Chrysler History

1875 - Walter Percy Chrysler is born in Wamego, Kansas, USA.

1892 - A 17-year-old Walter P. Chrysler begins an apprenticeship as a railroad engineer with Union Pacific in Ellis, Kansas. The young train mechanic Chrysler develops and builds his own special tools because, "A good mechanic should never trust a tool that he didn't put together and harden himself."

1908 - Walter P. Chrysler, at the age of 33 and already a top manager at Chicago Great Western Railway, with a monthly salary of $350, buys his first automobile for $5,000 — a white Locomobile Phaeton with a red interior. He takes the car apart and puts it together again several times to get to know its technology. As a result, he learns to drive.

1912 - Walter P. Chrysler becomes production manager of the Buick Motor Company in Flint, Michigan, a subsidiary of the General Motors Company. His starting annual salary with Buick is $6,000. During his time with the company, Chrysler raises daily production from 20 to 550 vehicles. While at Buick, Chrysler works with K.T. Keller, who would succeed him as head of Buick and who would ultimately play a major role at Chrysler Corporation.

1916 - The General Motors Company becomes General Motors Corporation and makes Buick its first division.

1917 - Walter Chrysler becomes president and general manager of Buick. Under his leadership, Buick becomes "GM's biggest money maker."

1919 - Walter P. Chrysler becomes the first vice president of General Motors Corporation in charge of production, in addition to his responsibilities at Buick.

1920 - Because of differences with GM chief William C. Durant, Walter P. Chrysler, age 45, resigns from his General Motors posts. Only a few months after his resignation, creditors of Willys-Overland Co. recruit Chrysler as executive vice president. Chrysler would be given total freedom to operate the company and a two-year contract for the unheard-of salary of $1 million per year. Within two years, Chrysler turns the company around. Parallel to that, Chrysler, also at the behest of the creditor banks, revives the Maxwell Motor Company, 90 percent of which belongs to the Chalmers Motor Company. Chrysler becomes chairman of Maxwell-Chalmers Co. in 1921. A year later, the company is renamed Maxwell Motor Corporation. Maxwell Motor Corp. becomes Chrysler Corporation in 1925.

1921 - At Willys, Chrysler hires three engineers, Fred M. Zeder, Owen Skelton and Carl Breer, three former Studebaker employees who had previously operated an engineering consultant firm in Detroit, to develop the first ideas for "a new kind of automobile" to bring Willys-Overland back to profitability. The three engineers initials, ZSB, become the code name of the new dream car. Walter P. Chrysler fulfills his obligation to bring Willys back to profitability — and also manages to bring Zeder, Skelton and Breer to Maxwell-Chalmers to continue work on the "ZSB."

1924 - In New York, Walter P. Chysler unveils, while still head of Maxwell, his ZSB car, a vehicle bearing the Chrysler name. Denied access to the New York Auto Show because the new car was not actually available for sale, Walter P. Chrysler displays the "Chrysler Six" in the lobby of the nearby Hotel Commodore, causing a media and industry sensation. Thanks to sophisticated Ricardo combustion chambers, its 6-cylinder "L-Head" engine the Chrysler Six boasted a high level of compression thought impossible up to then, and with 201cid (3.3-liters) capacity, delivered 68 hp at 3,000 rpm. The Chrysler Six, then sensationally fast at almost 70 mph (more than 110 km/h), already had hydraulic four-wheel braking and shock absorbers. The "L-Head" had a crankshaft supported by seven bearings, aluminum pistons and forced lubrication. In 1924, the first year it was produced, almost 32,000 units of the model were sold, the largest number ever of a new American launch.

1925 - On June 6, the Maxwell Motor Company, whose shares are now worth $400 million, is transferred with all rights and obligations to the new Chrysler Corporation, which at the end of the year can already post a net profit of more than $4 million. The next month, Chrysler Canada is established. Chrysler presents the new 1926 Model Four, Series 58, one of the first automobiles ever to use rubber mounts to dampen engine vibrations. A Chrysler Six enters the Le Mans 24 Hours and reaches the finish, although it does not place. At the end of the year there are 3,800 Chrysler dealers in America. Chrysler is the first U.S. automaker to introduce crankshaft vibration dampers.

1926 - The Chrysler range comprises three model series with names to indicate their top speeds: Series 58 (4-cylinder), Series G-70 and Series G-80 (each with 6-cylinder engines). Top model is the E-80 Imperial, the first Chrysler luxury automobile with carburetor pre-heating, 92 hp and special customized body work. The range is complemented in the middle of the year by the Series 60, considered to be a 1927 model. The young Chrysler Corporation improves its position of American automakers, moving from 27th to fifth place.

1927 - Chrysler offers four model series: Series 50, 60, 70 and 80 Imperial. Chrysler becomes the fourth largest American automaker.

1928 - The Plymouth brand is launched in the lower price segment of the market, beginning with 1929 models. The first Plymouth features a relatively small, 45-hp, 4-cylinder engine. Despite its low price of only $670, it was the first of its class to have hydraulic four-wheel brakes. To raise comfort, its body rested on rubber mounts. The DeSoto brand is launched for the middle price segment beginning with 1929 models. Production of the 6-cylinder car begins in July. A year later, 80,000 of them will have been sold. After 14 months, the 100,000th DeSoto is sold, setting a sales record for a newly launched automobile that stands for 30 years. Chrysler acquires Dodge Brothers, Inc., a company five times the size of Chrysler. Dodge, in the automobile business since 1914, made the first large series cars with all-steel bodies using Budd patents in 1916. Dodge also is well known for its line of commercial trucks. Chrysler automobiles win third and fourth places at the Le Mans 24 Hour race. With 160,670 cars sold, Chrysler reaches a record production number, which remains unmatched until 1950. Its range comprises the 4-cylinder models of the Series 52, the 6-cylinder Series 62 and 72 and the Imperial Series 80.

1929 - Chrysler Corp. joins GM and Ford to become the "Big Three" — the three biggest American car makers. As a personal initiative, Walter P. Chrysler finances and begins contruction of the Chrysler Building in New York, with 77 floors, then the world's tallest building. Chrysler offers the Chrysler, Dodge, Imperial, DeSoto and Plymouth brands. Chrysler is the first American car manufacturer to use a downdraft carburetor.

1930 - All Chrysler models get steel bodies and fuel pumps (replacing gravity feed gasoline tanks).

1931 - The first Chrysler 8-cylinder premiers in the Chrysler Eight and Imperial. Chrysler introduces a revolutionary new engine mount called "Floating Power," in which a leaf spring below the transmission and rubber bearings separate the engine vibrations from the chassis. Plymouth advertises its thus equipped 4-cylinder models with the slogan "Smoothness of an Eight, Economy of a Four." An 8-cylinder Chrysler wins the over-three-liter category at the 24 hour SPA race in Belgium.

1932 - In the same year, Chrysler is the first to introduce power brakes. Bodies are treated against rust for the first time. Chrysler engineers develop "Oilite," a revolutionary new kind of large-pore metal material for leaf springs and joints. Oilite is able to absorb 30 percent of its own weight in oil in its pores, release additional greasing volume under pressure and reabsorb it when the pressure declines again.

1933 - In the middle of the world economic crisis, Chrysler is the only American automobile maker to better its sales figures of the boom year of 1929. Chrysler introduces safety glass that crumbles instead of splinters.

1934 - Chrysler launches the revolutionary streamlined automobiles, Chrysler Airflow and DeSoto Airflow. The Airflow Imperial is the first American-produced car with a curved, single-part windshield. Airflow models are also offered for the first time with the optional Chrysler automatic overdrive transmission.

1935 - Walter P. Chrysler resigns as president of Chrysler Corp., but remains chairman. K.T. Keller, who joined Chrysler in 1926 from General Motors, becomes president.

1936 - Total Chrysler output reaches a million vehicles per year.

1938 - Chrysler's automobile production comprises a quarter of all the cars produced in the U.S. Chrysler Mexico and Chrysler de Mexico S.A. established.

1939 - Chrysler presents the first transmissions with fluid coupling (Fluid Drive).

1940 - Walter P. Chrysler dies at age 65 on August 18. Chrysler builds its first two "Idea Cars" — vehicles built for both show and experimental use — the Chrysler Thunderbolt and the Chrysler Newport dual cowl phaeton. Six Thunderbolts and six Newports were constructed.

1941 - Chrysler launches the Town & Country, the company's first highly styled station wagon, with a wood and steel body and visible wood ribbing. Willys-Overland is commissioned to produce the Jeep. Legend has it that the name Jeep is a perversion of the initials "GP", the G standing for General and the P standing for Purpose. Another theory has it that the vehicle was named after a popular cartoon character of the '30s, "Eugene the Jeep." (In 1963 Willys-Overland becomes the Kaiser-Jeep Corporation. In 1970, the American Motors Corporation buys it for $70 million. Chrysler combines its fluid coupling transmission (Fluid Drive) with the semi-automatic "Vacamatic." Vacamatic is a four-speed transmission that automatically shifts itself between the two lower gears or between the two higher gears when the driver lifts off the accelerator pedal. The transmission would have to be shifted with a clutch when moving between the low and high gears, however. The luxurious Imperial models get hydraulic power windows.

1942 - As the last model before the war, the '42 DeSoto gets fold-away headlights of the "Airfoil Lights" type as well as a "Simplimatic," a semi-automatic transmission combined with fluid coupling. Chrysler stops civilian vehicle production in favor of war production, including 500,000 Dodge trucks for military use.

1946 - Chrysler resumes vehicle production, producing slightly modified prewar models. There are new sedan, coupe and convertible versions of the Chrysler Town & Country.

1949 - The first all-new Chrysler models since the war are presented. Chrysler invests $90 million in new tools and equipment. Chrysler introduces padded dashboards for the first time for safety reasons. Chrysler is the first American automobile maker to use combined ignition-starter locks. Famed car designer Virgil Exner departs Studebaker and joins Chrysler.

1950 - K.T. Keller becomes chairman; Lester L. "Tex" Colbert is named president. Chrysler introduces four-wheel disc brakes and becomes the first American producer to offer electric windows. Italian design house Ghia creates the first of many "Idea Cars" for Chrysler.

1951 - Chrysler engineers design the famous "Hemi" V8 engine with hemispherical combustion chambers, which established American high-performance standards in the '50s and '60s. The Hemi, which took six years to develop, is Chrysler's first V8 and with its 180 hp, immediately is recognized as the peak of American automotive achievement. Chrysler offers "Hydraglide" power steering. Briggs Cunningham purchases Chrysler Hemi engines for use in his C-2 race cars, designed to race at LeMans. One of three cars finishes in 18th place. The Town & Country once again becomes a wagon, minus the wood sides. The Chrysler New Yorker paces the Indianapolis 500 race.

1952 - Chrysler builds "Jupiter" research rockets for the U.S. Army.

1953 - The innovative PowerFlite two-gear automatic transmission premieres at Chrysler. Dodge introduces the "Red Ram" V8 based on the Chrysler Hemi. Chrysler-powered Cunningham C-5R wins third place in Le Mans. A Cunningham C-4R wins at Sebring. Chrysler acquires the body-maker Briggs. Chrysler was the last of the Big Three to acquire a body manufacturer.

1954 - Chrysler opens its test track at Chelsea, near Ann Arbor, Michigan. To honor the new proving grounds, Chrysler test drivers set a new American 24-hour speed record of an average of 118.18 mph (just under 190 km/h) for 2,836 miles. The entry-level Chrysler brand, Plymouth, is also now available with V8 engines. Chrysler begins testing a revolutionary gas turbine engine. Lee Petty drives a Hemi-powered Chrysler to seven wins and an additional 17 top-five finishes in NASCAR racing. A Dodge Royal 500 paces the Indianapolis 500.

1955 - Chrysler debuts the "Forward Look" styling of Virgil Exner. Chrysler ushers in the performance car era with the introduction of the C-300, the first in a long line of Chrysler "letter series" cars. A Chrysler C-300 wins a NASCAR Grand National race for the first time with an average speed of 92 mph (just under 150 km/h). Carl Kiekaefer, of Mercury Outboard Marine Company, forms a racing team using Chrysler C-300 Hemi-powered cars. The team wins an amazing 20 out of 40 NASCAR races. Chrysler becomes the first U.S. car maker to offer fully transistorized radios in passenger cars.

1956 - Chrysler introduces a pushbutton fully automatic transmission, "Magic Touch." A Chrysler experimental gas turbine Plymouth is driven from New York City to Los Angeles. A "Highway Hi-Fi" record player is offered as an option.

1957 - Chrysler offers a newly designed automatic transmission as series standard, the legendary "TorqueFlite." The Chrysler range comprises four model lines: Windsor, Saratoga, New Yorker and 300C.

1958 - In the first formal steps of globalization, Chrysler buys into the French car firm Simca and begins selling Simca vehicles in the U.S. Chrysler experiments with fuel injection and, in the top performance model 300D, offers the system designed by Bendix. But function problems in the same year cause a return to the carburetor. Dodge introduces a new, brand-specific V8 with 5.9-liter capacity. In the following year the capacity of these engines increases to 6.3 liters, the performance is stated as 345 hp. Chrysler introduces automatic speed control, an industry first. Drag racer Don Garlits breaks the 170 mile per hour barrier with a Hemi-powered car.

1959 - A second generation gas turbine Plymouth is driven from Detroit to New York City.

1960 - With the introduction of the Valiant model, Chrysler is now represented in the compact car segment. A newly designed ohv-6-cylinder engine powers the attractively styled model. Lester L. Colbert becomes Chrysler chairman, retains title of president. Chrysler becomes the first American automaker to offer a car record player for 45 rpm discs, with a capacity of 19 small records. Third generation turbine car is developed. Chrysler introduces the alternator on all models.

1961 - George H. Love is appointed new chairman, Lynn A. Townsend is named president. After 33 years, Chrysler gives up the DeSoto brand. Chrysler introduces cruise control and power locks as options. Bodies are now unitized.

1962 - With two Dodge Dart and Plymouth Fury cars refitted with gas turbines, Chrysler test drivers cross the United States from west to east to prove the reliability of the new drive technology.

1963 - Chrysler introduces a new guarantee: five years or 50,000 miles on the drivetrain. A Chrysler 300J paces the Indianapolis 500. Chrysler builds 51 turbine vehicles, tested by selected customers.

1964 - The Plymouth Barracuda is introduced as a 1964 model, just two weeks before the introduction of the rival Ford Mustang, kicking off nearly 10 years of muscle car mania. Drag racer Don Garlits runs a Hemi-powered race car to 201.34 mph in 7.78 seconds. George Richard Petty takes over driving duties from his father, Lee Petty, and wins the Daytona 500 and also the NASCAR championship, driving a Plymouth.

1965 - Plymouth takes the first three places at the legendary Daytona 500 NASCAR stock car race. NASCAR rules that at least 1,000 engines must be produced for street use in order to be eligible for racing. This outlaws 426cid Hemi engine. Chrysler withdraws from the remainder of the 1965 season.

1966 - Chrysler builds the 350 horsepower "Street Hemi" engines and returns to NASCAR racing.

1967 - The board of directors of Chrysler Corp. appoints Lynn A. Townsend the new chairman. Virgil E. Boyd is named president.

1969 - For NASCAR racing, the Dodge Daytona appears with a 58-inch high rear wing and pointed nose. This car was sold to the public to satisfy NASCAR rules that race cars be based on production models and that at least 500 such units had to be sold to qualify. Interestingly, the high wing was not designed for aerodynamic reasons, but so that the rear trunk lid would open.

1970 - Chrysler imports sub compact cars and trucks from its Japanese partner, Mitsubishi Motors Corp., and offers them under the Dodge and Plymouth labels. The American Motors Corporation takes over the Kaiser-Jeep Corporation. With the Plymouth Superbird, Plymouth unveils a NASCAR-like car for use on normal roads. Like the Dodge Daytona, it also has a high rear spoiler and aerodynamically shaped, elongated front nose section, and can reach just under 200 mph (more than 300 km/h).

1971 - Chrysler introduces a brake-slip control system, "Four-Wheel Sure Brake," optional on the Imperial model. Chrysler buys equity in its Japanese partner, Mitsubishi Motors. NASCAR officials restrict engines to 305cid, ending, once and for all, the Hemi engine's dominance of NASCAR racing.

1975 - John J. Riccardo becomes chairman; Eugene A. Cafiero is named president of Chrysler Corp.

1978 - Chrysler sells its European operations to Peugeot-Citroen. The Dodge Omni and the Plymouth Horizon models are introduced, the first U.S.-built front-wheel drive. Chairman John Riccardo appoints Lee A. Iacocca president of Chrysler Corp.

1979 - The Chrysler board of directors elect Lee A. Iacocca chairman. J. Paul Bergmoser is named president.

1980 - U.S. President Jimmy Carter signs the Chrysler Corp. Loan Guarantee Act, providing Chrysler with $1.5 billion in federal loan guarantees. Chrysler sells its Marine Division. Lee A. Iacocca is featured in Chrysler advertising, the first time the head of an automaker serves as an advertising spokesperson.

1981 - Chrysler sells its defense division to General Dynamics.

1982 - Chrysler introduces the Dodge Aries and Plymouth Reliant, the so-called K-cars, which are instrumental in the financial recovery of the company. Planning for the new Chrysler Technology Center begins.

1983 - Chrysler pays off the federal loan guarantees seven years ahead of schedule.

1984 - With the introduction of the Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager, Chrysler creates a completely new market segment called minivan. The Chrysler formula: the minivans are on a car platform, rather than a truck platform, have the ability to carry seven people and a variety of cargo, and fit in a standard garage. Chrysler acquires 15.6 percent of Officine Alfieri Maserati SpA. Chrysler Corp. reorganizes as a holding company, consisting of Chrysler Motors, Chrysler Financial, Gulfstream Aerospace and Chrysler Technologies. Harold K. Sperlich is named president of Chrysler Corp.

1985 - Chrysler and Mitsubishi Motors Corp. establish the joint venture company Diamond-Star Motors to build small cars in Normal, Illinois, USA.

1986 - Chrysler introduces the 7-year/70,000-mile warranty for the drive train of Chrysler automobiles and a 7-year/100,000-mile warranty against corrosion.

1987 - Chrysler Corporation acquires American Motors Corp. for $800 million. AMC is the fourth largest U.S. automaker. The takeover of AMC also puts the Jeep brand into Chrysler ownership. With Jeep, Chrysler assumes its three automobile factories, 1,600 dealers and the joint venture Beijing Jeep Corp. in Beijing, China. Introduces the "Eagle" brand, Chrysler's first new brand created since 1929. After a nine-year interruption, Chrysler resumes exports to Europe with the Chrysler LeBaron Convertible, Chrysler Voyager and Chrysler Daytona models. Chrysler buys Nuova Automobili Lamborghini SpA.

1988 - Diamond-Star Motors, a Chrysler joint venture with Mitsubishi Motors Corp., starts car production in Normal, Illinois. Fiat and Chrysler sign an agreement under which Chrysler will sell Alfa Romeo vehicles in Canada and the U.S. Chrysler becomes the first American automobile maker to offer airbags as standard equipment.

1989 - Signs a joint venture agreement with Steyr-Daimler-Puch to produce minivans for the European market. Chrysler Technologies is sold. Chrysler and General Motors establish New Venture Gear, the first joint venture between two American automobile makers. Chrysler sets up the Pentastar Transportation Group, Inc., consisting of four rental car enterprises: Thrifty Rent-A-Car-System, Inc., Snappy Car Rental, Inc., Dollar Rent-A-Car Systems, Inc. and General Rent-A-Car. Inc. Chrysler implements a $1 billion cost-cutting and reorganization program, with emphasis on the automobile business. Drag racer Don Garlits goes 287.81 mph in 5.07 seconds in a Hemi-powered dragster.

1990 - Town & Country once again becomes a stand-alone nameplate as Chrysler introduces the first luxury minivan.

1991 - Chrysler sells its holdings in Mitsubishi Motor Corp. The first Chrysler minivan leaves the Eurostar assembly line in Austria. Lee A. Iacocca inaugurates the $1 billion Chrysler Technology Center in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. The Alfa Romeo U.S. distribution agreement between Fiat and Chrysler ends. Al Teague sets a new wheel-driven car land speed record of 409.986 mph in a Chrysler Hemi-powered car. The first minivan comes off the Eurostar assembly line in Austria. Robert A. Lutz is named president.

1992 - The Chrysler board appoints Robert J. Eaton vice chairman and chief operating officer, with the intention of appointing him to succeed Lee A. Iacocca as chairman in March 1993. Chrysler inaugurates the Jefferson North Assembly Plant in Detroit, a $1.6 billion project for producing the Jeep Grand Cherokee. Chrysler introduces the Dodge Viper, a two-seat sports car with a V10 engine. It is the first Chrysler designed by a "platform team." Platform teams are managers and specialists of various disciplines working together in the same location to develop an automobile. Drag racer Kenny Bernstein goes 301.70 mph using a 417cid Hemi engine.

1993 - Chrysler introduces a new line of family cars with an innovative and ergonomically favorable "cab-forward design:" the Chrysler Concorde, Dodge Intrepid and Eagle Vision models. The sale of 2.5 million Chrysler cars and trucks represents a 14 percent increase over 1992. Coinciding with the 10th anniversary of the minivan, Chrysler celebrates the sale of the four-millionth minivan, a Dodge Grand Caravan. Chrysler sells Nuova Automobili Lamborghini SpA and its subsidiaries to MezaTech Ltd.

1994 - Production of the Jeep Grand Cherokee model begins in Austria. Chrysler reports all-time highest net earnings of $3.7 billion from revenues of $52.2 billion.

1995 - Chrysler expands presence in Japan with $100 million distribution investment. Chrysler's hybrid-electric car, the Patriot, wins the "Discover Award" for technological innovation. Chrysler Corporation announces construction of its own production plant in Argentina. Preparations are made to build a new Chrysler V6 engine factory.

1996 - Chrysler chief Robert J. Eaton dedicates the new company head office in Auburn Hills, Michigan. It is a 15-story complex of buildings, crowned by a two-story-high glass Chrysler Pentastar. Chrysler introduces the Plymouth Prowler, the world's first production hot rod. Chrysler breaks ground for the Chrysler Historical Museum.

1997 - Chrysler introduces the 1998 Dodge Durango, a mid-size sport utility vehicle. Chrysler announces it will discontinue the Eagle brand at the end of the 1998 model year. Chrysler introduces the second-generation 1998 model Chrysler Concorde and Dodge Intrepid. Chrysler opens an office in Singapore for its Asia-Pacific region headquarters. Chrysler performs research in fuel cell technology with the aim of improving fuel efficiency by 50 percent. Chrysler introduces the concept Dodge Intrepid ESX, a car with hybrid propulsion. At the Frankfurt Motor Show, Chrysler presents the CCV (Composite Concept Vehicle), a car with a molded plastic shell, which can be largely made of recycled material. In the U.S. car market, the share of Chrysler vehicles rises from 13.1 percent in 1992 to 14.9 percent at the end of 1997. Chrysler has five right-hand-drive automobiles in its range: Chrysler Neon, Chrysler Voyager, Jeep Wrangler, Jeep Cherokee and Jeep Grand Cherokee.

1998 - Thomas T. Stallkamp is named president. Chrysler introduces the 1999 Chrysler LHS and Chrysler 300M sedans. The 300M continues the legacy of the famous "letter series" cars made from 1955 to 1965. Chrysler introduces the 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Chrysler celebrates 15 years of minivan leadership and the sale of over seven million units. Daimler-Benz and Chrysler agree to combine their businesses in a "merger of equals" forming DaimlerChrysler AG. The former Chrysler Corporation operates as Chrysler Group – a business unit of DaimlerChrysler AG. Durango is introduced, making it Dodge's first sport-utility vehicle since the Ramcharger. Durango's "smart" mix of full-size SUV capability and compact size and maneuverability creates an instant success and leads to record year for Dodge truck sales.

1999 - James P. Holden is named president of Chrysler. Chrysler is the first automaker to respond to the National Transportation Safety Board’s request to form a national system of permanent child safety seat fitting stations with the start of Fit for a Kid – a free, dealer-based child passenger safety seat inspection service. Dodge announces its return to NASCAR.

2000 - Dr. Dieter Zetsche is appointed President and CEO of Chrysler. Chrysler reveals the Chrysler 300 HEMI C concept vehicle at North American International Auto Show. The Impact Simulation Laboratory at the Chelsea Proving Grounds runs its 20,000th test.

2001 - Dodge marks its return to NASCAR by securing the pole position for the Daytona 500. The Plymouth brand ends production. Chrysler introduces the power sliding door obstacle system for opening and closing the doors on the minivan.

2002 - Chrysler launches SEATCHECK – a national campaign with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to connect parents and caregivers to child passenger safety seat technicians in their area. Production of new 5.7-liter HEMI for 2003 Dodge Ram Heavy Duty trucks begins.

2003 - Chrysler, Mitsubishi Motors Corp. and Hyundai Motor Co. celebrate the groundbreaking for the joint venture Global Engine Manufacturing Alliance (GEMA) to produce 1.8-, 2.0- and 2.4-liter naturally aspirated and 2.4-liter turbocharged gasoline-powered aluminum four-cylinder World Engines with four valves per cylinder and dual variable valve timing. The Dodge Tomahawk motorcycle concept – a “rolling sculpture” showcasing the Viper engine – is unveiled at North American International Auto Show. Chrysler launches the Road Ready Teens safety education initiative. The home-based program offering parents and teens with the tips and tools necessary to ease teens safely into driving. More than one million Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep alternative fuel vehicles sold. Over 10 million Chrysler and Dodge minivans sold. The new HEMI is named one of Ward’s 10 Best Engines.

2004 - Chrysler exhibits its engineering and design prowess with the release of the Chrysler ME-412 concept vehicle at the North American International Auto Show. Chrysler is awarded the National Safety Council’s Green Cross for Safety Award in recognition of its vehicle safety innovations, support and sponsorship of public safety initiatives and its leadership in employee safety and health. The introduction of the 2005 Chrysler 300 marks the return of the great American car. The Chrysler 300 is named Car of the Year by Motor Trend Magazine. The 2005 Chrysler 300C and Dodge Magnum RT become the first modern volume production vehicles produced in North America to feature the 5.7-liter HEMI engine with cylinder deactivation. The Dodge brand celebrates its 90th anniversary. NASCAR driver Brendan Gaughan sets the “World’s Fastest Production Truck Record” for the Guinness Book of World Records in a Dodge Ram SRT-10. The Chelsea Proving Grounds celebrate 50 years of testing and engineering.

2005 - Tom LaSorda is appointed President and CEO of Chrysler. Dieter Zetsche becomes Chairman of the Board of Management and Head of Mercedes Car Group for DaimlerChrysler AG. Chrysler tests U.S. market for diesel products with the launch of the Jeep Liberty CRD. Chrysler partners with NextEnergy to promote biodiesel research and development. Chrysler demonstrates creative and mechanical expertise with the introduction of the Jeep Hurricane concept vehicle at the North American International Auto Show. The concept featured two 5.7-liter HEMI engines and the ability to turn on all four wheels in the same direction allowing the vehicle to move sideways. Chrysler 300 is named North American Car of the Year. The Global Engine Manufacturing Alliance begins volume production of World Engine at facility in Dundee, Mich.

2006 - Chrysler announces the first full-size diesel-powered SUV to be sold in the U.S. and Canada with the introduction of the Jeep Grand Cherokee CRD. The second World Engine plant opens in Dundee, Mich. Chrysler teams with Michigan State University and NextEnergy to use a brownfield site in Rose Township, Mich., as research lab for biofuels. A MSU researcher grows and harvests soybeans, sunflowers, corn, canola and switchgrass to test renewable fuel uses. The Toluca Assembly Plant in Mexico marks one millionth Chrysler PT Cruiser manufacturing milestone.

2007 - Chrysler unveils the all-new 2008 Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan minivans at the North American International Auto Show. The Jeep Grand Cherokee becomes available for the first time in the U.S. with a 3.0-liter diesel engine. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management-DaimlerChrysler AG, confirms that “all options are on the table” concerning the future of the company’s Chrysler business unit during the annual press conference in Auburn Hills, MI.

The same day, Chrysler unveils its Recovery and Transformation Plan designed to return the company to profitability by 2008; achieve a return on sales of 2.5 percent by 2009; and redesign the business to sustain long term success. The Dodge Demon concept is revealed at the International Motor Show in Geneva. The Dodge Demon – a B-segment roadster – is designed to be an affordable Dodge sports car that merges brand cues of bold design and powerful performance with an open-air “fun-to-drive” attitude. Nearly one million HEMI-equipped vehicles with MDS technology are on the road, saving more than 60 million gallons of fuel each year.

DaimlerChrysler AG enters into a definitive agreement to sell 80.1 percent of Chrysler and related financial services business to Cerberus Capital Management, L.P. for $7.4 billion. Bob Nardelli is appointed Chrysler Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Tom LaSorda becomes Chrysler Vice Chairman and President. The New Chrysler is born. Jim Press joins the Company as Chrysler Vice Chairman and President, serving the position alongside Tom LaSorda. Chrysler LLC creates a group called ENVI that will develop electric-drive vehicles that support the vision of our Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep brands. Derived from the word “environment,”ENVI is a dedicated in-house organization charged with making Chrysler the leader in advanced-propulsion technologies.

2008 - Chrysler hired the industry’s first Chief Customer Officer, Doug Betts, to help lead efforts to better define, measure and improve quality. In the area of productivity, the recent Harbour Report showed that Chrysler equaled Toyota as the most productive auto manufacturer in North America. Designed from the ground up, the Dodge Journey is a right-sized crossover that combines the versatility of a larger sport-utility vehicle with the efficiency of a passenger car and offers class-leading 25 miles per gallon highway. Nearly 40 years after the debut of the original, Dodge has brought the Challenger back. The Dodge Challenger, a modern muscle car, comes with a fuel-efficient V-6 option and an aggressive entry-level price. The all-new 2009 Dodge Ram crew cab will be able to compete in the crew cab segment for the first time, which represents half of the truck market. Mopar Launches Industry-first – uconnect web bringing wireless Internet connectivity to Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge consumers.

The uconnect family of technologies provides consumers with phone, GPS, music, video and Web connectivity. Since the Dodge Grand Caravan’s birth 25 years ago, 65 minivan-firsts have led to more than 12 million Chrysler and Dodge minivans sold throughout the world, solidifying Chrysler’s leadership in the segment. Chrysler launched its first hybrids, the Chrysler Aspen and Dodge Durango. Both deliver a 25 percent overall improvement in fuel economy without sacrificing performance or the towing capabilities our customers need and expect. Chrysler introduced three advanced electric-drive vehicle prototypes: the Dodge EV, Jeep EV and Chrysler EV. One is targeted to be produced in 2010 for consumers in North American markets, and in European markets after 2010.

2009 - Chrysler received a $4 billion loan from the U.S. Treasury Department to help bridge the economic crisis impacting the auto industry. Chrysler recorded the industry's lowest number of recalls in 2008 as reported by NHTSA -- a total of 360,000, down from 2.2 million in 2007. Additionally, internal warranty data show that Chrysler has achieved the lowest warranty claim rate in its history, with a 30 percent improvement in the last 12 months. Chrysler unveils the 200C EV range–extended (ReEV) electric vehicle at the North American International Auto Show, totaling five vehicles from ENVI (Dodge Circuit, Jeep Patriot, Jeep Wrangler, Chrysler Town & Country prototypes and the 200C EV concept). Fiat SpA., Chrysler LLC and Cerberus Capital Management announce non-binding term sheet agreement to establish a global strategic alliance. Chrysler unveils all-new 2010 Ram 2500 and 3500 Heavy Duty at the Chicago Auto Show.

Chrysler LLC signed an agreement with A123Systems, a U.S.-based battery supplier, for advanced Lithium ion batteries and jointly developed battery modules and battery packs for Chrysler’s Range-extended Electric Vehicle and battery-only Electric Vehicle production programs. Chrysler LLC introduced the all-new 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee at the New York International Auto Show. Daimler announced an agreement on its separation from Chrysler LLC, relinquishing its remaining 19.9% shareholding in the company and agreeing to pay as much as $600 million into the auto maker's pension fund.

Chrysler LLC reached an agreement in principle to establish a global strategic alliance with Fiat SpA to form a vibrant new company. On the same day, under the direction of the U.S. Treasury, Chrysler LLC and 24 of its wholly owned U.S. subsidiaries filed voluntary petitions under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Additionally, Chrysler filed a motion under Section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code requesting the swift approval by the Court of the agreement with Fiat and the sale of Chrysler’s principal assets to the new company. Bob Nardelli, Chairman and CEO, announced his plan to leave the company following the emergence of the new company from Chapter 11 and the completion of the alliance with Fiat.

Tom LaSorda, Vice Chairman and President, announced his retirement after nearly nine years with the company. Edmunds' Inside Line Names All-new 2009 Dodge Ram Best Full-size Pickup Truck in Punishing Head-to-Head Competition. Chrysler LLC signed a financial services agreement with GMAC Financial Services to provide the automotive financing products and services to the Company’s dealers and customers. Two Chrysler LLC vehicles are named on AutoPacific’s survey of the most highly recommended vehicles. According to the survey, owners of the Dodge Nitro and the Jeep Wrangler enjoyed their vehicles enough that they would recommend them to a friend or relative. Owners of the all-new 2009 Dodge Ram and the Jeep Liberty gave top ratings to both vehicles in AutoPacific’s 2009 Vehicle Satisfaction Award research. The all-new 2009 Dodge Ram won the Large Pickup Truck category, beating the new 2009 Ford F-150, while the Jeep Liberty placed at the top of the Mid-Size Sport-Utility Vehicle (SUV) category.

C. Robert Kidder, is named Chairman of Chrysler Group LLC. The U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of New York, approved Chrysler LLC’s request to sell substantially all of its operations to Chrysler Group LLC, the new company formed in alliance with Fiat SpA. Chrysler Group LLC and Fiat Group finalized their previously announced global strategic alliance, forming a “new" Chrysler that has the resources, technology and worldwide distribution network required to compete effectively on a global scale. Chrysler Group LLC announced an organizational restructuring to focus on the Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Mopar brands. The new leaner, flatter structure is intended to restore brand promise and dealer confidence.