Chrysler Group's Newark Assembly Plant Marks Milestone: One Million Durangos

* Newark facility achieves production milestone * Long-time Plant Manager Jim Wolfe retires; Chuck Kowalski new Plant Manager

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Jan. 30 -- Chrysler Group's Newark (Delaware) Assembly Plant achieved a new milestone today when the one- millionth Dodge Durango rolled off the production line. The achievement was celebrated at the Philadelphia Auto Show.

"Since its introduction, Durango has consistently been one of America's favorite SUVs," said Wolfgang Bernhard, Chrysler Group Chief Operating Officer. "Our new 2004 Dodge Durango is our best Durango ever, with almost 10,000 vehicles sold in December alone."

As testament to the Durango's popularity among consumers, the vehicle has received numerous awards, including "Truck of the Year" by the Detroit Free Press and Motorweek's "Driver's Choice" as the Best Family Sport Utility. The Detroit News ranked it best in class, and Truckin' Magazine named the Durango "SUV of the Year" and the "People's Choice SUV of the Year."

Newark Plant Manager Retires

Bernhard credited Durango's success to the 2300 employees at the Newark facility, which is located 50 miles south of Philadelphia. He also cited the leadership of long-time Plant Manager, Jim Wolfe, who is retiring after a 40- year career with the company. In addition to the milestone production at Newark, today marks Wolfe's last day as a Chrysler Group employee. Wolfe became Newark's manager in 1992 and had the longest tenure of any manager in the plant's history.

"After overseeing production of every one of those one million Durangos for the past 11 years, I'm proof of how much people love that SUV," said Wolfe. "It is a symbol of how important Chrysler Group has been to the economy in Delaware. Durango's success has helped keep jobs in our state."

New Plant Manager Introduced

Chuck Kowalski will succeed Wolfe as Plant Manager at the Newark facility. With over 27 years in the auto industry, Kowalski has held manufacturing positions in North America and Europe and has worked on four major vehicle launch teams for the Chrysler Group. Most recently, he led the launch team of the Toledo (Ohio) North Assembly Plant and the all-new Jeep(R) Liberty.

Newark Assembly's Rich History

The Newark Assembly Plant was built in 1956 to manufacture Patton Tanks for the U.S. Military. In 1957, it was converted into an automobile assembly plant by the former Chrysler Corporation -- producing a variety of car models until the mid-1990s. A new era began in 1997 when production began for Durango, the first full-size SUV to offer a third row of seats.

Most recently, approximately $180 million was invested in the Newark Assembly Plant in preparation for production of the all-new 2004 Dodge Durango. Through flexible manufacturing strategies and reusing existing plant equipment, the company reduced initial capital expenditures by 30 percent.

"The all-new Dodge Durango offers more vehicle options than its predecessor, and is produced more efficiently, requiring fewer production hours per vehicle," said Tom LaSorda, Chrysler Group Executive Vice President, Manufacturing. "We are demonstrating through the launch of this vehicle that flexibility can be applied to an existing, and quite mature, manufacturing operation."

The approach at Newark Assembly underscores the Chrysler Group's ongoing commitment to further improve productivity and flexibility in its manufacturing operations, both of which have a direct impact on vehicle quality.

At approximately seven inches longer, three inches taller and two inches wider than the previous Durango, the 2004 Dodge Durango is a large SUV with the drivability, fuel efficiency and price of a full-size competitor.

The vehicle features a new trio of engines that deliver a 10 percent improvement in fuel efficiency. They include the 5.7-liter HEMI(R) Magnum engine, delivering a best-in-class horsepower and torque rating, as well as the 4.7-liter Magnum V-8 and the 3.7-liter Magnum V-6.

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