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