Chrysler Canada

FCA Canada Inc
Wholly owned subsidiary
Industry Automotive
Founded 1925
Headquarters Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Area served
 Canada
Key people
 Reid Bigland, President & CEO of Chrysler Canada
Products Automobiles, Light Trucks, Vans, Light Commercial Vehicles
Owner Fiat Chrysler Automobiles
Parent Chrysler
Website fcacanada.ca

Chrysler Canada Incorporated, officially FCA Canada is FCA US's's Canadian subsidiary. Incorporated in 1925, the Chrysler Corporation of Canada gained complete control of a Maxwell-Chalmers plant in Windsor Ontario that had been used to manufacture some Chrysler models in the previous year. Initially called Chrysler Canada, Ltd, the name of the company changed to DaimlerChrysler Canada Inc following the merger of the two parent companies. In August 2007, the company was renamed Chrysler Canada Incorporated when Cerberus Capital Management purchased 80.1% of its parent company Chrysler LLC.

Chrysler Canada has three manufacturing plants in operation in Canada, and built 535,878 cars and trucks in 2002. In 2007 the company sold 232,688 vehicles in the Canadian market. In 2012, Chrysler Canada sales were 243,845, a 6% increase over 2011; this put the company into the #2 sales slot for Canada.[1]

History

Chrysler Canada was established in mid-June 1925, with 181 employees.[2] 7,857 vehicles were produced in the first year.[2]

"Plodge"

Plodge, a portmanteau of the names Plymouth and Dodge, is a name informally used to refer to vehicles Chrysler Canada built with a mix of U.S. Plymouth and Dodge parts for the Canadian and export markets. This practice allowed dealers in Canada to offer a wider array of vehicles at lower development cost in the relatively small Canadian market. For example, a Plymouth with a Dodge grille and taillights became a Dodge without the expense of tooling a vehicle for the market. On the Dodge Dart introduced in 1960, only the interiors were shared; Canadian-market 1960-61 Darts had Plymouth dashboards. The 1965 to 1966 Dodge Monaco used a Dodge body, with a Plymouth Fury dashboard and interior trim. Not all Canadian-market Chrysler-built vehicles were badge engineered in this manner, however; The DeSoto Diplomat, for example—a rebadged Dodge Dart—was never sold in Canada, where DeSotos were similar to the US models. The Canadian 1960 DeSoto Adventurer looked like the American 1960 DeSoto but used the upholstery and door panels from the 1960 Chrysler Saratoga.

"Plodges" were also built in the United States for markets outside of North America. The first American-built export "Plodge" was built in the U.S. for the 1935 model year. Two years later, the American firm began building Plymouths with DeSoto-like grilles for export. The Canadian operation began building these export cars in 1939. Dodge Kingsways were sold not only in Canada but in export markets including Hawaii from 1946 to until 1959, when the territory became the 50th state.

The 1965 Canadian-market Valiant Custom 200 was a rebadged U.S. Dodge Dart.

The Valiant was sold by both Dodge and Plymouth dealers as a separate make, as had been the original plan in the United States. 1960 to 1962 Canadian Valiants were substantially the same as American models, with minor trim and mechanical equipment differences. 1963-64 Canadian Valiants had U.S. Valiant front sheetmetal on the U.S. Dart body. 1965 Canadian Valiants were available in the full range of sizes and models offered across the American Valiant and Dart models, but all Canadian-market cars used Dart instrument clusters and were badged "Valiant". For 1966, the Valiant Barracuda was the only offering in Canada on the U.S. Valiant's 106 in (269.2 cm) wheelbase, with no Valiant station wagons in Canada for 1966.

"Plodge" vehicles include:

Once the Canada–United States Automotive Products Agreement (the "Auto Pact") took practical effect in 1967, virtually all differences ceased to exist between U.S. and Canadian Chrysler products. However, until the early 2000s the model distribution within and among marques was sometimes different in Canada than in the U.S. The Dodge and Plymouth Neon was sold in Canada as the Chrysler Neon; the Dodge Dynasty and Intrepid were likewise both badged and sold as Chrysler models in Canada. In 2003 this practice was stopped and the U.S. and Canadian marque and model ranges are fully aligned.

Historically, Chrysler Canada sold vehicles under the Dodge, Plymouth, Chrysler, DeSoto, Valiant, and Imperial marques. Presently there are four marques: Dodge, Ram, Jeep, and Chrysler. Dodge is the mainstream car and van line, Jeep is the main SUV range, Chrysler is the premium line, and Ram is the range of trucks and truck-based SUVs.

Operations

Dealers

FCA Canada had 440 dealers. All dealers carry Mopar parts; relatively few carry Fiat cars. Most carry Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram, and SRT.

Manufacturing plants

Plant Location Year opened Year closed Notes
Brampton Assembly 2000 Williams Parkway East, Brampton, Ontario 1986 employs 2,750 and produces Chrysler 300/300C, Dodge Charger, Dodge Challenger and Lancia Thema
Windsor Assembly 2199 Chrysler Center, Windsor, Ontario 1928 employs 4,254 and produces Chrysler Town & Country, Dodge Grand Caravan, Ram Cargo Van, Chrysler Voyager, Lancia Voyager and the Volkswagen Routan
Etobicoke Casting 15 Browns Line, Etobicoke, Ontario 1942 Acquired in 1964; employs 300 and is a casting plant for die casting, pistons, engine and transmission parts; expanded in 1998

FCA Canada has other operations in Canada:

Offices

Parts and distribution centres

References

  1. ↑ Chrysler Canada closes strong year
  2. 1 2 Mays, James C. "1930 Chrysler". www.OldCarsCanada.com. Retrieved 27 February 2013.

External links

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