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Chrysler Announces the Launch of the 1998 Dodge Durango

5 September 1997

Chrysler Announces the Launch of the 1998 Dodge Durango

    AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Sept. 5 -- Chrysler Corporation
today marked the launch of its 1998 Dodge Durango sport-utility
vehicle at the Company's Newark (Delaware) Assembly Plant.  An all-new
addition to the compact sport-utility vehicle category, Durango sports a high
performance engine, a spacious interior and class-leading towing capabilities.
    "I am happy to be here today, live and in living color, to help celebrate
a new beginning for this plant, and the beginning of this new vehicle," said
Chrysler Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Robert J. Eaton, addressing
participants at the event.
    Several Chrysler executives and government officials, who played a role in
the successful launch of Durango, joined Eaton in the celebration including:
Dennis K. Pawley, Chrysler Executive Vice President - Manufacturing; Thomas
Carper, Governor of Delaware; Joseph Biden, United States Senator (Delaware);
William Roth, Jr., United States Senator (Delaware); Michael Castle, United
States Congressman (Delaware); Don Cordell, President of UAW Local 1183; and
Wayne Usilton, President, UAW Local 1212.
    "The single most important ingredient in making this vehicle a reality is
teamwork," said Eaton.  "In other words, teamwork is an everyday renewal of
the training, hard work, attention to detail, and customer focus that got
the Dodge Durango here in record time, and gave Newark Assembly Plant the
opportunity to show the world just how good it is."
    With manufacturing functions working together at the plant from the
vehicle's inception to its launch, the Durango left the drawing board to reach
production in a record 23 months.  In accordance with the Platform Team
approach, engineers worked alongside members of the assembly line to expedite
vehicle production and diminish variability.
    "We have high expectations for the Dodge Durango.  We think it has the
styling, the features, the size, the towing capacity and comfort to be a hit
in the market, and the benchmark for compact sport-utility vehicles in the
future," he added.

SOURCE  Chrysler Corporation