When Horace Elgin Dodge and John Francis Dodge founded the Dodge Brothers Company in 1900, the idea of fast cars was barely on the brothers’ radar. In 1896, Horace was busy applying for patents for a dirt-resistant bicycle bearing. A year later, in 1897, production was underway for the Evans & Dodge Bicycle Company.
But by the turn of the century, the mechanically-minded brothers would begin their pivot to automobiles. The rest, as they say, is history. In 1903 the brothers entered into a partnership with newcomer Ford Motor Company and set to work manufacturing Ford’s engines and transmissions. In 1914 they branched out on their own and introduced the very first Dodge vehicle. 249 Dodges were built in 1914, a number that would soon look quaint; by 1915, Dodge ranked third among America’s best-selling automakers. From their humble origins in the small town of Niles, Michigan, the Dodge brothers had ditched bicycles and established one of the most successful auto manufacturing companies in the country.
Both brothers passed away in 1920, but the legend of Dodge would forge ahead. In 1928, the brothers’ family sold the company to Chrysler, where Dodge continues to function as Chrysler’s mid-priced brand today. But despite its continued success, there’s still much about the Dodge brand’s history you may not have known. Here are five little-known Dodge facts, beginning in the early decades of the twenty-first century:
Mechanizing the War Effort
In 1916, Lt. George Patton Jr. Led the first mechanized cavalry charge in U.S. Army history. Patton himself drove a Dodge WC57 Command Car, and with the aid of just two additional Dodge vehicles and 15 soldiers, he led the charge against the Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa and eventually vanquished his lieutenants. Over the decades that followed, mechanized cavalry charges would gradually become modern warfare’s norm. (America’s final horse-mounted cavalry charge would take place in the Philippines in early 1942.)
Engineered to Excel
The Dodge brand’s reputation has always hinged on its vehicles’ high performance standard. Accordingly, Dodge has constantly been at the forefront of developing and testing powerful new engines. The first eight-cylinder engine by Dodge was produced in 1930, the same year that Dodge began offering its first factory car radios. Though that engine was discontinued in 1934 during the throes of the Great Depression, it was later reinstated in 1952. Then, in 2014, the Dodge Ram 1500 became the first compact pickup to offer a Diesel engine.
Ladies’ Choice
In 1955 and 1956, Dodge produced the Dodge La Femme, a full-sized automobile designed specifically for women. The La Femme was conceived by Chrysler’s marketing department, who observed that by the 1950’s, women were taking a more active interest in automobiles and may represent an untapped market. Their solution was the gaudy novelty vehicle, the Dodge La Femme.
The interior of the La Femme screamed the 1950s’ vision of femininity. 1955 La Femmes featured pink rosebud upholstery on a pale silver-pink background. Each vehicle came with a keystone-shaped, pink calfskin purse outfitted with accessories, including a face-powder compact, cigarette case, lipstick case, and change purse. Furthermore, a compartment on the back of the driver’s seat contained a raincoat, rain bonnet, and umbrella made with the same rosebud fabric. If it all seems a bit much, consumers in the 50’s agreed; the La Femme was not a big seller, and Dodge discontinued the line after just two years, in 1957.
The Enigmatic “Fratzog” Emblem
From 1962-1976, Dodge’s logo was comprised of three interlocking triangles, a geometrical arrangement dubbed a “Fratzog.” It’s a unique name, one you’d think has a compelling origin story. It does not. Needing a placeholder title in the early 1960’s, one of Dodge’s designers came up with the meaningless moniker “Fratzog” and… it was simply never topped. No one on Dodge’s design team could manifest a better name than the Fratzog, and the emblem would continue to be used in parts such as steering wheel center hubs until the late 1970’s.
Highs and Lows in the Racing World
Dodge has been part of both racing glory and infamy. Lee Petty was the driver who put Dodge on the racing map in 1953, earning Dodge’s first NASCAR victory during a race in Palm Springs, Florida.
But in 1971, the Indianapolis 500 was marred by a crash involving a Dodge Challenger serving as the race’s pace car. Eldon Palmer, a local Indianapolis-area Dodge dealer, lost control of the Challenger at the race’s start. It crashed into a photographer’s stand, injuring 29 people. Yikes!
Drive a Dodge Today
Here at Northpointe Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, we’re committing to continuing Dodge’s legacy, even as we look back on its remarkable history. Check out our full inventory of new and used Dodge vehicles today, including the upcoming 2024 Dodge Hornet. From service to parts, Northpointe has everything you need to keep you on the road in 2024, as you continue to blaze your own trail.
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