Dodge Charger Achieves 5-Star NHTSA Frontal Crash Rating

Chargers Success makes Ten 5-Star Ratings in a row for Chrysler Group

Talk about a great track record, all ten new models Chrysler Group has brought to market since its Pacifica crossover debuted in 2003 have delivered 5-Star U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) frontal crash protection, the highest rating possible. While most automakers target this goal, the results of their efforts dont always produce safety standards as high.

The latest to achieve a 5-Star frontal-impact NHTSA crash protection rating is the new Dodge Charger, is the result of a variety of factors, including Advance multistage driver and front passenger airbags, with Occupant Classification System (OCS) for controlled airbag deployment, constant force seatbelt retractors, pretensioners, and an energy-absorbing steering column. Optional side-curtain airbags are available to increase the Chargers safety in the event of side impact or a potential rollover - the latter highly unlikely with a vehicle that has a track as wide, and center of gravity as low as the new Charger.

While crash protection is vitally important, of even greater benefit is the ability to avoid a potential accident in the first place. To this end, Charger is available with electronic stability control, arguably the single most important safety feature to be introduced in the automotive segment since airbags. The Charger uses Boschs proven Electronic Stability Program (ESP), combined with an all-speed Traction Control System (TCS) and ABS enhanced four-wheel disc brakes.

So which were the last ten new Chrysler Group models to be introduced? The NHTSA 5-Star models include the Chrysler Pacifica,

updated Chrysler and Dodge minivans, Dodge Durango, Dodge Ram 1500, Dodge Ram Quad, Chrysler 300, Dodge Magnum, Dodge Dakota, Jeep(R) Grand Cherokee and Dodge Charger.

The 2006 Dodge Charger is manufactured at the Brampton Assembly Plant in Brampton, Ontario, which also builds the Dodge Magnum and Chrysler 300 vehicles.

In order to keep up with the expected demand from Charger sales, Chrysler made a $125 million investment to build the new Charger on the same assembly line as the Chrysler 300 and Dodge Magnum, which has added 900 new jobs and resulted in the need for a third shift. Three shifts is the maximum any plant can handle, due to time restraints, therefore the Brampton facility is fully optimized - an impressive feat during a time when most domestic automakers, and some European and Japanese, are clawing back production due to slow sales.

Adding a third shift in Brampton also means the plant is maximizing the investment Chrysler Group put into it, which will bolster the automakers bottom line, a testament to building flexible manufacturing facilities.

"Three of the biggest news makers in the Chrysler Group vehicle lineup are produced at the Brampton facility, which highlights our commitment to manufacturing flexibility," said Frank Ewasyshyn, Executive Vice President, Manufacturing, Chrysler Group. "This flexibility is a competitive advantage that is helping us move toward our goal of being a manufacturing leader."

In total, the upgrades to the Brampton plant included $68 million for assembly and $57 million for stamping, which is in addition to the $1 billion spent previously to prepare the Brampton facility for 300 and Magnum production. Initially, Chrysler updated approximately 80 percent of the plant, primarily to allow for production of rear-wheel drive vehicles where front-wheel drive vehicles had been built up to that point.

The 2006 Dodge Charger is expected to be another major hit for Chrysler Group, and being that much of its architecture, from its chassis to its drivetrain components, as well as some interior panels and behind-the-scene electronics are derived from the 300/Magnum duo, it has greater potential for profitability.