1994 Dodge Venom Concept

Here’s a highly popular Dodge concept vehicle from the 1990s: the 1994 Dodge Venom. With its advanced styling, the Venom was a big hit with car enthusiasts, touring the international auto show circuit for several years.  That’s a rare accomplishment in the world of exotic, one-off concept cars, where “fresh” might only last for a couple of weeks — but the Venom pulled it off.

Designed to showcase Dodge’s innovative Cab-Forward design architecture (first used on the Intrepid sedan) in a two-seat sports car package, the Venom was constructed on a highly modified Neon platform. The wheelbase was stretched slightly, from 104 to 106 inches, and converted from front- to rear-wheel drive, with an ergonomic two-place cockpit nestled in the center of the chassis.

Construction was unitized and all steel, with a delicate cantilever roofline that’s still quite striking today. In the aggressive grille openings and flank vents, there was more than a hint of Viper, and the engineering was equally bold. For maximum grip, wheels and tires were massive for a car of this size at the time: P245/45R19 at the front and P245/R4520 at the rear.

A 3.5-liter, overhead-cam, 24-valve V6, based on the Intrepid’s production engine, was specially tuned to produce 260 horsepower, which it transmitted to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox. Suspension was independent at all four corners via double wishbones, coil springs and gas shocks, while the brakes were four-wheel discs with electronic ABS.

Optimized for performance on a road or race course, the Venom boasted a zero-to-60 mph time of 5.2 seconds, among its many other feats. The existing photography for the Venom shows the car being put through its paces on a twisty mountain road; miles from civilization (see the photo above.) We bet the crew had fun that day!

1973 Dodge Monaco

The elegant Monaco was the top of the line in two-door hardtops from Dodge in 1973. On the strength of its 122-inch wheelbase and enormous, almost living-room-sized interior, Dodge called the big cruiser “one of the roomiest and most comfortable cars on the road regardless of price,” and justifiably so.

Loaded with features, the Monaco’s standard equipment included power steering, power disc brakes,
electric clock, and wood-grain interior trim. TorqueFlite automatic transmission was also standard, coupled to the buyer’s choice of a wide array of engines:  the standard 360-cubic-inch V8, a 400 with two-barrel carburetor, or the monster 440 V8 with four-barrel carburetor and 280 horsepower.

The 1973 model year was the Monaco’s last for what was known as Fuselage Styling, which the car shared with its Dodge stablemate, the Polara.  Introduced in 1969, the Fuselage design used curved side glass and other effects to blend the lower and upper halves of the body together for a smoother, more unified look.

The company romantically described the Fuselage concept this way: “Your next car can have a fuselage frame that curves up and around you in one fluid line. Close the window and the arc is complete. From under the doors to over the cockpit.  Inside your next car, a cool, quiet room of curved glass and tempered steel…a controlled environment for you and each individual passenger…an extension of your own exhilaration of movement. Your next car can be a car you can move up to. Without effort. Your next car is here. Today.”

The easily recognizable features that set the Monaco apart from the rest of the Dodge lineup are the hidden headlamps, which reduce the front end’s look to a few simple, classic elements. The Monaco name would continue on with Dodge until 1978, but it never topped the 1973 edition for style.

2014 Dodge Durango: Protect All That Is Yours

Recently, we reported on all the advanced accident avoidance technology available on the 2013 Durango. Now Dodge has raised the bar again with the new 2014 Durango, which offers more than 60 important safety and security features—including a new adaptive cruise control system (ACC) with full stop capability.

This sophisticated system takes cruise control to the next phase.  Using advanced electronics, ACC decreases the cruise-control speed pre-selected by the driver when the Durango is closing in on another vehicle in the same lane, or when another vehicle pulls into the same lane. The system will then automatically accelerate back up to the pre-set speed when the vehicle in front speeds up or moves into another lane.

In this manner, ACC can maintain a driver-adjustable distance between the Durango and the vehicle in front of it, and can use the vehicle’s standard antilock brake system to bring the Durango to a safe, controlled stop if necessary to maintain that distance.

The 2014 model includes features from past models including electronic stability control (ESC) incorporating Electronic Roll Mitigation, trailer sway control, Hill Start-Assist (HSA), and new driver’s side knee airbag—all standard on every Durango.  New available features include the Forward Collision Warning (FCW) with Crash Mitigation system, as well as Uconnect Access with 9-1-1 call and roadside assistance.

This is only a brief glimpse of all the advanced safety, security, and accident avoidance features offered on the 2014 Durango. For more information, see your local Dodge dealer or visit Dodge.com.

1963 Dodge Dart GT

For 1963, Dodge shuffled its product lineup, dropping the old Lancer compact and applying the Dart badge to an all-new product called the “senior compact” line. This latest Dodge Dart slotted into the traditional compact category, but with extra size, features, and style that placed it at the top of the class.

The wheelbase was lengthened from the Lancer’s 106.5 inches to 111 inches to provide more cabin space, especially for rear seat passengers.  A 170 cubic-inch Slant Six with 101 horsepower was standard, while a larger, 225 cubic-inch Slant Six rated at 145 hp was available for $50 more. Only six-cylinder engines were offered in the Dart’s first year; for 1964, the engine compartment was redesigned to accommodate a new 273 cubic-inch V8.

Available transmissions included a three-speed manual and the famed TorqueFlite automatic, which featured the Chrysler Corporation’s signature push-button shift control.  Instead of a gear-selection lever on the steering column, there was a vertical row of buttons on the left side of the dash. This distinctive, easy-to-use feature is still fondly recalled by car enthusiasts today. Available options included power steering and a transistorized, “instant-on” radio. Don’t laugh: Before this innovation appeared, passengers had to wait a minute or two for the old-fashioned tube-type radios to warm up.

To appeal to a young, sporty audience, fabrics and colors were bright and jazzy, complementing the bold new body design. The 1963 Dart was a big hit in the showrooms that year, outselling the previous Lancer compact by nearly 100 percent.

1955-1960

1955-1960: The much-needed restyling came in 1955, part of Chrysler design chief Virgil Exner's heralded Forward Look makeover, an overnight transformation of all the company's products. Notable among the longer, lower and wider Dodge redesigns were the luxurious Custom Royal models, which offered push-button transmission selectors, three-tone paint schemes, a variety of trim options and V-8 power.

With these high-powered, high-style cars, Dodge began to establish its reputation as Chrysler's performance brand. In 1955, Dodge built 237,000 V-8s in a 273,000-unit model year. Dodge upped the horsepower stakes in 1956 with the D-500 HEMI V-8; the manual transmission-equipped version boasted 295 horsepower, compared to the 189-horsepower rating of that year's standard Dodge V-8. Dodges won 11 NASCAR races in 1956, a number that wouldn't be matched until 1964.

Another one-of-a-kind Dodge in this era was the LaFemme, a car specifically marketed to women. Clad in special Heather Rose and Sapphire White colors, the HEMI-powered LaFemme featured special interior tapestry with pink rose buds, pink trim and a matching umbrella, rain bonnet and make-up case.

Beginning with the 1957 models, Dodges became even lower and longer, giving emphasis to their dramatic tailfins, an iconic Chrysler design feature of the era. The light-filled, curved-glass cabins and broad, flat surfaces reflected a fundamental change, quickly copied by competitors, in the proportions of the American automobile.

Dodge History 1925-1954

1925-1929: A New York investment banking firm paid the brothers' widows, in a single cash payment, $146 million for the Dodge Brothers firm. Within three years, the bankers initiated negotiations with Walter Chrysler to buy Dodge. When the $170 million transaction was completed on July 31, 1928, Chrysler Corporation had grown fivefold overnight to become the third of Detroit's 'Big Three' automakers.

1930-1941: In 1930, 'Dodge Brothers' became simply 'Dodge,' and the brand's first eight-cylinder engine was completed. The distinctive ram's head hood ornament, designed by sculptor Avard T. Fairbanks, first appeared in 1932.

Through the 1930s, Dodge continued to expand its passenger car line, adding contemporary options like radios and straight-eight engines. A four-door sedan built in 1935 was the brand's three-millionth car. But other vehicles in the Dodge lineup were gaining in popularity; the purchase of Graham Brothers had made Dodge one of the leading single-brand producers of light- and medium-duty trucks.

1942-1945: During World War II, Dodge-made war materials appeared in weapons, tanks, ships, aircraft and air raid sirens. Particularly notable among Dodge's contributions were more than 500,000 military trucks and over 18,000 aircraft engines.

1946-1954: In the postwar years, Dodge vehicles evolved slowly from earlier designs and maintained a tall, boxy appearance. Prewar Dodge model designations like Custom and Deluxe were replaced with more colorful names like Meadowbrook, Coronet and Wayfarer.

Optional at extra cost in the 1953 Coronet was the new Red Ram 'HEMI-Head' engine, the first Dodge V-8 in 20 years and first of the soon-to-be-legendary HEMI® engines that would equate the words 'Dodge' and 'speed' for generations. Lee Petty captured Dodge's first NASCAR win, while another Dodge V-8 won the Mobil Economy Run.

One year later, a Dodge Royal 500 paced the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, HEMI-powered Dodges set 196 speed records at the Bonneville Salt Flats – and the Dodge Firearrow idea car, produced by Carrozzeria Ghia in Italy, offered a dramatic hint of changes to come in Dodge product design.

Dodge History cont. 1914-1924:

In 1914, the brothers formed a new company, Dodge Brothers, Inc., capitalized with $5 million in common stock, and began building their own vehicles — the world's first mass-produced all-steel touring cars. In 1915, more than 45,000 Dodge cars were built and sold, the best first-year sales record for a new car in the industry at the time.

General John J. Pershing's successful use of 250 Dodge touring cars during the 1916 Mexican border campaign against Pancho Villa further enhanced the brand's reputation, and by 1920 Dodge was the second-best selling car in America.

Capitalizing on their products' quickly established reputation for reliability and value, the Dodge Brothers firm began using the word 'dependability' in advertising. Customers responded, and by 1925, one million Dodge cars had been manufactured and sold.

With their early passenger cars earning recognition for durability and value, the Dodge brothers soon began considering ways to convert their successful car platform to truck applications. During 1917, their firm began producing 'commercial cars,' including military ambulances and screen-sided business trucks. Panel delivery trucks, fire trucks, pickups, chassis-cabs and other models were soon offered.

During 1920, the company lost its founding fathers. John Dodge died in January and his younger brother Horace succumbed the following December.

In 1921, Dodge Brothers agreed to market Graham Brothers medium-duty trucks through its dealerships; in turn, every Graham vehicle utilized a Dodge engine. This partnership provided Dodge dealers with a full line of trucks to sell in addition to the highly regarded Dodge passenger cars, and the resulting sales increases prompted Dodge to buy the Graham Brothers firm.