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The last Dodge Nitro will roll off the line at Chrysler Group's Toledo North plant in Ohio later on 16 December. Chrysler spokesperson Patrick Hespen confirmed the news to just-auto in response to a question over the lack of a 2012 model year Nitro on the Dodge media website.
The Nitro, a rebodied Jeep Liberty/Cherokee, first appeared as a concept at the Chicago show in February 2005 and then, updated, at the Frankfurt show in September 2005. The production model was launched at the Chicago show in February 2006 and build started six months later. The Nitro was also assembled in Venezuela for a time.
There is no direct replacement for the Nitro. Its place at Toledo North is likely to be taken up by expanded production of the successor to the Liberty/Cherokee. In November, Chrysler stated that the Ohio plant will be the build location for that model from 2013.
Dodge Nitro rolls out of production at Toledo plant
Sales started strong, but popularity plunged
12/17/2011
The end of the Nitro means more capacity to make the Jeep Liberty. Its sales were up 36 percent this year through November.
The last Dodge Nitro rolled off the line Friday morning at Chrysler Group LLC's Toledo Assembly complex, marking the end of a model that made a splashy debut but never gained much of a foothold in the crowded small sport utility vehicle segment.
Introduced in late 2006 as a 2007 model, the Nitro initially sold well, peaking at almost 75,000 units in 2007. But sales fell in 2008 as the entire U.S. auto industry was struck by the recession, and the Nitro never recovered. Through November of this year, Dodge had sold about 22,500 Nitros.
The last one made, painted white, came off the line at about 10:30 a.m., Chrysler officials said.
Sergio Marchionne, Chrysler chief executive officer, said on his most recent visit to Toledo that said the Nitro, which he called a "knockoff" of the Jeep Liberty, should never have been built.
The two SUVs shared a platform, many components, and an overall boxy appearance.
Although the Nitro was slightly longer and wider, it didn't have the same four-wheel-drive capability as the Liberty.
Perhaps the best news for Chrysler from the demise of the Nitro is that it now has more production capacity for the better-selling Liberty.
Sales of the Liberty have been charging forward, with 60,523 units purchased in the United States through November -- a 36 percent gain from the same period last year.
Last month Toledo workers made 2,500 Nitros and just over 6,900 Libertys. The line now will build only the Liberty.
"What would have been Nitros will now be Libertys," Chrysler spokesman Jodi Tinson said.
Demand has been so strong for the Liberty and the Jeep Wrangler that both lines will work between Christmas and New Year's Day.
Ms. Tinson said each line will work one 10-hour shift from Dec. 27 through Dec. 30.
"The employees were very receptive to the opportunity to work," she said. "Demand for the Wrangler and Liberty is growing and has increased and those vehicles are being shipped all over the world from Toledo. To have four extra days of production on those vehicles is significant."
Toledo is the only Chrysler assembly plant that will be working during the traditional week-long holiday shutdown.
Sergio Marchionne, Chrysler chief executive officer, said on his most recent visit to Toledo that said the Nitro, which he called a "knockoff" of the Jeep Liberty, should never have been built.
He said the same thing about the Jeep Commander! What a jerk.........
Chrysler Group CEO Sergio Marchionne has been quoted as saying that a replacement for the Nitro was “under consideration”. We already know that the Dart will be replacing the Caliber, what Dodge decides to do for the Nitro SUV remains unknown.
[Source: Automotive News]
__________________
Rick
Nitro Year: 2007 (1 of 113,000 sold)
Nitro Model: R/T 4X4 Stone White
CAT-BACK Exhaust, CAI, Projector Head Lamps
Fully-Equipped w/all factory options
Sergio Marchionne, Chrysler chief executive officer, said on his most recent visit to Toledo that said the Nitro, which he called a "knockoff" of the Jeep Liberty, should never have been built.
He said the same thing about the Jeep Commander! What a jerk.........
Is the Charger a "knock off" of the 300?
Is the Avenger a "knock off" of the Sebring/200?
Is the Durango a "knock off" of the GC?
Seems to me, if it sells well, then it is not a "knock off". Although Marchionne is doing a good job, a lot of what we are seeing today was already in the works before the bankruptcy: 300, Charger, GC. So while he takes the glory, he needs to keep his mouth shut about previous vehicles that he had nothing to do with. I'm sure that there are Fiat vehicles in Europe that are failures, but he will never talk about that!
And what made all over the years including export?
Well this is a good question that I'm not really sure of (yet)! The below figures are from Dodge Nitro - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia and may not be correct as in my signature I show 113,000 (from Chrysler)
2007 Nitros built but maybe not sold in 2007. However the Total of 175K does sound about right for US but may not include Exports.
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Toledo North builds last Dodge Nitro
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