Dodge All-new Journey at the Frankfurt

Dodge a division of Chrysler has boosted the brand’s expansion in its volume markets outside North America with the introduction of the all-new Dodge Journey at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show.

The all-new Dodge Journey is the solution that Dodge designers and engineers have come up with to answer the needs of the global passenger car market including those of the individual drivers. According to its creators, the Journey is a global vehicle that meets life’s changing demands by offering a unique blend of all the best attitudes and overall efficiency of a passenger car and putting them all in a right-sized crossover under the Dodge brand.

The Dodge Journey is based on the company’s global D-segment platform and designed to provide customers with the flexibility that goes beyond seating people and storing gear. Everything about the Journey screams Dodge. Its powerful, muscular exterior styling and 19-inch wheels and tires are unmistakably Dodge.

Its stylish, comfortable interior with its unique features such as the integrated child booster seats and MyGIG™ cutting-edge multimedia infotainment system with optional navigation together with other Dodge accessories are added to increase comfort.

And speaking of comfort, the Journey is equipped with flexible seating and storage combinations that include the standard five-passenger seating with spacious cargo room and the available 5+2 seating to accommodate extra passengers. The Journey is also equipped with spacious storage bins that are hidden in the floor and under the front passenger seat cushion. To make the Journey more practical, functional, and fun to drive a variety of fuel-efficient and powerful Petrol and diesel powertrain options were offered for the Journey.

In terms of safety features the Journey is loaded with standard multi-stage front driver and passenger airbags, front-seat-mounted side airbags, three-row-side-curtain airbags, standard four-wheel disc anti-lock (ABS), standard Electronic Stability Programme(ESP), standard Electronic Roll Mitigation and available ParkView™ Rear Backup Camera.

The all-new Dodge Journey will be offered in both left and right hand drive in global volume markets outside North America beginning mid-2008.

Dodge has presently holds 6 percent of the US market share and it is currently the best-selling brand for Chrysler and the fifth largest nameplate in the US. Last 2006 Dodge was able to sell more than 1.3 million vehicles in the global market. Its global portfolio includes a range of cars, minivans, trucks, and sport-utility vehicles.

The decision of the Dodge brand to expand markets outside North America has helped it raised its year-over-year international sales by 160 percent to 29,859 units sold from January through July. The Dodge Viper and the Caliber both spearheaded the brand’s expansion last 2006. For this year, 2007 Dodge Nitro and the Avenger were also offered on global market. The brand is also targeting the high-performance Caliber SRT4 to be offered globally in 2008.

Chrysler is also hoping that the addition of the Dodge brand in its international portfolio would help to increase a 1.4 percent market share in Western Europe by 2009. If Dodge would continuously maintain its strong sales it could account for almost 30 percent of Chrysler’s total sales outside of North America by the end of 2009.