here is a re-print of an article from the local paper:
DaimlerChrysler has produced more than a half-million Dodge
Durangos at the Newark, Delaware Assembly plant since it was launched
less than 3 years ago.
Autoworkers at the plant stopped the assembly line briefly on
Tuesday to reconize the milestone, which the 2yrs sooner than than
managers had projected at the 1997 launch.
Durango NO 500,000, a Chilli-pepper-red truck rolled off the line
Tuesday afternoon.
Durango sales have been strong during the past few years along
with sales of other trucks in its class.
Despite rising oil prices this year,sales of sport utility
vehicles,whitch use more gasoline than smaller cars(duh!!) remain
healthy.
Sales figures posted Monday on DaimlerChrysler's web site show in
March, the company sold 14,211 Durangos, down 15% from the prior year.
DaimlerChrysler sold 39,105 Durangos so far this year, down 18% from the
same time last year.
And after working overtime during much of the past 3 years, Newark
assemblers returned to a regular 8 hour schedule last week.
When the Durango was launched on September.5,1997 the plant was
expeced to produce about 120,000 trucks a year.
At that pace the plant would have reached the half-millon mark
in 4.5 years. but with the truck in such high demand, the plant reached
the mark in just 2.5 years.
production for 1998 was 129,799; for 1999 was 211,121; so far
for Y2k 159,080. the plant has the capacity to build another 220,000
trucks.
"The time was right.The product was right. And we put the sign up and
now the plant's right" says plant manager Jim Wolf.
"I was actually laying out the plans to close the place" Wolf said
"that was a major option until came up with a new product for us"
The Newark Assembly plant oened in 1951 building tanks for the
military. it began building cars in 1957.
The Durango is the first Vehicle that Newark plant has ever
manufactured exclusively. Previous vehicles made at the plant were
models whose production was shared with other plants.
If you have any comments to be said about the Durango good or bad
send your letters
c/o Jim Wolf(plant manager)
DaimlerChrysler Corp
550 South College Ave
Newark,Delaware USA
19713-1383
Dakota content......you figure it out!!!!!!
1994 Dakota Sport V6(1 of 2,986)
1989 Daytona(1 of 1,196)
1988 Daytona Pacifica(1 of 456)
1995 Geo Metro(for sale)will be replaced with a 2001 stratus R/T coupe.
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