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On November 14, 1914, after 11 years of supplying Henry Ford with components and rolling chassis, Horace and John Dodge started selling cars with the Dodge Brothers brand.
This weekend, we’ll be running a historical piece to commemorate the start of Dodge’s centennial celebration, which Chrysler chose to kick off by introducing a couple of special edition Dodges at the Los Angeles auto show. The 100th Anniversary Edition Dodge Charger and Challenger feature red pearl paint, 20 inch wheels, and special anniversary badging. Buyers will receive a special key fob and a number of books about the Dodge brand’s history. Inside, die-cast badges that say “Dodge Est. 1914” are on the seat backs.
39 Comments on “To Kick Off Brand’s Centennial Dodge Introduces 100th Anniversary Edition Charger and Challenger...”
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Before I read this, I saw the words Dodge and Edition. Thus, I knew the following:
-There will be plastic badging
-There will be a paint
-It might be made louder
Those seats look gorgeous. The problem is, the seat materials and the interior materials don’t match up. the seats and armrests do, but the rest of the car feels foreign to them. I’m sure someone will appreciate the 6-speed tremec maual in the Challenger, but I still believe this car is best with an 8-speed automatic.
Chrysler/Dodge has been making crappy interiors since day one and is part of their legacy. It should be commemorated with a centennial cheap interior anniversary edition… the tradition continues
If you don’t like em then Don’t buy em.
Just don’t get in my way on the road.
I didn’t say anything negative about the drive train, but for someones whose butt has been wearing through the upholstery on Mopars since the ’60s, I speak from experience.
Did you known your butt will wear through the front seat of a brand new ’69 Road Runner in 18 months?
My only experience with non-Mitsubishi Chrysler products has been an ’84 Laser and my wife’s ’95 Stratus.
Both, I thought, had exceptionally comfortable seating. Especially the Laser.
You review cars but can’t drive a stick shift? Think of all the cars you can’t review from lack of a slushy. Someone hands you the keys to a ZR1, Viper, Boss 302, GT500, etc, etc? No can do? Learning how would probably change your life.
I can drive a stick. I don’t want to anymore.
They’d have to cut off my left leg before I give up manual muscle cars and sports cars. But I’d still find a way to clutch it.
And that differs from other brands’ special editions how?
Are they going to have 1914 pricing on these models?
Well, a Model T cost $550 back then, which works out to $12800 today. You’ll pay 3x that today, but receive more than 3x car in return.
Significantly more than 3X the car.
Can we kick off the celebration with a toast to their unending comittment and success when chasing subprime loans?
Challenger with highest resale value in it’s class and Charger third in resale value behind Avalon and 300.
Will they be using the original 1914 Dodge logo?
http://image.moparmusclemagazine.com/f/miscellaneous/dodge-brothers-logo-seen-on-the-hot-rod-power-tour/33717699/dodge-brothers-logo.jpg
Actually, I sort of do like the logo.
Not a chance. That Dodge star would excite people who think it’s a Star of David.
I’m totally kosher with it.
I am not even that attached to the Star of David; it could be something else. I mean the shield and wings in particular. I know it will never happen, but it wouldn’t be the worst replacement now that Dodge lost access to the Ram’s head.
Actually, that’s a common legend, that the Dodge Brothers chose a Jewish symbol to thumb their noses at Henry Ford, but it’s just a geometrical shape, like more common ovals (Ford, DuPont and a bunch of other old companies). Horace and John Dodge were Methodists.
“but it’s just a geometrical shape”
So is the cross and the swastika, probably the three most polarizing geometric shapes in man’s history and really not a good marketing symbol if you’re trying to sell stuff to everyone. So the Dodge boys were oblivious to it’s symbolic meaning?
Here is a company using, at different points in its history, both a six pointed star similar to the Star of David and a swastika.
http://www.carlsberggroup.com/Company/heritage/Pages/Labeldesignsdownthroughtheages.aspx
More like the 6-sided star was not as strongly associated with Judaism then as it is now. It’s use as a symbol of Judaism is old, but it didn’t really start to take off until the 19th century or so. And it’s recognition as such a symbol wasn’t as common in America until the arrival of large number of immigrant Jews at the end of the 19th and early 20th centuries. So shockingly, the Dodge brothers may not have 100% appreciated the connection until the 30’s.
It’s amazing how slow trends and ideas spread when telegraph only transmits text and the only way to send pictures was “by boat”.
That’s interesting about the Star of David being more low key before the 20th century. With Judaism being relatively rare in the US prior to 20th century, the Dodge brothers may very well have been unaware of it’s historically religious meaning
Not sure about the logo, but I like the leather on the seats.
Yes agreed. In my mind a Challenger should be orange, but those seats, leather with some color, look very, very beautiful.
Yes, love those seats!
Is it just me, or is the Challenger getting better and better looking? I love the red pearl paint and dark wheels on this edition.
That car started off hot.
Yes, but the Charger will never be beautiful unless it becomes a 2-door.
I must admit to being … underwhelmed …
Agreed. Some see a respectful nod to a proud heritage, but all it looks like to me is, “Fiasler is out of ideas.”
I really dig the color, and I rarely like red.
Reminds me of this:
http://www.allpar.com/photos/concept-cars/dodge/charger/charger-concept.jpg
Definitely like that colour. Looks like a claret. I wonder what the paint code is?
It’s about time the Challenger got some proper white characters on black background gauges.
I believe that’s the Charger gauge cluster. From the interior shot of the Challenger (the one with the manual shifter), gauge cluster looks like the same old, same old.
Great car. The issue for Dodge though is the refresh is coming out soon – will be a the next NYC auto show I guess. Supposedly the very nice 8 speed ZF auto is coming to the Challenger and its going to lose a few inches (maybe)..
OTOH this car might be better – if you like the standard tran and want a backseat. Almost none of the muscle cars have a backseat except for these two.. It’d be nice if they offer a charger with a manual.
People think its demand that prevents this but its actually regulations. If the regulations would be different they would offer a manual on a order from the factory basis in the Charger.
Just spring specials, last of the current 2011 intro’d car. The LA show always lags in comparison to the other shows that follow it.
Big ones for Chrysler (that I know of) will be Detroit and New York (the latter showing the 2015 fully refreshed Charger / Challenger that’ll make everyone forget about the ones in this article.
Sadly, you’re right, and not just about Chrysler. November/December is just too close to the Detroit show and just lends itself to a year-end wrap up, at least with Detroit offerings. It’s ideal for the Japanese and Korean automakers, but really should be held a couple months earlier, away from Thanksgiving and Christmas.