What Woman REALLY Want In A Car Goy - Or So They Say

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., May 10 -- The votes are in. After a nationwide search, David Neumann, Valley Mills, Texas, has been named the "Dodge Dakota Ultimate Guy." Neumann was chosen from hundreds of entries as the person who best embodies the characteristics of someone who is strong, capable, works hard and plays even harder. He wins an all-new 2005 Dodge Dakota pickup truck and an ultimate sports day for him and four of his friends.

The search for the "Ultimate Guy" was launched in response to a survey showing that ninety percent of U.S. women surveyed prefer a regular, capable and laid-back guy to just five percent still wanting the hip, fashion conscious "metrosexual" male.

"Hundreds of men were nominated for the Dodge Dakota Ultimate Guy because they mirror the rugged, strong and capable characteristics of the Dodge Dakota," said Fred Diaz, Director - Dodge Communications, Chrysler Group. "David stands out from the crowd with his rugged lifestyle, do-it-yourself capability and eagerness to always help a friend in need."

Neumann was one of twelve finalists selected from nominations, who were then posted online at http://www.dodge.com/ultimateguy where consumers could vote for their favorite guy. The 11 runners-up will receive an "ultimate tailgating prize," including a stainless steel cooler, blanket, binoculars and grilling tools.

Neumann was nominated by his wife, Jennifer, who said she felt that her husband, a farm-raised civil engineer who is the father of two daughters and has a love of the outdoors, was a perfect candidate. According to his wife, Neumann is the type of guy who will "pitch in to help a friend move, build, or work on their home" and always "takes care of the people in his life."

"I was shocked when I found out I was the winner," said David Neumann. "I'm currently driving a Dodge Ram with 169,000 miles on it, so my new truck couldn't be coming at a better time. I plan to spend the summer enjoying my new Dodge Dakota camping with my wife and two daughters, dove hunting and picking up materials for projects around the house."

The Dodge Dakota Ultimate Guy contest was launched nationally on Feb. 23. Nominations were submitted at http://www.dodge.com/ultimateguy where men and women could nominate themselves, their loved ones or friends. Nominees were asked to submit essays describing their ultimate guy style, capability and how they stand out from the crowd.

"We hope David puts his Dodge Dakota's best-in-class capabilities to the test, whether he's off-roading with his buddies, hauling a boat or using the class-leading payload for his do-it-yourself projects," said Diaz.

Survey Says

According to a national survey commissioned by the Dodge brand and conducted by Harris Interactive(R), women are most interested in being able to count on their man, as dependability took the top spot for best characteristic (92 percent). In a close second, women said their ideal man can make them laugh (88 percent). These two traits also rank tops for men but in the opposite order; guys believe their friend's most important trait is a sense of humor (66 percent) with dependability a close second at 62 percent.

About the All-New 2005 Dodge Dakota

The Dodge Truck lineup continues to haul the most leadership claims. Bigger, bolder and tougher, the all-new 2005 Dodge Dakota stands alone as the largest and strongest mid-size pickup on the market with the only two V-8 engines in its class. New interiors improve comfort levels on both Dakota Club Cab and Dakota Quad Cab models, with more interior room than any other mid-size pickup. The Dodge Dakota Quad Cab offers the most interior space in its class with available six-passenger seating.