| The Dodge brothers, John and Horace, began | | | | America, Dodge has three styles available |
| their careers as bicycle mechanics in their | | | | (SE, SXT and R/T) and a hat trick of |
| father's shop in Michigan. Their bearings and | | | | four-cylinder, twin-cam engines: a 1.8-liter, |
| other parts were in demand with the early | | | | a 2.0-liter and a 2.4-liter. The goal of |
| automobile industry, and they helped design | | | | improved fuel economy has also played a role |
| motor parts for early Oldsmobiles. | | | | in the Caliber's transmission offerings. |
| | | | While the 1.8-liter gets a traditional |
| It wasn't long before the two brothers were | | | | five-speed manual, the 2.0-liter and |
| approached by Henry Ford. In 1902, impressed | | | | 2.4-liter engines have a continuously |
| by their skills, Henry Ford offered them a | | | | variable transmission (CVT). |
| one-tenth share in his new automobile | | | | |
| company. | | | | 2007 Dodge Charger |
| | | | |
| After 12 years in this partnership, the Dodge | | | | The 2007 Dodge Charger SRT8 Super Bee is the |
| brothers left Ford's company and started | | | | first special edition of the "Charger on |
| their own automobile manufacturing company. | | | | Steroids" from Chrysler Group's Street and |
| Thus, in 1914, the Dodge Brothers Motor | | | | Racing Technology Division (SRT). Powered by |
| Vehicle Company was established. The "Old | | | | the SRT-engineered 6.1-liter HEMIÂ(R) V-8 |
| Betsy" was their first car, built that year. | | | | producing 425 hp and 420 lb.-ft. of torque, |
| | | | the Dodge Charger SRT8's powertrain |
| In 1925, the Dodge Brothers Company was | | | | represents a new level in HEMI performance, |
| purchased by Dillon, Read & Company, and | | | | with 85 additional horsepower. |
| in 1928, the Chrysler Corporation took over a | | | | |
| much larger Dodge Brothers. It continued | | | | Featured on all Dodge Charger models, a |
| expanding its line of vehicles, which | | | | five-speed automatic transmission with |
| included the WWII Power Wagon - a vehicle | | | | AutoStick provides a full range of |
| that garnered enough acclaim to continue | | | | transmission performances to match a variety |
| production a decade after the war. | | | | of driving styles, situations and road |
| | | | conditions. The new 2007 Dodge Charger |
| Following Chrysler's takeover of the British | | | | features rear-wheel drive with near 50/50 |
| Rootes Group and Simca of France, and the | | | | weight distribution and advanced technologies |
| resultant establishment of Chrysler Europe in | | | | that offer superb ride and responsive |
| the late 1960s, the Dodge brand was used on | | | | handling in all surface and traction |
| light commercial vehicles, most of which were | | | | conditions. |
| previously branded Commer or Karrier, and on | | | | |
| pick-up and van versions of the Simca 1100. | | | | 2007 Dodge Nitro |
| In the 1960s and 1970s Dodge contributed to | | | | |
| America's fascination with high-performance | | | | Dodge calls the 2007 Nitro its first midsize |
| "muscle cars" by manufacturing the 505 | | | | SUV, but it is more of a compact SUV. Dodge |
| Charger Daytonas for stock-car racing and as | | | | probably thinks "compact" sounds too feminine |
| production cars. | | | | for an SUV geared to attract more men than |
| | | | women. However, the Nitro's styling and |
| Dodge and Chrysler brought the domestic | | | | hardware speak for itself. Although it's |
| convertible back to the roads in the 80s in | | | | built on the same platform as the Jeep |
| the form of the Dodge 400 and the Chrysler | | | | Liberty, the Nitro was engineered primarily |
| Lebaron. In the 90s, the eagerly anticipated | | | | for street use. |
| Dodge Viper put the muscle back in "muscle | | | | |
| cars." All of which soon culminated in the | | | | Four-wheel drive will be an option, but |
| new, aggressive look on the Dodge Ram Pickup, | | | | there's no low-range gearing or big off-road |
| Dodge Dakota and Dodge Durango. | | | | tires. The Nitro offers two solid V6s. Base |
| | | | and SLT models get a 3.7-liter with 210 |
| For the model year of 2007, Dodge, a part of | | | | horsepower and 235 pound-feet of torque, |
| Chrysler, has lined up some new and some | | | | while the R/T gets a 4.0-liter six with 255 |
| reworked models for its fans. Let's take a | | | | hp and 275 lb-ft of torque. There are three |
| look at a few specifications of the 2007 | | | | transmissions: a six-speed manual, which |
| Caliber, Charger and Nitro - | | | | comes standard in the base model, a |
| | | | four-speed automatic, and a five-speed |
| 2007 Dodge Caliber | | | | automatic which only comes with the R/T's |
| | | | 4.0-liter V6. At 178 inches, the Nitro is |
| It would seem that Dodge decided a compact | | | | about 4 inches longer than the Jeep Liberty |
| hatchback is a swell idea in light of | | | | and 10 inches shorter than Chevrolet's |
| America's recent and slightly elevated | | | | Equinox. |
| interest in smaller, more fuel-efficient | | | | |
| vehicles. The Caliber is not a hard-core fuel | | | | Today, Dodge is a part of the Daimler |
| miser, though, and is instead a pretty | | | | Chrysler AG and is based out of Stuttgart, |
| normal-sized compact. It features an all-new | | | | Germany. The Dodge brand has become famous |
| chassis design, and is being built at | | | | primarily for its trucks. This is a |
| DaimlerChrysler's retooled Belvedere, | | | | reputation that the company is now trying to |
| Illinois, plant. | | | | change by introducing the new Dodge Charger |
| | | | and the Dodge Challenger. So, that's more to |
| For the Caliber's initial launch in North | | | | look forward to from Dodge! |