocca aggressively retooled with the help of substantial government loans, and the company was once again in a favorable position.

Throughout the 80s and 90s, Chrysler positioned the Dodge division as its line of ‘sporty’ cars, introducing the “new Dodge” to the public with models like the Stealth and Viper. The company added to its innovation line by introducing a ruggedly restyled Dodge Ram pick up in 1993. The Ram truck line has gone on to be one of the shining points of the manufacturer, winning “Pickup of the Year” awards on numerous occasions.

In a business move that never impressed Wall Street, the two companies, or consumers, Chrysler merged with German car manufacturer Daimler Benz in 1998. Dodge’s sister brand “Plymouth” was withdrawn from the market after this point, and after several rocky years, the merger was undone with the sale of Chrysler to a private equity group.

Suffering from the same woes that all US car manufacturers were due to a faltering economy, Chrysler filed for bankruptcy in 2009, and shortly thereafter, the Italian car manufacturer FIAT, entered into an agreement to create a new joint company with the assistance of billions of dollars in loans and bridge capital from the US government.

Efficient operation, retooled marketing, and new models helped Fiat pay the loan back five years early, and today, Chrysler, under Fiat ownership, is regaining its place as a top US car manufacturer.