| Dodge was founded in 1900 by the Dodge brothers - | | | | The post-war years and that era's insatiable appetite |
| Horace and John Dodge - as the Dodge Brothers | | | | for cars led to increased sales of automobiles across |
| Company to supply parts and assemblies to the | | | | manufacturers, and Dodge enjoyed a revival in |
| burgeoning Detroit automobile industry. The company | | | | popularity among the civilian population (it was already |
| was successful from the very onset, picking up regular | | | | a popular military transportation vehicle). The year 1953 |
| work producing engines and chassis for the Olds | | | | saw the introduction of the first V8 engine, well in time |
| Motor Vehicle Company, and the Ford Motor | | | | for America's discovery of the joys of freeway travel. |
| Company. | | | | The bigger, more powerful Dodge cars were received |
| The demands and stress of the booming automobile | | | | very well by the American public during this time and |
| industry, however, soon led the brothers to tinker with | | | | sales improved every year. |
| the idea of manufacturing their own, complete cars. | | | | Dodge was one of the foremost players in the late |
| Co-founder John Dodge once famously proclaimed in | | | | 1960's and 70's muscle car market, and is fondly |
| 1913 that he was "tired of being carried around in | | | | remembered today as the creator of some of the |
| Henry Ford's vest pocket". | | | | most beloved muscle cars from that era. The |
| The first car produced by the Dodge Brothers | | | | lumbering, fuel inefficient Dodges, however, weren't |
| Company was the Dodge Model 30, which introduced | | | | prepared for the fuel crisis of 1973 when the demand |
| several key concepts that were to become standard | | | | for efficient, smaller cars soared. The financially |
| in the years to come, such as an all steel body, 12 volt | | | | strained parent company, Chrysler, couldn't move |
| electrical system, and a sliding gear transmission. The | | | | quickly enough to modify its line up to meet this new |
| Dodge car was a hit from the very onset, due as | | | | challenge, and in 1979, applied to, and received federal |
| much to the quality and durability of the car as to the | | | | loan guarantees to protect it from a near certain |
| exemplary work ethic displayed by the brothers in the | | | | bankruptcy. |
| years preceding their entry into car manufacturing. By | | | | After the near bankruptcy experience, Dodge parent |
| 1916, the Dodge cars were the second largest selling in | | | | company, Chrysler branched out into smaller, more |
| the US, behind only the Ford Model T. | | | | efficient models like the Caravan. Dodge, however, |
| After the death of the Dodge brothers in 1920, the | | | | maintained its sporty/aggressive lineage with the |
| company was first sold to Dillon, Reed & Co. for a | | | | introduction of models like the Dodge Spirit, and the still |
| reported $146 million (the largest financial transaction in | | | | popular Dodge Viper. |
| history), and later to Chrysler for a $170 million stock | | | | In the modern day, Dodge is best known for its |
| deal. By this time, Dodge had dropped to no. 7 in the | | | | aggressively styled cars like the Dodge Challenger and |
| US automobile sales charts. | | | | Charger, and its powerful, sturdy trucks, the Dodge |
| A major turning point in the fortunes of Dodge motors | | | | Ram and the Dodge Dakota. Despite the company's |
| was the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the | | | | primary market of pickup trucks and big, sporty cars |
| United States' entry into WWII. The Dodge brand was | | | | seeing a significant fall in demand owing to the rising |
| particularly successful of the Chrysler line of products | | | | cost of fuel and the economic recession, Dodge has |
| as a military vehicle because of the durability of its light | | | | continued to stay strong in the North American market. |
| trucks. | | | | |