Frankfurt Show: A Global ‘Journey’ for Dodge, Expect Some Surprises Tuesday
Sep 10, 2007 at 3:19PMBy Pablo Cuevas
Senior Manager, International Marketing
FRANKFURT, Germany — Excited anticipation: With Dodge standing on its own for the first time in a decade at a major international auto show, that’s what I’m feeling right now. I’m excited. I handle marketing responsibilities for the Dodge brand in all markets outside of the NAFTA countries and our debut of the Journey crossover at the 62nd International Motor Show held in Frankfurt is a chance for me to see peoples’ honest reactions to our brand and our products.
I just got to Germany yesterday and am trying to adjust to the time, get some quick food and get some sleep before the big show. But my mind is racing.
Having managed the Jeep brand internationally before, I’m more familiar with how Jeep is understood outside of the US, but I’m all the more curious to experience firsthand what people here in Germany think of this bold, unapologetically American and maybe even slightly irreverent brand of ours.
The Dodge brand is still quite new to people in Europe, and unlike the US, it is primarily a passenger vehicle brand – our product portfolio so far consists of Caliber, Nitro and, only recently, Avenger.
Having the opportunity to share our brand with people from over 30 countries, speaking more than 20 languages is quite exciting. I wonder if people will come up and ask me if “that thing’s got a HEMI?” That would be cool.
Aside from hosting the global reveal of the new Dodge Journey on Tuesday, in a typically Dodge fashion we have also prepared a bit of a surprise to our public in terms of the display area itself. Following our philosophy of defying convention and sometimes disregarding rules that restrict change, the Dodge stand is guaranteed to make a bold statement. But more on that coming Tuesday.
Thanks for listening. I’m off to bed.
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3 Comments
I love the look of the new challenger and I’m ready to order.but I hope they offer some other wheels,I hate the look of the ones I have seen so far!Or make as to were I can bolt on some 15″ weld draglites!
I agree to previous comment. Why don’t you bring the spirit of the Dodge Brand to Europe? The Durango, Dakota and the RAM with the Mercedes Diesel Engines operated by Automatic Transmissions would be useful and a real benefit to the market! See Figures of the Nissan SUV Pathfinder or the Nissan PickUps! And the Dodge Magnum with a sixbanger Diesel would be also great! Not to mention the 2008 Challenger as top of the line with the HEMI (5,7 + 6,1). I personally drive a 1964 Dodge 440 (Super Stocker Design Color me Gone) and for daily use a 2005 Dodge Magnum RT. For issues of the gas prices I drive the Magnum on LPG…….
Welcome to Frankfurt young man!
Nobody, absolutely NOBODY will ask you if \”That thing has a HEMI\” Because DODGE dont sell HEMI powered cars in Europe. You guys didnt even bring ONE! (Like the Challenger)
All us Europeans have KNOWN this since August 2005.
We even ask ourselves: WHH (What the heck) is going on with this brand? They dont brand out WW with the most prominent products they have?
Instead the previous board of briliance have this idea, that europeans what european cars from USA!! He** NO, we wnat American CARS from America, that is exclusively big cars with big engines, please. You even think dropping a European Diesel in your European type model will help.. sorry no. I can get a Golf instead. Avenger does not come with Automatic? A SURE All American standard…
Every citizen in the world goes to dodge.com and check out the nice cars, you really have, incl. the caliber (It is a very fine car, just not the diesel version/manual) and the avenger is an awesome replacer for neon/Intrepid, but outside USA, it does not even come as it is described on dodge.com.
Infact non of the nice model versions and packages are really for non-US buyers :=(
Please take a deep breath, write a MEMO for when you are back in Auburn hills, and the new Execs, and let them KNOW what Europeans are really expecting from this fine AMERICAN car maker. (American CARS!)
Sorry for the outburst, but it seems nobody else will tell what you are doing \”wrong\”
Btw: I do own a dodge…….import