Melbourne - Dodge is set to ignite the Australian automotive market, unleashing a raft of all-new vehicles over the next three years starting with the segment busting Dodge Caliber compact vehicle mid year.
Dodge is the Chrysler Groups best selling global brand and will become the Groups third marque in Australia alongside Jeep and Chrysler.
We cant wait to unleash Dodge in the marketplace, said Gerry Jenkins, managing director, Chrysler Group Australia.
Dodge is very unique it is bold and in your face, edgy, unapologetically masculine and unapologetically American and its for those with a real zest for life.
From mid 2006, customers will be able to take delivery of the first Dodge product, the Dodge Caliber, through the network of Chrysler Group dealerships around the country, said Jenkins.
The Dodge marketing offensive kicks off this Thursday, February 9, at the Melbourne International Motor Show where the company will preview a concept version of the Caliber to the Australian public.
An Australian Dodge website will also be launched to coincide with the inaugural public preview (www.dodge.com.au), providing customers with a wide range of information from model line-up details and brand heritage, to dealer locations and facilitating factory contact.
The Dodge Caliber is not your typical compact car, said Jenkins
And with fuel efficient cars booming in Australia it is a perfect time to be entering this segment.
The Caliber will appeal to owners looking for a compact car that stands out from the crowd and gives them the flexibility to do more in terms of seating friends and storing gear.
The Dodge Nitro mid-sized SUV will follow in early 2007, spicing up the mid-sized SUV market.
With brawny styling and features like 20-inch alloys and performance suspension the Dodge Nitro delivers more than the competition; that little something, mid-size four-wheel drive buyers are still searching for - attitude.
But Dodge isnt just about Caliber and Nitro, its much more than that. We have an aggressive product plan over the next three years and the brand will continue to grow.
While we cant confirm any other products at this stage, we can tell you that a new vehicle will arrive approximately every six months for the next three years all with the same bold, powerful styling and all built for customers who want to express themselves differently, said Jenkins.
With the arrival of Dodge in 2006 the Chrysler Group expects total sales for its three brands to increase by 20 per cent to new heights of 9,000 units.
This is a significant increase considering the company already lifted sales by 13 per cent in 2005 to a record 7,500 units.
In 2007, with better availability of Dodge products, the company plans to further increase sales to over 10,000 units.
Dodge Caliber
With a sporty coupe-like profile, the Dodge Caliber has a distinctive crossbar grille front end and will be available with a range of fuel efficient four cylinder engines.
At launch two petrol engines will be available, a 1.8-litre (106 kW) and 2.0-litre (110 kW), and the company also plans to make available a 2.4-litre petrol engine (128kW) and 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine soon after.
The compact car segment is competitive, but our research tells us that customers are tired of the bland offerings in this segment, said Jenkins.
The Dodge Caliber is boldly designed and will deliver with European-style handling, fuel-efficient engines and affordable pricing from around the twenty-five thousand dollar mark, said Jenkins.
Unique available features are offered on the Caliber, further differentiating the product from the vanilla offerings currently in the market place, including:
MusicGate Power - a nine-speaker Boston Acoustics premium sound system with subwoofer that includes two articulating speakers packaged in the liftgate. When the liftgate is open, the speakers can swing down from the trim panel to face rearward for outdoor picnics and other activities;
Chill Zone - a cooled beverage storage bin that can hold up to four standard bottles or cans;
60/40 reclining rear seat that both fold flat and a front passenger seat that folds forward to create a table-like surface for versatility;
And a dual purpose, self-recharging removable flashlight, which is mounted in the headliner above the cargo area.
Production of the Dodge Caliber will take place at DaimlerChrysler Belvidere (Ill.) Assembly Plant, Illinois.
Dodge Nitro
No stranger to creating innovative automotive products and features Dodge will also spice up the mid-size SUV segment with the 2007 Dodge Nitro, a new sport-utility vehicle whose bold and aggressive styling matches its dynamic performance.
Dodge Nitro personifies the bold, powerful and street-smart attitude of Dodge.
While the local engine line-up will be confirmed closer to the launch date, it is likely to include a 3.7-litre V6 powertrain.
Like the Dodge Caliber, the Nitro will be available with many features that are not typically found in the segment in which it competes. Features such as 20-inch chrome clad alloy wheels, performance suspension and an available new Chrysler Group innovation, the LOAD N GO cargo floor that slides 45 centimetres rearward for easy and convenient loading and unloading of packages.
The 2007 Dodge Nitro will be built at the Toledo (Ohio) North Assembly.
Dodge brand
Dodge is the second oldest brand in the DaimlerChrysler portfolio, with more than 90 years of heritage.
With 1.2 million sales last year, Dodge is the Chrysler Groups leading brand in North America, the fifth most popular brand in the US and the eighth-largest brand in the global market.
Chrysler Group product offensive
2006 will be the Chrysler Groups biggest ever year in Australia with no less than seven new vehicles going on sale, together with the launch of the new Dodge brand.
The Chrysler Group has started 2006 strongly with January sales increasing an impressive 13 per cent over the January 2005 performance.
On sale dates:
Chrysler 300C SRT-8 - April
Chrysler PT Cabrio - second quarter
Chrysler 300C Touring - mid year
Chrysler 300C 3.0-litre CRD third quarter
Jeep Commander - mid year
Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT-8 - fourth quarter
Dodge Caliber mid year
Dodge Nitro early 2007
Australian pricing yet to be confirmed. Melbourne International Motor Show
The Melbourne Motor Show takes place from February 9-19 at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre.
