Editing Dodge (section)

===Post-war years===
[[File:1946 Dodge D24C 4-Door Sedan 258.JPG|thumb|1946 [[Dodge Custom]] 4-door sedan]]
[[File:Dodge Coronet 1956.jpg|right|thumb|1956 [[Dodge Coronet]]]]
[[File:PikiWiki Israel 3691 BUS.JPG|thumb|1946 Dodge FK6 bus]]
[[File:Remains of Dalai Lama's Dodge car. Lhasa, 1993.jpg|thumb|Remains of [[Dalai Lama]]'s Dodge car. [[Lhasa]], 1993]]

Civilian production at Dodge was restarted by late 1945, in time for the 1946 [[model year]]. The "[[supply and demand|seller's market]]" of the early [[postwar]] years, brought on by the lack of any new cars throughout the war, meant that every automaker found it easy to sell vehicles regardless of any drawbacks they might have. Like almost every other automaker, Dodge sold lightly [[facelift (product)|facelifted]] revisions of its 1942 design through the 1948 season. As before, these were a single series of six-cylinder models with two trim levels (basic Deluxe or plusher Custom). From 1949 until 1954, Fluid Drive could be combined with "Gyro-Matic," a semi-automatic transmission that reduced (but did not eliminate) the need to shift gears.

Styling was not initially Dodge's strong point during this period, but began to change by 1953 under the direction of corporate design chief [[Virgil Exner]]. However, the deluxe Coronet series, introduced for 1949, offered extra luxury as the top-of-the-line. The Coronet Diplomat, Dodge's first pillarless hardtop coupe, was new for 1950, at least one year before Ford, Plymouth, and other popular car makes offered it. At the same time, Dodge also introduced its first V8 engine – the Red Ram Hemi, a smaller version of the original design of the famed [[Chrysler FirePower engine|Chrysler Hemi]]. The new 1953 bodies were smaller and based on the Plymouth. For 1954, sales dropped, and the stubby styling did not go over well with the public. 1954 also saw the introduction of the fully automatic PowerFlite transmission.

Chrysler borrowed $250 million ($2,518,310,099.13 in 2021 Dollars) from [[Prudential Financial|Prudential]] in 1954 to finance expansion, acquisition, and updating the outdated styling of their car lines that contributed to Chrysler's failure to benefit from the postwar boom as GM and Ford were.<ref>{{cite book|last=Genat |first=Robert |title=Mopar Muscle |publisher=MotorBooks International |isbn=9781610590839 |page=18 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=yARkK-FHHO8C&q=1955+Prudential+chrysler+$250+million&pg=PA18 |year=2004 |access-date=January 12, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Jefferys |first=Steve |title=Management and Managed: Fifty Years of Crisis at Chrysler |year=1986 |publisher=CUP Archive |isbn=9780521304412 |page=107 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=iE49AAAAIAAJ&q=1955+Prudential+chrysler+$250+million&pg=PA107 |access-date=January 12, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url= http://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1954/03/02/83747978.html?pageNumber=33 |newspaper=The New York Times |date=March 2, 1954 |title=Chrysler Borrows $250 Million For Growth on Note Due in 2054 |pages=33, 36}}</ref>

Exner led the development of the new corporate "[[Forward Look]]" styling of 1955, beginning a new era for Dodge. With steadily upgraded styling and ever-stronger engines every year through 1960, Dodge found a ready market for its products as America discovered the joys of freeway travel. This situation improved when Dodge introduced a new line of Dodges called the Dart to do battle against Ford, Chevrolet, and Plymouth. The result was that Dodge sales in the middle price class collapsed. Special and regional models were sold as well, including the LaFemme (a white and orchid-trimmed hardtop marketed toward women) and the Texan, a gold-accented Dodge sold in the Lone Star State. 1957 saw the introduction of a new automatic transmission, three-speed TorqueFlite. Both PowerFlite and TorqueFlite were controlled by mechanical push-buttons until 1965. 1956 saw the introduction of the 4-door pillarless hardtop (the same year most other makes offered this body style) in all three Dodge series, Custom Royal, Royal, and Coronet. Dodge's pillarless models were all badged "Lancer."
[[File:Dodge Coronet 1958.jpg|thumb|1958 Dodge Coronet Lancer hardtop coupe]]

Dodge entered the compact car field for the 1961 model year with the [[Dodge Lancer|Lancer]], a variation on Plymouth's [[Plymouth Valiant|Valiant]]. It was not initially successful but the successor, the 1963 [[Dodge Dart|Dart]] range would prove to be one of the division's top sellers for many years.

Chrysler made an ill-advised move to downsize the Dodge and Plymouth full-size lines for 1962, which resulted in a loss of sales. However, they turned this around in 1965 by turning those former full-sizes into "new" mid-size models; Dodge revived the [[Dodge Coronet|Coronet]] nameplate in this way and later added a sporty [[fastback]] version called the [[Dodge Charger (B-body)|Charger]] that became both a sales leader and a winner on the [[NASCAR]] circuit. This style dominated the racetracks for four years and the aerodynamic improvements changed the face of NASCAR racing.

Full-size models evolved gradually during this time. After Dodge dealers complained about not having a true full-size car in the fall of 1961, the Custom 880 was hurried into production. The Custom 880 used the 1962 Chrysler Newport body with the 1961 Dodge front end and interior. The 880 continued into 1965, the year a completely new full-size body was put into production, the [[Dodge Polara|Polara]] entered the medium price class and the [[Dodge Monaco|Monaco]] was added as the top series. The Polara and Monaco were changed mostly in appearance for the next ten years or so. Unique "[[fuselage]]" styling was employed from 1969 through 1973 and then was toned down again for the 1974 through 1977 models.

[[File:1967 Dodge Coronet.jpg|right|thumb|1967 Dodge Coronet 440 sedan]]

Dodge targeted the [[muscle car]] market of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Along with the Charger, models like the Coronet R/T and [[Dodge Super Bee|Super Bee]] were available for buyers seeking performance. Dodge entered the pony car market segment with the [[Dodge Challenger|Challenger]] coupe and convertible for the 1970 model year. They were available with economy I6 engines and numerous trims and options up to the "race-ready" [[Chrysler Hemi engine|Hemi V8]].

To offer a wider range of cars during the 1970s, Dodge partnered with [[Mitsubishi Motors]] to marketed their subcompact as the [[Dodge Colt|Colt]] positioned to compete with the [[AMC Gremlin]], [[Chevrolet Vega]], and [[Ford Pinto]]. Chrysler would come to rely heavily on their relationship with Mitsubishi. At the same time, Dodge marketed a version of the Plymouth Duster, badge-engineered as the Dodge [[Dodge Dart#Third generation (1963–1966)|Demon]]. It was inexpensive, but with I6 and V8 engines, the Demon could not achieve the fuel economy of the four-cylinder Colt. The Demon sold in much fewer numbers than the Duster.