Chrysler and Dodge Leave Local Shores

By Martin Pretorius

South African motorists have been reeling under the recent spate of departures from the local market. 2016 saw Citroën go back to France, and midway through 2017, we received the shocking news that General Motors is packing its bags as well, closing their factory in PE and returning home. The general reasoning behind these withdrawals were given as either slow sales (Citroën), or market consolidation (GM), but there's also been murmurs about political uncertainty and a volatile workforce being a contributing factor.

Now, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has announced the withdrawal of two more marques from South African showrooms. Say goodbye to Dodge and Chrysler – but not for the reasons you might imagine. They're not leaving due to slow sales or because of the political climate, but because they soon won't have anything to sell us anymore...

Why we won't see any new Dodges or Chryslers

This follows on the back of the parent company's decision to discontinue production of all right-hand-drive variants of their American-designed offerings. Henceforth, all Dodge and Chrysler products will only be available in left-hand-drive, which means that our regulations simply won't allow them to be imported. There is still some old stock of Dodge Journeys and Chrysler 300s available at a few dealerships however, so if you've always lusted after one of those, you'd better be quick to grab them before they disappear forever.

The decision to discontinue right-hand-drive offerings won't affect current owners of these brands. In a press release, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles South Africa makes it clear that they will still honour all warranties and maintenance plans, and that parts- and service backup will continue as before. They're also investing heavily in expanding the presence of their remaining brands (Fiat, Alfa and Jeep).

About those dealerships

In the same press release, FCA South Africa (FCASA) also announced their plans to expand their franchise network. New dealerships are planned for Sandton, Fourways, Menlyn and Durban, bringing their sales- and service reach up to 42 countrywide branches. These will also include MOPAR aftermarket outlets, to keep a steady supply of parts and accessories flowing from their new warehouse in Rosslyn.

The other brands

Alfa-Romeo seems set to maintain the momentum they've found with the new Giulia by launching the new Stelvio luxury/performance SUV on the local market towards the end of 2017. Fiat's also had a busy time lately, with the mid-year introduction of the Tipo sedan and hatchback, followed by the recent release of the updated Panda with its diminutive TwinAir turbo engine.

 Jeep will get their turn in the limelight next year, with the arrival of the all-new (and internationally acclaimed) Compass, a completely redesigned Wrangler, and the introduction of a fire-breathing Grand Cherokee range-topper. The latter one is sure to raise some eyebrows, because it features a supercharged HEMI V8 engine (good for 523-odd kW) to launch a surprise attack at the other performance SUVs on the market. Count on sub-4 second 0-100 km/h sprints from this beast, known as the Trackhawk, and a top speed likely to be limited only by the tyres' ability to withstand massive speeds.

 Gone but not forgotten

To be honest, Dodge has been a bit of a non-starter following the brand's return to South Africa just more than a decade ago. The Caliber was briefly popular, before it became upstaged by a new crop of compact crossovers from more-mainstream brands, and the chunky Dodge Nitro didn't sell anywhere near as well as its Jeep Cherokee cousin. The last remaining Dodge was the Journey, which deserved more attention than it received, but even that one is almost a decade old by now.

 As for Chrysler, minivan enthusiasts will probably mourn the demise of the Voyager, even though it was also really old at the time of its passing. The big tragedy here is that we won't be able to buy the V8-powered 300C anymore – the last bastion of the traditional American rear-wheel-drive sedan. We'll particularly miss the rough-but-charming SRT8 derivative, which is sure to become a future classic. Cheers Chrysler, and thanks for a fun ride.