Dodge Brand Splits in Two

Oct. 5, 2009 - Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne on Monday announced the "unbundling" of the Dodge brand into separate Dodge RAM truck and Dodge Car organisations.

"This reorganisation will allow us to protect and develop the unique nature of the product offerings within the Dodge brand," he said in a statement.

Marchionne, also CEO of Fiat, which assumed management control of Chrysler under a reorganisation funded by the Obama administration, is scheduled to brief officials of the White House autos task force this week on its plans for Chrysler, Reuters reported last week, citing people involved in the discussions.

Those sources had said that plan would create a new Ram brand for what had until now been Dodge-badged trucks.

Marchionne today named Fred Diaz president and CEO of the new Dodge RAM brand, "with profit and loss responsibility for the... product portfolio".

Reuters sources last week said Fiat would bring its first all-new Chrysler product out by the end of 2011, compressing the normal vehicle development plan.

That would be in addition to the Fiat 500 which the Italian carmaker plans to introduce to the US by late 2010. More new models would roll out in 2012, the report added.

Source: www.just-auto.com

Read more about Brand and Commercial Organization Changes in Chrysler Group LLC HERE.