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Dodge has been making drivetrains for cars since 1903 and produced its first car in 1914, making it one of the oldest car companies in the world. It has been a major part of the auto industry for over a 100 years now and continues to make some of the best cars, vans, and SUVs on the road today. Dodge SRT stands for Street and Racing Technology, and it is this history of dedication to technological innovation that has always set Dodge apart from its competitors. If you want to be a part of this history, all you have to do is stop by your local California Dodge dealer and test drive one of these great vehicles for yourself to see why Dodge is an industry leader.
At Orange Coast CJDR, we feature the full lineup of Dodge cars, vans, and SUVs, with a team of dedicated sales staff who are more than happy to show you why you should make your next car a Dodge. We will also show you why we are your premier California Dodge dealer.
Dodge was founded by John Francis and Horace Elgin Dodge, the famous Dodge Brothers. They grew up in Detroit, Michigan, with a love for invention from their father, a machinist, and were literally in the right place at the right time, as Detroit quickly became Ground Zero of the American automotive industry. The Dodge brothers cut their teeth by building transmissions for Ransom E. Olds, founder of Oldsmobile, and suppliers of drivetrains to Henry Ford’s Ford Motor Company. However, not content with being component manufacturers for other men’s cars, the Dodge brothers launched Dodge Brothers Motor Car Company and introduced their first car in November 1914. The car was an immediate hit as the Dodge brothers leveraged their technological advantage to produce a more advanced car than the ones of their competitors.
In just six short years, the Dodge Brothers Motor Car Company employed 22,000 workers and produced over 140,000 cars a year at its factory in Hamtramck, Michigan. Unfortunately, success did not come without a downside. In 1920, both John and Horace fell victim to the flu pandemic, leaving the fledgling company in the hands of their relatives who promptly sold it to Dillon, Read & Co. in 1925 for the incredible amount of $146 million. This firm then sold Dodge to its competitor Chrysler Corporation in 1928. Rather than fully merge Dodge and Chrysler, the decision was made to continue Dodge as a separate division manufacturing vehicles under its own brand, which is how it remains to this day as part of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.
Chrysler took Dodge and promptly cut its lineup to two lines and 13 models from three lines and 19 models in prior years. Chrysler was already producing its own brand of cars, as well as budget-priced Plymouth and the mid-priced DeSoto. In this way, Chrysler began to emulate the branding practices of its competitor General Motors, which was marketing its brands to different economic groups. In addition, Dodge started adding innovations like a front suspension with coil springs, rust-proof bodies, streamlined designs to improve aerodynamics, padded front seatbacks to improve rear seat safety, and an eight-cylinder engine.
World War II interrupted Dodge’s progress as its factories were used during the war to produce trucks for the Army. When the war ended in 1945, Dodge was ready to go back to producing cars and trucks for the public. Dodge made the transition easily, introducing some classic cars in the late '40s and '50s like the Custom, Deluxe, Lancer, and Coronet.
One of the biggest innovations was an automatic transmission called Gyro-Matic that used Dodge’s fluid drive to make gear shifting easier for drivers. This would evolve into Dodge’s Torque Flite automatic transmission by the end of the '50s. Dodge also introduced its first V8 engine, called the Red Ram Hemi that was based on Chrysler’s famous Hemi V8 engine. By the '60s, Dodge had replaced the Lancer with incredibly successful compact Dart, one of the most popular cars of that decade.
Dodge also became synonymous with the American muscle car. The Charger was a fastback version of the Coronet and came to dominate the NASCAR racing circuit. Drivers were able to get their own piece of racing history when they bought a Charger, one of the most reasonably priced performance sports cars on the market. Dodge continued this tradition with the introduction of such great sports cars as the Challenger, Daytona, 600, and, in the early '90s, the Viper. Today, Dodge continues to make some of the best performance cars on the market, combining innovative engineering with cool styling, all at an affordable price.
According to J.D. Power, Dodge is the number 1 ranked brand in initial quality and driver appeal among mass-market brands. You can see why with the current lineup of 5 different cars, minivans, and SUVs from Dodge.
The flagship model of the Dodge lineup is the 2021 Charger. This performance sports sedan carries on the tradition of the old fastback introduced to the public back in 1966. This seventh generation Charger features your choice of five powerful engines, including a 3.6-liter Pentastar V6, a 5.7-liter HEMI V8, a 6.4-liter 392 HEMI V8, and two versions of a 6.2-liter HEMI Supercharged High-Output V8, one of which produces 797 horsepower and 707 lb-ft of torque. Each of these engines is paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission to provide you with maximum control.
The 2021 Dodge Charger has an MSRP of $29,995, making it one of the most affordable performance sports sedans on the market today. It comes in your choice of nine different trims, including two all-wheel drive models.
If you have the need for a full-size SUV but want one with the performance, handling, and styling of a sports coupe, then the 2021 Dodge Durango is the one for you. This is not only the hottest looking three-row full-size SUV on the market today; it also has the engine capacity to go with its great looks. The base engine is a 3.6-liter Pentastar V6, like the one on the Charger.
There are three other engines, including a 5.7-liter HEMI V8, a 6.4-liter HEMI V8, and a 6.2-liter HEMI Hellcat Supercharged V8, each of which can help you tow up to 8,700 lbs with your Durango. The Durango has an MSRP of $31,765, can seat up to seven passengers, and can hold up to 85.1 cubic feet of cargo.
In 2008, Dodge thrilled sports coupe fans when it reintroduced the famous Challenger, which had been built from 1970 to 1983. This all-new Challenger took the tradition of the muscle car and adapted it to incorporate modern technology and conveniences. This sports coupe has an MSRP of only $28,295 and can go up to 0-60 mph in only 3.4 seconds. It features the same five engine options as the 2021 Charger with the addition of an incredible variation of the 6.2-liter HEMI Supercharged High-Output V8 that produces an astounding 807 horsepower. If you have a need for speed, then the 2021 Challenger is the coupe for you.
When it is time for you to get your next vehicle, stop by Orange Coast CJDR to see why we are your best choice for a new Dodge. Not only do we carry the full line of Dodge cars, SUVs, and minivans, but we also can get you behind the wheel of any new, used, or Certified Pre-Owned car, truck, minivan, or SUV from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.
Orange Coast CJDR has been family owned and operated since 1981, and we offer friends and family pricing on every model at our dealership every single day. Orange Coast CJDR is the winner of the prestigious FCA Customer First Award, given to dealerships that best exhibit customer service. We are proud of this award and will do whatever we can to make sure you get great service at our dealership.
When you buy your next car from us, you will get a 72-hour/250-mile return policy so that if you are not satisfied with your vehicle, you can return it within this period for a full refund. We also provide a free loaner car when you bring your vehicle in for service. When you buy from Orange Coast CJDR, you become part of our family. What’s more, if you are unable to stop by our dealership, you can order your next vehicle from us online.
Orange Coast CJDR is committed to your satisfaction. Stop in today at our Costa Mesa dealership and see why at Orange Coast CJDR, you can shop easy and drive happy.
