Dodge Challenger to be built at Brampton, Ontario plant
Click on the photo for a high-res gallery of Challenger concept images
On this day of bloodletting at Chrysler, there is at least one good piece of news from Auburn Hills. In what should be a surprise to precisely no one, Chrysler has made it official that when the Dodge Challenger enters production, it will roll off the line of the Brampton, Ontario assembly plant. Since the Challenger is built off Chrylser's LX platform, and is likely to be relatively low in volume compared to the Mustang, it makes sense to build it alongside it's platform mates, the Magnum, Charger, and Chrysler 300. Production of the Challenger will kick off in the spring of 2008, making this a 2009 model. The Chrysler press release is after the jump.
[Source: Chrysler]
Gallery: Dodge Challenger Concept
Ontario to Become Home of the All-new 2008 Dodge Challenger
• Brampton, Ontario plant will begin production in the spring of 2008
• Plant will become Chrysler Group's first to build four different models
• DaimlerChrysler's commitment to Canada continues
• Countdown begins for highly anticipated sports coupe
Toronto - DaimlerChrysler announced today that the all-new 2008 Dodge Challenger will be built at its Brampton Assembly Plant near Toronto.
"It's good news that the Dodge Challenger will be added to the Canadian production line-up," said Reid Bigland, President and CEO – DaimlerChrysler Canada. "Quickly bringing desirable new products such as the Dodge Challenger to market is critical to keeping our plants humming and our dealerships busy."
The Brampton plant also produces Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger and Dodge Magnum and works on three shifts. The Windsor (Ontario) Assembly Plant also works on three shifts and produces Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country minivans, as well as Chrysler Pacifica. Production of the Dodge Challenger will begin next year and preparations to ready the plant are already underway.
The decision to locate this important product in Ontario was partially the result of the Ontario government's strong support for the Brampton Assembly Plant through its contribution to the plant-wide third shift training program, which was essential to the successful launch of the Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger and Dodge Magnum, and now the successful launch of the Dodge Challenger.
"Brampton is our first plant to demonstrate the ability to build four models on one line," said Frank Ewasyshyn, Executive Vice President – Manufacturing, Chrysler Group. "As we continue to expand our new model lineup and further implement our flexible manufacturing strategy, other facilities will also have this capability."
Lean manufacturing and product development strategies also allow the Chrysler Group to bring new models, like the Dodge Challenger, to market more quickly. First revealed as a concept vehicle at the North American International (Detroit) Auto Show in 2006, it was announced this past summer that the 2008 Dodge Challenger would be going into production in 2008.
Riding a wave of fan anticipation, a new clock will be on display along with the Dodge Challenger concept car to count down to the unveiling of the production version of the car at the Chicago Auto Show next year. Today, the count-down clock shows 358 days.
"Our speed to market means that Challenger production is now measured in only days," said George Murphy, Senior Vice President – Global Marketing, Chrysler Group. "The ability to quickly react to ever-changing consumer tastes is a competitive advantage for the company."
It will be just a little over two years from Dodge Challenger's concept car introduction to the time it will be available in dealerships.
The company has already seen passionate response to the Dodge Challenger with its bold, powerful and capable attributes. Challenger content received a total of 1.5 million visits on the Dodge.com Web site in 2006 and 20,000 potential customers have asked the company for more product information regarding the car.
The production version of the 2008 Dodge Challenger will be true to both its historical and modern concept car roots as a two-door, HEMI® V-8-powered, rear-drive vehicle. It will be the first coupe built on Chrysler Group's highly successful large car platform, which includes the Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger and Dodge Magnum.
• Brampton, Ontario plant will begin production in the spring of 2008
• Plant will become Chrysler Group's first to build four different models
• DaimlerChrysler's commitment to Canada continues
• Countdown begins for highly anticipated sports coupe
Toronto - DaimlerChrysler announced today that the all-new 2008 Dodge Challenger will be built at its Brampton Assembly Plant near Toronto.
"It's good news that the Dodge Challenger will be added to the Canadian production line-up," said Reid Bigland, President and CEO – DaimlerChrysler Canada. "Quickly bringing desirable new products such as the Dodge Challenger to market is critical to keeping our plants humming and our dealerships busy."
The Brampton plant also produces Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger and Dodge Magnum and works on three shifts. The Windsor (Ontario) Assembly Plant also works on three shifts and produces Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country minivans, as well as Chrysler Pacifica. Production of the Dodge Challenger will begin next year and preparations to ready the plant are already underway.
The decision to locate this important product in Ontario was partially the result of the Ontario government's strong support for the Brampton Assembly Plant through its contribution to the plant-wide third shift training program, which was essential to the successful launch of the Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger and Dodge Magnum, and now the successful launch of the Dodge Challenger.
"Brampton is our first plant to demonstrate the ability to build four models on one line," said Frank Ewasyshyn, Executive Vice President – Manufacturing, Chrysler Group. "As we continue to expand our new model lineup and further implement our flexible manufacturing strategy, other facilities will also have this capability."
Lean manufacturing and product development strategies also allow the Chrysler Group to bring new models, like the Dodge Challenger, to market more quickly. First revealed as a concept vehicle at the North American International (Detroit) Auto Show in 2006, it was announced this past summer that the 2008 Dodge Challenger would be going into production in 2008.
Riding a wave of fan anticipation, a new clock will be on display along with the Dodge Challenger concept car to count down to the unveiling of the production version of the car at the Chicago Auto Show next year. Today, the count-down clock shows 358 days.
"Our speed to market means that Challenger production is now measured in only days," said George Murphy, Senior Vice President – Global Marketing, Chrysler Group. "The ability to quickly react to ever-changing consumer tastes is a competitive advantage for the company."
It will be just a little over two years from Dodge Challenger's concept car introduction to the time it will be available in dealerships.
The company has already seen passionate response to the Dodge Challenger with its bold, powerful and capable attributes. Challenger content received a total of 1.5 million visits on the Dodge.com Web site in 2006 and 20,000 potential customers have asked the company for more product information regarding the car.
The production version of the 2008 Dodge Challenger will be true to both its historical and modern concept car roots as a two-door, HEMI® V-8-powered, rear-drive vehicle. It will be the first coupe built on Chrysler Group's highly successful large car platform, which includes the Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger and Dodge Magnum.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
NoNameDenton 10:43AM (2/14/2007)
That is what the Dodge Charger should have been, but it is a great looking retro pony car, and it is sad that they are doing low volume production compared to the Mustang and probably how ever many Camaros Chevy will build
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Big jim 11:06AM (2/14/2007)
They better find a way to make this car under 40K
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RamSport47 11:13AM (2/14/2007)
"2. They better find a way to make this car under 40K
Posted at 11:06AM on Feb 14th 2007 by Big jim"
How many LX cars do you see OVER $40,000? Only the SRT's from what I've seen
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Aaron 1:03PM (2/14/2007)
Got 5 hundred down as I type this, in line for one at MSRP from an Ontario dealer.
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Eric Liberatore 11:27AM (2/14/2007)
The new Camaro wishes it looked as good as this car.
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olddavid 11:29AM (2/14/2007)
Please explain to me the business case for this car? You're bleeding money $100k a day, and you decide to niche market a car that will be a success if it sells 30k units? Despite sharing components with the bloated 300 and Magnum, the tooling costs will surely not be recouped in the near future. Please, someone smarter than me, explain.
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Joshua 12:57PM (2/14/2007)
First, cool! I live in the Brampton area and I look forward to running across many loyal challenger driving Bramptonians in my SCed 06 Mustang. :D
Second, yikes! I agree with #5 a low production niche car? Is this what Chrysler needs right now. Plus most people still don't realize how much this WILL NOT be like the challenger of yore. This car will be HUGE because out of production necessity it shares the 300's firewall. Meaning this will be at least as big as the 300 (in width and height) and then further widened to emulate the dimensions of the original muscle pony cars, only now on 1.5:1 scale!
My stang is already oversized, this challenger will be even bigger. Will the public buy (fig and lit) that this is a sporty car?
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P to the C 11:57AM (2/14/2007)
This will be a big seller for DCX - don't kid yourself. Will it be a huge money maker? Who knows but I imagine it will. Would it have been better for DCX to sit out from the new pony car wars between Ford and Chevy? I doubt it. Americans are rediscovering the beaty, style and grace that American cars represent and this is just another piece to that puzzle. The days of people wanting boring Asian made appliances are slowly ending. Americans are finally waking up to the fact that design and beauty do matter, that driving can be fun and economical, that they don't have to do time behind the wheel of yet another comatose Camry/Accord/Sonata clone. DCX is on the right track and they should be applauded for it.
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RC 12:00PM (2/14/2007)
still ugly, american muscle built in Canada, wow.
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RG 12:06PM (2/14/2007)
"DCX is on the right track and they should be applauded for it."
Applauded for what? reintroducing a muscle car? when ford has never stopped building the mustang. If anything Chrysler is the worst of the big three right now. New sebring, joke. Avenger, joke. They cant keep riding the 300C/charger success forever. Atleast the fake hemi campaign was a success
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Ron 12:06PM (2/14/2007)
It will be a big seller- IF it's reasonably priced, which is under $30-$32k, which it may not be. So the sales success of this thing is not guranteed by any means.
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RamSport47 12:07PM (2/14/2007)
Bloated? What country do you live in? Yes it's big, but bloated?
RC...American muscle has been built in Canada for god knows how long. Do you think that GM Ford and Chrysler JUST discovered the country to our north?..MORON
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RamSport47 12:13PM (2/14/2007)
Hey RG...do you know what car got Chrysler's fantastic designs of the early '90s going? Viper...a car that sold only about 250 each year for it's first few years. It doesn't have to sell 500,000 copies to be successful. Viper's main link to Chrysler back then, was that it infused EXCITEMENT back into the designers. This Challenger will do the same. It won't sell as many as Camry, but it's way nicer to look at and WAY more fun to drive. I like MY appliances in the kitchen and laundry room, thank you
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RG 12:21PM (2/14/2007)
When did I say I disliked the Viper? I drive an american car, just like you.
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Brad 12:22PM (2/14/2007)
Yeh yeh! I live in Brampton!
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RG 12:24PM (2/14/2007)
yes i know many american automakers build cars in Canada as well as mexico. Infact ford builds many of its trucks in Canada, and many of the famous windsor engines came out of canada. So I do think i have my facts straight.
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Mike 12:34PM (2/14/2007)
old
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W 1:40PM (2/14/2007)
I don't think the teenage boys that are creaming their jeans over this car (whether they be 16 or 60) are going to be able to afford it. This looks a premium specialty car that will likely carry a premium specialty price.
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Mike 1:17PM (2/14/2007)
Tell us Aaron, just what is MSRP from an Ontario dealer?
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Typesbad 2:22PM (2/14/2007)
By all rights I should like this car. I grew up a Mopar fan, it looks great, Rear wheel drive, independent rear suspension, pleny of power. What's not to like?
Yet, I would have a hard time caring less about this vehicle. Maybe its my gridlocked commute, or maybe its because I don't disregard everything discussed in "An Inconvenient Truth", but the idea of a front-heavy four -seater coupe that requires a V-8 to provide decent performance, just seems so old when there is so much power to be had from advanced small displcement engines in well balanced coupes and hatches such as a Civic Si or VW GTI to name a few. No they don't spin tires or roar like a V-8 but is that all its still about. I grew up in the 60s when such things defined performance, but I feel like the game has moved on.
Sure this car is fun, but its also irrelevant. I would have been more excited if Chrysler had givin the Sebring a cohesive design and made it truly competitive.
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