Wrap Up: Dodge Weekend in SoCal

By Mike Accavitti

Director, Global Marketing

IRVINE, Calif. — This past weekend I had the fortune to travel to the El Toro air base here to spend quality time with about 1,000 like-minded folks. Here’s some quick thoughts from my trip…

These were owners and families of our “LX” body style cars, Chargers, Magnums and 300s. But that is not what makes them like minded…no, these people are very special in that they are fanatical about their rides! I am talking a level or love and appreciation for their late model Mopars that I previously have only see in owners of classic Mopars. They are Mopar nuts
with a remarkable level passion for their cars and the brand. All in, there were around 400 different, customized cars, from 15 states and 4 countries at this giant car show. People from all walks of life, women, men, young and older, of multiple ethnicities with one common tread brought to them by Chrysler Corporation.

Each car had been personalized by its owner…from the subtle to the extreme. They have done everything from name badge tweaks to super charge their engines to complete interior redos. I got the chance to spend a day and a half with these customers and find out what makes ‘em tick. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and their input will certainly find its way in to our future products and marketing strategies. These owners reflect the core of the Dodge Brand…what makes us tick…they are expressive, strong, powerful…a group of mavericks…just like the Dodge Boys and Girls designing, engineering and selling these American Dream Machines.

We had the new 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 out in California for the first time, too. I can’t wait until next years event, where I expect we’ll see a lot of new owners showing up with their new Challengers.