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Dakota Quad Cab(TM) Leads Growing Market For Truck Versatility

5 January 1999

Dakota Quad Cab(TM) Leads Growing Market For Truck Versatility
    DETROIT, Jan. 4 -- It wasn't long ago that pickup trucks did
one thing well -- they hauled the load.
    But with car buyers asking for more utility, and more consumers gaining an
appreciation for the usefulness that a truck affords, the requirements of a
truck have expanded dramatically.  Although they've lost none of their
utilitarian value, trucks have gone from being simple work tools to being
daily drivers.  More often than not, a truck or sport-utility vehicle has
replaced the second car in a two-car household.
    Leading the way in a new truck segment, Dodge created the four-door Dakota
Quad Cab(TM) -- a marriage of power, people-carrying capability and payload --
to meet those ever-expanding demands.
    "We're constantly challenging ourselves with the question: 'What's next'?"
said Bernard Robertson, Senior Vice President, Engineering Technologies and
General Manager, Truck Operations.  "Dakota Quad Cab was the answer.  We
believe this truck represents the most practical, versatile and capable
compact truck ever built.  And every inch of it is unmistakably a Dodge
Truck."
    The 2000 Dodge Dakota Quad Cab adds more versatility to the list of Dakota
attributes that already includes best-in-class handling, power and roominess.
It also offers features that no other truck in its class does: four full-size,
doors with split-folding rear seats, combined with a cargo box that's over
five feet long, all in a compact package.
    Dakota Quad Cab is all truck, but is sure to win converts looking for more
utility than their current vehicle can provide.
    "Existing truck owners will love it because it lets them do more than
their current vehicle," said Dave Bostwick, Director, Corporate Market
Research.  "But Dakota Quad Cab also appeals to people who are not traditional
truck buyers.
    "It's an expanding market of people who in the past would not consider
buying a truck," added Bostwick.  "However, in this case the appeal is that
Dodge is offering a truck that does everything."
    Quad Cab provides a solution for buyers who are looking for a truck, but
need a more versatile vehicle.  On the inside, Quad Cab will securely carry
any combination of friends, gear and valuables.  Yet gardeners, hunters,
skiers and home improvement do-it-yourselfers will find Dakota Quad Cab offers
all the utility needed to transport items outside the cab, in the cargo box.
Those who need additional payload capacity will appreciate Dakota Quad Cab's
best-in-class towing capability.
    "What makes Quad Cab different is that it's got room for everything," said
Richard Taylor, Senior Manager, Product Development Research.  "Size works to
our advantage.  People who are comparing this to their current vehicle love
having room for everything.  It gives them capabilities they didn't have."
With six-passenger capacity, rear-seating convenience, generous interior room,
ease of entry/exit, ride and comfort, good outward visibility, high ground
clearance and convenient storage options, Dakota Quad Cab fits the needs of a
variety of drivers.  Likewise, it's perfect for active people with both
interior and exterior cargo flexibility.
    "Extended cabs have seen 30 percent segment growth since 1993, with Dakota
Club Cab enjoying the highest extended cab mix in the segment," said Mike
Gialdini, Senior Manager, Dodge Truck Market Plans.  "It seemed only natural
to introduce a package that maximizes interior volume without sacrificing
practicality and sportiness."
    The Dodge Dakota Quad Cab goes into production in fourth quarter 1999 at
the Warren Truck Assembly Plant in Warren, Michigan.