During a discussion with Automobile Magazine, Chrysler Group
CEO Sergio Marchionne confirmed that the Dodge Avenger and Dodge Durango will
both be killed off in the near future as part of the effort to remove
redundancies among the brands. Recently, we learned that the Dodge Grand
Caravan would be spared as the Chrysler Town & Country would be the minivan
meeting its end but, sadly, the Avenger and the new Durango appear to be on the
chopping block.
The Chrysler 200 is expected to get a refresh in the next
few years that will include the addition of a new coupe model in addition to
the sedan and convertible but there will be no Dodge version of the new
midsized Chrysler 200 sedan.The Avenger
will likely run alongside the 200 until the current generation comes to an end
but with the next generation expected to arrive as early as the 2013 calendar
year – the Avenger’s time may be short lived.
The next generation of the Jeep Grand Cherokee is expected to
arrive around 2016 and when it does, the Dodge Durango will not come along for
the ride.While the new Dodge Durango
has proven itself to be undeniably more popular than the previous generation,
the Jeep Grand Cherokee is one of the most successful sport utility vehicles in
the American market so if they are going to kill off one of them – you can bet
that it won’t be the Grand Cherokee.
The expected demise of the Dodge Durango is still a few
years off so plans for the roomy Dodge ute could change before 2016 but with
the new Chrysler 200 coming much sooner and months of rumors that the Avenger
would be removed from the lineup – it appears as though the Avenger’s fate is
sealed.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
During a discussion with Automobile Magazine, Chrysler Group