Chrysler facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
FCA US, LLC

The Chrysler World Headquarters and Technology Center in Auburn Hills, Michigan, headquarters of Stellantis North America
Trade name	Stellantis North America
Formerly	Chrysler Corporation (1925‍–‍1998) DaimlerChrysler (1998‍–‍2007) Chrysler LLC (2007‍–‍2009) Chrysler Group LLC (2009–2014) Fiat Chrysler Automobiles US (2014‍–‍2021)
Type	Subsidiary
Traded as	(as Chrysler) NYSE: C (until 1998) (as DaimlerChrysler) NYSE: DC (1998-2007) FWB: DC (1998-2007)
Industry	Automotive
Predecessor	United States Motor Company (1910–1913) Maxwell-Chalmers (1913–1925)
Founded	June 6, 1925; 100 years ago (1925-06-06)
Founder	Walter Chrysler
Headquarters	1000 Chrysler Drive, Auburn Hills, Michigan , United States
Number of locations	See List of Stellantis North America factories
Area served	North America
Key people	Antonio Filosa (CEO)
Brands	Chrysler Dodge Jeep Mopar Ram Trucks SRT
Number of employees	81,341 (2023)
Parent	Stellantis
Subsidiaries	Stellantis Canada

FCA US, LLC, also known as Stellantis North America, is a major car company in the United States. It is one of the "Big Three" car makers in the U.S. and has its main office in Auburn Hills, Michigan.

This company is the American part of a bigger global car company called Stellantis. Stellantis North America sells cars and trucks around the world. Its well-known brands include Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram Trucks. It also has Mopar, which sells car parts, and SRT, which makes high-performance cars. The company also helps sell Alfa Romeo, Fiat, and Maserati cars in North America.

The original Chrysler Corporation was started in 1925 by Walter Chrysler. It grew from the old Maxwell Motor Company. In 1998, Chrysler joined with a German company called Daimler-Benz. They formed DaimlerChrysler, but in 2007, Daimler sold its part of Chrysler.

The company then became Chrysler LLC and later Chrysler Group LLC. In 2014, another company, Fiat S.p.A., bought Chrysler. It then became part of a new company called Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA). In 2021, FCA merged with PSA Group to create Stellantis, and Chrysler became a part of this new, even larger company.

After starting the company, Walter Chrysler used a strategy similar to General Motors. He bought Fargo Trucks and the Dodge Brothers Company. He also created new car brands like Plymouth and DeSoto in 1928.

In the 1960s, Chrysler expanded into Europe. It took control of French, British, and Spanish car companies. However, Chrysler Europe was sold in 1978 to PSA Peugeot Citroën. In the 1970s, the company faced challenges. It struggled with changing markets and new rules for car safety and the environment.

Chrysler started working with Mitsubishi Motors. It began selling Mitsubishi cars in North America under the Dodge and Plymouth names. In the late 1970s, Chrysler was almost bankrupt. It was saved by a $1.5 billion loan guarantee from the U.S. government. New CEO Lee Iacocca helped the company become profitable again in the 1980s.

In 1987, Chrysler bought American Motors Corporation (AMC). This deal brought the very popular Jeep brand into the Chrysler family. Like other big car makers, Chrysler was affected by the automotive industry crisis of 2008–2010. The company survived by working with its lenders and getting help from the U.S. government.

On June 10, 2009, Chrysler came out of bankruptcy. Its main owners were the United Auto Workers pension fund, Fiat S.p.A., and the U.S. and Canadian governments. Over the next few years, Fiat S.p.A. slowly bought more shares. By January 2014, Fiat owned all of Chrysler.

In May 2014, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles was formed by combining Fiat S.p.A. and Chrysler. On December 15, 2014, Chrysler Group LLC changed its name to FCA US LLC. This new name showed the merger between Fiat and Chrysler. On January 17, 2021, FCA US LLC became a part of the Stellantis Group. This happened because FCA merged with PSA.

History of Chrysler Cars

Early Years: 1925–1998

Walter Chrysler started the Chrysler company on June 6, 1925. It was created from the Maxwell Motor Company. The company's main office was in Highland Park, Michigan, near Detroit. It stayed there until 1996, when it moved to Auburn Hills.

Walter Chrysler joined the struggling Maxwell-Chalmers company in the early 1920s. He was hired to fix their problems. In January 1924, he launched the first Chrysler car. The Chrysler Six was designed to be an advanced, well-made car at a good price.

Early Chrysler cars had new features for their time. These included an air filter for the engine and a high-compression engine. They also had full pressure lubrication and an oil filter. Chrysler also developed the first practical four-wheel hydraulic brakes. Another invention was "Floating Power" rubber engine mounts, which reduced vibrations. Chrysler also created a special wheel rim to keep a flat tire from coming off. This design was later used by car makers worldwide.

The Maxwell brand was stopped after 1925. The new, cheaper four-cylinder Chryslers for 1926 were actually updated Maxwells. Chrysler's focus on good engineering helped it become the second-best selling car company in the U.S. by 1936. It held this spot until 1949.

In 1928, Chrysler started to offer different car brands for different prices. The Plymouth brand was for lower-priced cars. The DeSoto brand was for mid-priced cars. Also in 1928, Chrysler bought the Dodge Brothers company. It continued to make successful Dodge cars and Fargo trucks.

The 1955 Imperial car model. It became its own brand, separate from Chrysler, in 1955.

The Imperial name was used for top-of-the-line Chrysler cars since 1926. But in 1955, it became its own separate brand. This was done to better compete with luxury brands like Lincoln and Cadillac. This made Chrysler's lineup have five brands: Plymouth, Dodge, DeSoto, Chrysler, and Imperial.

On April 28, 1955, Chrysler and Philco announced the first all-transistor car radio. This radio was an option on the 1956 Imperial automobile models.

In 1960, Chrysler was the first of the "Big Three" car makers to use unibody construction for most of its cars. This means the car's body and frame are built as one piece.

From 1963 to 1969, Chrysler took full control of French, British, and Spanish car companies. These were merged into Chrysler Europe in 1967. In the 1970s, Chrysler partnered with Mitsubishi Motors. It began selling Mitsubishi cars in North America under the Dodge and Plymouth names.

Chrysler faced tough times in the 1970s. People wanted smaller cars, especially after the 1973 oil crisis. Chrysler struggled to meet this demand. Also, there was more competition from imported cars and new government rules for safety and fuel economy. As the smallest of the "Big Three," Chrysler didn't have as much money to deal with these challenges.

In 1975, the Imperial brand was stopped. In 1976, the quality of Chrysler cars went down. Their new models, the Dodge Aspen and Plymouth Volare, had many reliability problems. In 1978, Lee Iacocca was hired to help the company. In 1979, he asked the U.S. government for help. Congress passed a law that gave Chrysler $1.5 billion in loan guarantees.

Iacocca also sold the struggling European operations to PSA Peugeot Citroën for a small amount of money. This helped Chrysler get rid of its big losses and debts. After closing some plants and cutting salaries, Chrysler introduced the Plymouth Reliant and Dodge Aries cars in 1981. These cars were built on a new platform called the Chrysler K platform. Chrysler became profitable again in 1980 and paid back its loans by 1983.

In November 1983, the Dodge Caravan/Plymouth Voyager was introduced. These minivans became very popular and helped Chrysler become stable again. In 1987, Chrysler bought American Motors Corporation (AMC). This deal brought the very profitable Jeep brand to Chrysler. It also brought the new Eagle brand.

Aerial view of the Chrysler World Headquarters and Technology Center in Auburn Hills, Michigan. This photo was taken in 2002.

Joining Forces: 1998–2007

In 1998, Chrysler joined with the German company Daimler-Benz AG. They called it a "merger of equals" and created DaimlerChrysler AG. However, many people were surprised when Daimler actually bought Chrysler. Under DaimlerChrysler, the company was called DaimlerChrysler Motors Company LLC. The Eagle brand was stopped soon after this merger. In 2001, the Plymouth brand was also discontinued.

On May 14, 2007, DaimlerChrysler announced that it was selling most of Chrysler Group to an American investment firm called Cerberus Capital Management. The company was then known as Chrysler LLC.

Tough Times and New Beginnings: 2007–2014

The economic problems during the 2008 financial crisis pushed Chrysler to the edge. On April 30, 2009, the company filed for bankruptcy protection. This allowed it to keep operating while it worked out its debts. The U.S. government helped with this process.

On June 10, 2009, most of Chrysler's assets were sold to a "New Chrysler," called Chrysler Group LLC. The government provided financial support for this deal. Under CEO Sergio Marchionne, Chrysler improved its manufacturing quality. Several car models were updated with better quality and luxury features.

On May 24, 2011, Chrysler paid back its loans to the United States and Canadian governments. On July 21, 2011, Fiat bought the Chrysler shares that the U.S. Treasury held. This made Chrysler a foreign-owned company again, now part of Fiat.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 2014–2021

On January 21, 2014, Fiat bought the remaining shares of Chrysler. A few days later, Fiat and Chrysler announced they would combine under a new company called Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA). They also revealed a new FCA logo.

On December 16, 2014, Chrysler Group LLC officially changed its name to FCA US LLC. This name change showed the merger between Fiat and Chrysler.

In January 2017, FCA US faced accusations from the EPA. The EPA said FCA US used special software to cheat on diesel-emissions tests. The company denied these accusations. Later, in 2022, FCA US admitted to some legal issues related to these accusations.

On July 21, 2018, Sergio Marchionne stepped down as chairman and CEO due to health reasons. He was replaced by John Elkann and Michael Manley.

FCA US also had to pay fines for not meeting fuel economy standards. This was because they stopped making some more fuel-efficient cars like the Dodge Dart and Chrysler 200 sedans.

In February 2024, Chrysler showed a concept for its first electric car, the Chrysler Halcyon. This is a battery-electric sedan.

Logo Changes

• 

  1925–1955

• 

  1955–1962

• 

  1962–1998

• 

  1998–2007

• 

  2007–2014

• 

  2014–2021

• 

  2021–present

How the Company is Run

Chrysler House executive offices in Detroit Financial District

As of 2022, Stellantis North America has many people in important management roles. These include leaders for sales, quality, marketing, and different car brands.

Sales and Marketing

United States Sales

Chrysler is the smallest of the "Big Three" U.S. car makers. The other two are Ford Motor Company and General Motors. In 2020, FCA US sold over 1.8 million vehicles.

Marketing Campaigns

Lifetime Powertrain Warranty

In 2007, Chrysler started offering a lifetime powertrain warranty for the first owner of a vehicle. This warranty covered the engine and transmission for as long as the original owner had the car. This was for certain models from 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009. After Chrysler's restructuring, this program was changed. It was replaced by a five-year/100,000-mile warranty for cars from 2010 onwards.

"Let's Refuel America"

In 2008, Chrysler launched a program called "Let's Refuel America." This was in response to customers worrying about rising gas prices. The program guaranteed new-car buyers a gas price of $2.99 per gallon for three years. Customers who bought eligible Chrysler, Jeep, and Dodge vehicles could join. They received a gas card that lowered their gas price to $2.99 a gallon for three years.

Ram Trucks

In October 2009, Dodge's car and truck lines were separated. The name "Dodge" was used for cars, minivans, and crossovers. The name "Ram" was used for light and medium-duty trucks and other commercial vehicles.

Calendar year	U.S. Chrysler sales	%Chg/yr.
1999	2,638,561
2000	2,522,695	4.4%
2001	2,273,208	9.9%
2002	2,205,446	3%
2003	2,127,451	3.5%
2004	2,206,024	3.7%
2005	2,304,833	4.5%
2006	2,142,505	7%
2007	2,076,650	3.1%
2008	1,453,122	30%
2009	931,402	36%
2010	1,085,211	17%
2011	1,369,114	26%
2012	1,651,787	21%
2013	1,800,368	9%
2014	2,090,639	16%
2015	2,243,907	7%
2016	2,244,315	0.0%
2017	2,059,376	0.8%
2018	2,235,204	8.5%
2019	2,203,663	1.4%
2020	1,820,636	17.4%
2021	1,777,394	2.4%
2022	1,547,076	13.0%
2023	1,527,090	1.3%
2024	1,303,570	14.6%

"Imported From Detroit"

In 2011, Chrysler launched its "Imported From Detroit" campaign. This campaign featured ads with rapper Eminem, including one that aired during the Super Bowl. The campaign showed off Chrysler's updated car lineup. This included the new 2011 Chrysler 200 sedans, 200 convertibles, the Chrysler 300 sedan, and the Chrysler Town & Country minivan.

As part of the campaign, Chrysler sold clothing with the "Imported from Detroit" slogan. The money raised went to charities in the Detroit area. Chrysler also had some legal issues with a clothing company over the use of the slogan. They later reached an agreement.

Chrysler's Jefferson North Assembly plant is important. It makes the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango. This is the only car manufacturing plant fully located in Detroit.

"Halftime in America"

Chrysler also advertised during the Super Bowl in 2012. Their two-minute ad was called "Halftime in America." This ad caused some discussion. Some people thought it was political because it seemed to support President Barack Obama. However, Chrysler's CEO said it was not political.

Slogans

• Engineered to be Great Cars (1998–2001)
• Drive = Love (2002–2004)
• Inspiration comes standard (2004–2007)
• Engineered Beautifully (2007–mid 2010)
• Imported From Detroit (2011–2014)
• America's Import (2014–2016)

Car Technology: Chrysler Uconnect

Chrysler Uconnect is a system that adds interactive features to car radios and controls. It was first called MyGig. This system connects to the internet using a mobile network. This gives the car its own internet address.

You can also get Wi-Fi in your car through Uconnect Web. This creates a Wi-Fi "hot-spot" around the vehicle. Uconnect is available in many Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram vehicles.

In July 2015, security experts found a serious problem with Uconnect. It affected many Chrysler vehicles made from late 2013 to early 2015. This problem could allow hackers to control parts of the car over the internet. For example, in a Jeep Cherokee, hackers could control the radio, air conditioning, wipers, steering, brakes, and even the transmission. Chrysler released a fix that car owners could download or have a dealer install.

Brands of Stellantis North America

Current Brands

Origin	Brand	Estab.	Added	Notes
US	Chrysler	1925	1925
US	Dodge	1900	1928
US	Jeep	1943	1987
US	Mopar	1937	1937
US	Ram	2010	2010	Ram used to be a series of Dodge trucks and vans.

Former Brands

Origin	Brand	Estab.	Chrysler years	Fate
US	American Motors	1954	1987–1988	Stopped making cars, replaced by the Eagle brand
US	Chrysler Marine	1927	1927–1980	Discontinued
US	DeSoto	1928	1928–1961	Models were combined and replaced by Chrysler Newport.
US	Eagle	1988	1988–1998	Discontinued
US	Fargo	1913	1913–1972	Discontinued
US	Global Electric Gemcars	1992	1998–2011	Sold to Polaris Industries
US	Imperial	1955	1955–1983	Discontinued
US	Plymouth	1928	1928–2001	Discontinued, models were added to the Chrysler Line up.
US	Valiant	1959	1959–1976	Discontinued
ITA	Lamborghini	1963	1987–1994	Sold to Mycom / V'Power Corp.
SPA	Barreiros	1954	1969–1978	Discontinued, became part of Chrysler Europe
FRA	Simca	1934	1967–1970	Discontinued, became part of Chrysler Europe
FRA	Matra	1964	1970–1979	Joint venture; part acquired by Peugeot
UK	Humber	1887	1967–1976	Discontinued, became part of Chrysler Europe
UK	Commer	1905	1967–1979	Discontinued, became part of Chrysler Europe
UK	Karrier	1908	1967–1979	Discontinued, became part of Chrysler Europe
UK	Hillman	1907	1967–1976	Discontinued, became part of Chrysler Europe
UK	Sunbeam	1905	1967–1976	Discontinued, became part of Chrysler Europe
UK	Singer	1875	1967–1970	Discontinued, became part of Chrysler Europe

Environmental Efforts

In 1979, Chrysler worked with the United States Department of Energy. They made an experimental battery electric vehicle called the Chrysler ETV-1. In 1993, Chrysler sold a small number of electric minivans called the TEVan.

Chrysler used to own the Global Electric Gemcars company. This company built low-speed electric vehicles. But Chrysler sold GEM to Polaris Industries in 2011.

In September 2007, Chrysler created ENVI. This group focused on electric cars and related technologies. In August 2009, Chrysler received money from the U.S. Department of Energy. This was to develop a test fleet of 220 hybrid pickup trucks and minivans.

The first hybrid models, the Chrysler Aspen hybrid and the Dodge Durango hybrid, were stopped a few months after they started production in 2008.

Chrysler Defense and Special Projects

Building Tanks for War

Chrysler had a special division for building tanks. It was started in 1940 to make more M2 Medium Tanks for the U.S. Army. Its first factory was the Detroit Arsenal Tank Plant. When the M2A1 tank became old very quickly, plans changed. Chrysler started making the M3 Grant tank instead. These tanks were mainly for the British, as the U.S. was not yet officially in World War II.

After December 1941, when the U.S. joined the war, the Tank division grew fast. It built new factories and made more products. This included the M4 Sherman tank and the Chrysler A57 multibank tank engine.

Radar Antennas

During World War II, Chrysler also helped with radar technology. They helped design and build the antennas for the SCR-584 radar system. This was a very important radar system during the war. Chrysler changed the antenna design to make it easier to produce using car factory tools. They also redesigned the moving parts of the antenna. These changes made the radar work better, weigh less, and be easier to fix. A large part of the Dodge plant was used to build 1,500 of these radar antennas.

Missiles and Space Boosters

In April 1950, the U.S. Army started the Ordnance Guided Missile Center. This center designed the Army's first short-range ballistic missile, the PGM-11 Redstone. This missile was based on the German V-2 missile from World War II. Chrysler created the Missile Division to build the Redstone missile. They set up an engineering office in Huntsville, Alabama, and used a large plant in Sterling Heights, Michigan, for production. The Redstone missile was used from 1958 to 1964. It was also the first missile to test a live nuclear weapon.

Chrysler's Missile Division and a team of scientists improved the Redstone missile. This led to the PGM-19 Jupiter, a medium-range ballistic missile. In May 1959, a Jupiter missile launched two small monkeys into space. This was America's first successful flight and return of live animals from space.

In July 1959, NASA chose the Redstone missile to be the basis for the Mercury-Redstone Launch Vehicle. This vehicle was used for test flights of the Project Mercury spacecraft. The Mercury-Redstone Launch Vehicle successfully launched the chimpanzee Ham and astronauts Alan Shepard and Gus Grissom into space.

Chrysler's Huntsville operation, then called the Space Division, became a main contractor for the first stage of the Saturn I and Saturn IB rockets. These rockets were used for the Apollo program. Chrysler built these parts in the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. Between October 1961 and July 1975, NASA used these Saturn rockets for many successful flights. Chrysler's missiles and boosters never failed during a launch.

More to Explore

Countries Where Chrysler Operated

• Chrysler Fevre Argentina - sold to Volkswagen in 1980
• Chrysler Kamyon Turkey - sold to the ASKAM in 2003.
• Fiat Chrysler Australia
• Stellantis Canada

See also

In Spanish: Stellantis North America para niños