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