Introducing the new Dodge RAM brand.

On October 5, 2009, Chrysler Corporation issued a press release announcing a handful of new corporate positions throughout Chrysler Group LLC, as well as the introduction of the new Dodge RAM brand.  The previous CEO/President positions of the Dodge and Chrysler brand, held by Michael Accavitti (left to pursue other interests) and Peter Fong (“personal reasons”) respectively were suddenly vacated when the two left the company.  The top position in the Chrysler brand has been filled by Olivier Francois, who is the acting CEO of Lancia, and has been a member of the Fiat management team for almost 5 years.

The announcement of the new head of the Dodge brand, came with an interesting twist.  Chrysler Group LLC has decided to split the Dodge brand into the Dodge cars brand – which will contain all of the cars, crossovers, and the minivans; and the new Dodge RAM brand. 

The Dodge RAM will offer the Dodge Ram pickups and the commercial vehicles previously offered from Dodge.  The press release fails to mention where the Dodge Dakota will land, and with no mention of the mid sized pickup, the future of the model could be up in the air, although we can assume for now that it will fall under the Dodge RAM brand.  Hopefully Chrysler will have more information soon as to the exact model layout of the Dodge RAM and Dodge car brands.  The creation of this new group includes a new CEO, and Fred Diaz Jr. will take that position, previously having run the Denver Business Center.  The Dodge car group will be headed by long time Chrysler designer Ralph Gilles.

This decision to split the cars and trucks is similar to a Fiat
corporate split headed by Chrysler Group CEO Sergio Marchionne, and
that split helped to stabilize the then-struggling European auto
giant.  Mr. Marchionne hopes that this split of the Dodge brand will
allow for a better focus on improving the Dodge Car brand, as Dodge’s
cars (as well as Chrysler’s) have been suffering in sales.  The Dodge
trucks, on the other hand, are among the best selling on the market,
and this new Dodge RAM brand will offer Chrysler Group a chance to show
positive numbers during these difficult times for automakers.  There is
also the concern of the new CAFÉ laws looming over the industry, and
there could be some benefit to Chrysler to have the less fuel efficient
trucks separated from the cars to improve the overall efficiency rating
of the brand. 

The downside to this new corporate layout is
that some analysts say that this could be a way of Dodge liquidating
assets associated with the poorer selling models, specifically the
Dodge cars.  For the time being, this appears to be an attempt to help
get the entire company back on track, and the next few months promise
to be interesting, as the new Chrysler Group LLC front office decide
which models need to go in order to get the company back on its feet.

Subscribe
and stay tuned to the Detroit Autos Examiner for the latest news on the
changes made within the Chrysler Group as they happen!

The Press Release from Chrysler Group LLC:
Chrysler Group LLC Announces New Appointments   Auburn Hills, Mich., Oct 5, 2009  –  
Chrysler Group LLC today announces brand and commercial organization changes.

“The
brand-focused strategy has been refined further with the unbundling of
the Dodge Brand which now consists of the Dodge Ram Brand and the Dodge
Car Brand organizations. This reorganization will allow us to protect
and develop the unique nature of the product offerings within the Dodge
Brand,” Mr. Sergio Marchionne, Chief Executive Officer, Chrysler Group
LLC said.

Peter Fong, head of the Chrysler Brand has
resigned for personal reasons. Michael Accavitti, head of the Dodge
Brand has resigned to pursue other interests.   

Patrick Rall

"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.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

Rall can be contacted at QuickMirada@Yahoo.com

Facebook   Twitter