Chrysler muscle car to be built in Brampton
 

Chrysler muscle car to be built in Brampton
TheStar.com - Business - Chrysler muscle car to be built in Brampton

February 13, 2007
Gary Norris
Canadian Press

DaimlerChrysler Canada has confirmed that the new Dodge Challenger muscle car will be assembled at its Brampton plant west of Toronto.

Production of the two-door sports coupe is to begin in the spring of 2008 as the Challenger is added to the plant's existing production of Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger sedans and Dodge Magnum station wagons.

Tuesday's announcement came the day before the Chrysler Group was to present an industrial restructuring which reports have said could cost 10,000.

The Challenger is not expected to be a high-volume product but its addition to the lineup could help keep the plant continuing to operate on a three-shift basis.

The Challenger, presented as a concept car just over a year ago at the Detroit Auto Show, will do battle in the marketplace against the long-established Ford Mustang and the Chevrolet Camaro, which General Motors has said will be made in Oshawa, and be in showrooms by 2009.

Chrysler said last summer it would build the Challenger but had not confirmed the assembly site, although Brampton was seen as the logical choice because the vehicle shares its basic rear-wheel-drive architecture with the 300, Charger and Magnum.

Production will begin barely two years after the presentation of the concept, and Brampton will be the first Chrysler Group plant assembling four separate models.

"Quickly bringing desirable new products such as the Dodge Challenger to market is critical to keeping our plants humming and our dealerships busy," stated

DaimlerChrysler Canada CEO Reid Bigland.

Chrysler's other Canadian assembly complex, in Windsor, Ont., produces Dodge and Chrysler minivans and the Chrysler Pacifica crossover.

DaimlerChrysler credited the choice of Ontario as the source of the Challenger partly to the provincial government's "strong support for the Brampton assembly plant through its contribution to the plant-wide third shift training program that was essential to the successful launch of the Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger and Dodge Magnum."

Chrysler says it has seen "passionate response" to the Challenger, and 20,000 potential customers have asked for more information about the car, which will be available with the company's trademark hemi V-8 engine.



Bill Bagozzi, a concept car tech, prepares DaimlerChrysler's new-old 2008 Challenger for its media debut. The sports car will be built at DaimlerChrysler's Brampton plant, the automaker confirmed Tuesday, Feb. 13.

[IMG]local://upfiles/17/2FB3DEAAA9C14C6CA823037B5B38D6FC.jpg[/IMG]

RE: Chrysler muscle car to be built in Brampton
 

This is a slightly modified version of the same article with some extra information.........my guess is for our Canadian friends.

Chrysler adds muscle in Canada: Dodge Challenger will be Brampton-built

February 13, 2007 - 20:25

By: GARY NORRIS

TORONTO (CP) - DaimlerChrysler Canada has confirmed that the new Dodge Challenger muscle car will be assembled at its Brampton plant west of Toronto.

Production of the two-door sports coupe is to begin in the spring of 2008 as the Challenger is added to the plant's existing production of Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger sedans and Dodge Magnum station wagons.

Tuesday's announcement came the day before the Chrysler Group was to present an industrial restructuring which reports have said could cost 10,000 jobs including up to 2,000 in Canada.

The Challenger is not expected to be a high-volume product but its addition to the lineup might help keep the Brampton plant operating on a three-shift basis.

The third shift, with about 900 jobs, was believed to be in danger as management finalized Wednesday's downsizing.

The automaker will not add any jobs as a result of the Challenger announcement, said Ed Saenz, DaimlerChrysler Canada's manager of corporate communications.

The company also is not releasing any sales target.

Industry observers forecast the Challenger probably will move about 30,000 units annually, said Canadian Auto Workers communications director Jim Pare. The Brampton plant turned out 314,000 cars last year but output is being trimmed in the first quarter of this year.

"Sales have peaked a bit on the cars that are there," Pare observed.

The Challenger, which was presented as a concept car just over a year ago at the Detroit Auto Show, will do battle in the marketplace against the long-established Ford Mustang and the revived Chevrolet Camaro, which General Motors has said will be made in Oshawa, Ont., and be in showrooms by 2009.

Chrysler said last summer it would build the Challenger but until Tuesday evening had not confirmed the assembly site, although Brampton was seen as the logical choice because the car shares its basic rear-wheel-drive architecture with the 300, Charger and Magnum.

Production will begin barely two years after the presentation of the concept, and Brampton will be the first Chrysler Group plant assembling four separate models.

"Quickly bringing desirable new products such as the Dodge Challenger to market is critical to keeping our plants humming and our dealerships busy," stated

DaimlerChrysler Canada CEO Reid Bigland.

Chrysler's other Canadian assembly complex, in Windsor, Ont., produces Dodge and Chrysler minivans and the Chrysler Pacifica crossover.

Despite worries about fuel costs and global warming, Chrysler says there has been"passionate response" to the Challenger, and 20,000 potential customers have asked for information about the car, which will be available with the company's trademark Hemi V-8 engine.

The Challenger reincarnates a concept and nameplate that flamed out in 1974 amid high fuel and insurance costs. Those Challengers now are sought-after collectibles.

The Challenger name returned from 1978 until 1983, applied to a four-cylinder coupe made by Mitsubishi of Japan.

DaimlerChrysler credited the choice of Ontario as the source of the new Challenger partly to the provincial government's "strong support for the Brampton assembly plant through its contribution to the plant-wide third shift training program that was essential to the successful launch of the Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger and Dodge Magnum."

RE: Chrysler muscle car to be built in Brampton
 

Today, Valentine's Day, another article about the Dodge Challenger being built in Brampton, Ontario.....


Muscle Car gives Brampton relief

will post the article in a new thread. Don't mean to step on Jeremiah's toes but it seems the Canadian media is jumping all over this story.