15 Years Ago - Way Back When: Dodge Announces Exciting New Journey Crossover that Delivers Great Value and Unsurpassed Function and Flexibility Starting at $19,985

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Dec. 21, 2007 -- Chrysler LLC announced today the U.S. Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of the 2009 Dodge Journey is $19,985 (including $625 destination). The 2009 Dodge Journey gives buyers a crossover vehicle that meets life's changing demands by offering unsurpassed versatility and flexibility in a sporty, stylish package.

"The all-new 2009 Dodge Journey gives our customers the complete package at an incredible value," said Deborah Meyer, Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer-Chrysler LLC. "For less than $20,000, Dodge Journey blends safety, quality and reliability with innovative technology, entertainment features and tons of useful storage, wrapped in a package that is pure Dodge."

The Dodge Journey is built on the company's global D-segment platform. In the Dodge brand line-up, this new crossover falls between the compact Dodge Caliber and the Dodge Grand Caravan. It is designed to win the hearts of customers ranging from young singles, couples and families with small children to mature families who want the flexibility to do more in terms of carrying passengers in comfort or storing all their gear.

Clever, flexible seating and storage combinations include standard five- passenger seating with spacious cargo room and available third-row seating for carrying up to seven passengers. Spacious storage bins, hidden in the floor and available under the front passenger seat cushion, combined with the standard Chill Zone(TM) for beverage storage and a choice of the fuel- efficient 2.4-liter four-cylinder World Engine on the SE model or 3.5-liter V- 6 engine with six-speed Auto Stick and dual exhaust on the SXT and R/T models, make Dodge Journey incredibly flexible, functional and fun-to-drive.

Safety also is at the top of mind for customers, and the Dodge Journey delivers with standard multi-stage front driver and passenger air bags, standard front-seat-mounted side air bags, standard three-row side-curtain air bags, standard four-wheel disc anti-lock brakes (ABS), standard Panic Brake Assist, standard Electronic Stability Program (ESP), standard Electronic Roll Mitigation, standard Trailer Sway Damping and available back-up camera.

The 2009 Dodge Journey will be available in U.S. dealerships in the first quarter of 2008 and in global volume markets outside North America in both left-hand and right-hand drive, starting in mid-2008.

Dodge Journey model line-up

The 2009 Dodge Journey is available in the United States in three models: Dodge Journey SE equipped with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder World Engine and Dodge Journey SXT and R/T models equipped with a 3.5-liter V-6 engine and six- speed automatic transaxle with Auto Stick.

Journey SXT and R/T models also are available with a state-of-the-art all- wheel-drive (AWD) system that comes with 19-inch wheels and tires and a performance suspension to provide a new level of style and capability to the large number of consumers seeking the performance and driving control of AWD. Journey's AWD system starts at a very affordable price of $25,530 (including $625 destination).

  2009 Dodge Journey Pricing
  (All prices include $625 destination)

  Dodge Journey SE -- $19,985
  Dodge Journey SXT -- $22,985
  Dodge Journey SXT AWD -- $25,530 (includes 19-inch aluminum wheels and
  tires, fog lamps, performance suspension)
  Dodge Journey R/T -- $26,545
  Dodge Journey R/T AWD -- $28,295

  Crossover segment continues to expand

Journey is the Dodge brand's first crossover. It arrives in U.S. dealerships as crossover popularity continues to increase in the United States. In the past six years, crossovers have gained more than 3 percentage points in share of the total U.S. auto industry. With 625,980 crossover vehicles sold in the United States in 2006, the segment made up nearly four percent of vehicle sales in the country. In the past three years alone, the U.S. crossover segment has grown on average nearly 14 percent per year.

Dodge Brand

With a U.S. market share of 6.4 percent, Dodge is Chrysler LLC's best- selling brand and the fifth largest nameplate in the U.S. automotive market. In 2006, Dodge sold more than 1.3 million vehicles in the global market. In the highly competitive truck market, Dodge has a 15 percent market share. Recently, Dodge introduced the all-new 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan with 35 new or improved features including the newest innovation, the Swivel 'n Go(TM) seating system. In 2007, the Dodge Avenger and Nitro entered key volume segments outside North America, joining the Dodge Caliber, which launched in those markets in 2006. The all-new 2009 Dodge Journey will debut in 2008 calendar year, and will be available outside North America in both left- and right-hand drive in mid-2008. Also in 2008, Dodge will introduce its modern muscle car, the all-new Dodge Challenger.