Newark Assembly
Encyclopedia
Newark Assembly was a Chrysler
automobile
factory in Newark, Delaware
.
plant and was converted for the production of automobiles in 1957.
It was the home for the Dodge Durango
, a sport utility vehicle
(SUV) since the model's introduction in 1997.
On February 14, 2007, DaimlerChrysler announced that the plant would lose one working shift in 2007, and that it would be scheduled to be shut down completely in 2009.
However, in October 2008, the company announced that the closure would be moved up to the end of 2008 citing a slowdown in both the economy and demand for large vehicles.
On October 24, 2009, The University of Delaware
announced it had signed a deal to buy the 272 acre (1.1 km²; 0.425000375773926 sq mi) Chrysler facility for US$24.25 million. The property is next to the university's south campus (the main campus is a 1/4 mile north and usually accessible by bus by students). Plans are to use it as a research and development
site and for the future expansion of the university.
The University of Delaware
History department and the Hugh M. Morris Library have started a project to collect interviews of the former autoworkers at the Newark Assembly plant. Beginning in February 2011, a class of students consisting of Graduate and Undergraduate students have conducted interviews of these autoworkers. The goal of the project is to preserve the lives these men and women have lived and the stories they have collected while employed by Chrysler's Newark Assembly. The interviews will be available at the University's Hugh M. Morris Library in special collections for public use and research.
Chrysler
Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925....
automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
factory in Newark, Delaware
Newark, Delaware
Newark is an American city in New Castle County, Delaware, west-southwest of Wilmington. According to the 2010 Census, the population of the city is 31,454. Newark is the home of the University of Delaware.- History :...
.
History
The factory opened in 1951 as a tankTank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
plant and was converted for the production of automobiles in 1957.
It was the home for the Dodge Durango
Dodge Durango
The Dodge Durango is a full-size crossover SUV from the Dodge division of Chrysler. It was introduced in 1998 as a mid-size SUV, and as a replacement for the Ramcharger discontinued in the North American market in 1993, and was redesigned to full-size for 2004....
, a sport utility vehicle
Sport utility vehicle
A sport utility vehicle is a generic marketing term for a vehicle similar to a station wagon, but built on a light-truck chassis. It is usually equipped with four-wheel drive for on- or off-road ability, and with some pretension or ability to be used as an off-road vehicle. Not all four-wheel...
(SUV) since the model's introduction in 1997.
On February 14, 2007, DaimlerChrysler announced that the plant would lose one working shift in 2007, and that it would be scheduled to be shut down completely in 2009.
However, in October 2008, the company announced that the closure would be moved up to the end of 2008 citing a slowdown in both the economy and demand for large vehicles.
On October 24, 2009, The University of Delaware
University of Delaware
The university is organized into seven colleges:* College of Agriculture and Natural Resources* College of Arts and Sciences* Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics* College of Earth, Ocean and Environment* College of Education and Human Development...
announced it had signed a deal to buy the 272 acre (1.1 km²; 0.425000375773926 sq mi) Chrysler facility for US$24.25 million. The property is next to the university's south campus (the main campus is a 1/4 mile north and usually accessible by bus by students). Plans are to use it as a research and development
Research and development
The phrase research and development , according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, refers to "creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of man, culture and society, and the use of this stock of...
site and for the future expansion of the university.
The University of Delaware
University of Delaware
The university is organized into seven colleges:* College of Agriculture and Natural Resources* College of Arts and Sciences* Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics* College of Earth, Ocean and Environment* College of Education and Human Development...
History department and the Hugh M. Morris Library have started a project to collect interviews of the former autoworkers at the Newark Assembly plant. Beginning in February 2011, a class of students consisting of Graduate and Undergraduate students have conducted interviews of these autoworkers. The goal of the project is to preserve the lives these men and women have lived and the stories they have collected while employed by Chrysler's Newark Assembly. The interviews will be available at the University's Hugh M. Morris Library in special collections for public use and research.
Products
- 1974–1977 Dodge MonacoDodge MonacoThe Dodge Monaco was a full-size automobile built and sold by the Dodge division of the Chrysler Corporation between 1965 to 1978, and 1990 to 1992.-A Grand Prix competitor:...
- 1976–1980 Dodge AspenDodge AspenThe Dodge Aspen, produced from 1976 to 1980, was a compact car from Chrysler Corporation's Dodge division; its Plymouth-branded counterpart was the Volaré . It was launched as a two-door coupe, a four-door sedan, and a unique-for-the-segment station wagon...
- 1981–1988 Dodge AriesDodge AriesThe Dodge Aries is an automobile sold by the Chrysler Corporation from 1981-1989. It replaced the Dodge Aspen as Dodge's family car with "mid-size room" in a size and front-wheel drive format commonly associated with compact cars...
(sedan and station wagon) - 1981–1988 Plymouth ReliantPlymouth ReliantThe Plymouth Reliant was one of the first two so-called "K-cars" manufactured by the Chrysler Corporation, introduced for the 1981 model year. The Reliant replaced the Plymouth Volaré/Road Runner, which was the short-lived successor automobile to the highly regarded Plymouth Valiant...
(sedan and station wagon) - 1982–1988 Chrysler Town and CountryChrysler Town and Country (pre-1990)The Chrysler Town & Country was a station wagon manufactured by Chrysler Corporation and sold under its flagship brand from 1941–1989. The model was also sold as a sedan, coupé, and convertible from 1947–1950 and as a convertible from 1982–1986....
- 1982–1995 Chrysler LeBaronChrysler LeBaronThe Chrysler LeBaron was originally a classic luxury car of 1930s manufactured by Chrysler which competed with other luxury cars of the era such as Lincoln and Packard....
** (sedan from 1982 to 1988) - 1989–1995 Dodge SpiritDodge SpiritThe Dodge Spirit is a mid-size 5- or 6-passenger sedan that was introduced in January 1989 as a replacement for the similarly sized Dodge 600. The Spirit was Dodge's version of the Chrysler AA platform, a stretched variation of the Chrysler K platform...
- 1989–1995 Plymouth AcclaimPlymouth AcclaimThe Plymouth Acclaim is a mid-size sedan produced in the 1989 to 1995 model years. The Acclaim was Plymouth's updated replacement for the similarly sized E-body Caravelle; both cars were built on the Chrysler K platform...
- 1994–1996 Chrysler ConcordeChrysler ConcordeThe Chrysler Concorde was a large four-door, full-size, front wheel drive sedan produced by Chrysler from 1993 to 2004. It replaced the Chrysler Fifth Avenue on the lineup. One of Chrysler's 3 original Chrysler LH platform models derived from the American Motors/Renault-designed Eagle Premier, it...
* - 1994–1996 Dodge IntrepidDodge IntrepidThe Dodge Intrepid is a large four-door, full-size, front-wheel drive sedan car model that was produced for model years 1993 to 2004. It was mechanically related to the Chrysler Concorde, Chrysler LHS, Chrysler New Yorker, Eagle Vision, and also the 300M sedans...
* - 1998–2009 Dodge DurangoDodge DurangoThe Dodge Durango is a full-size crossover SUV from the Dodge division of Chrysler. It was introduced in 1998 as a mid-size SUV, and as a replacement for the Ramcharger discontinued in the North American market in 1993, and was redesigned to full-size for 2004....
- 2007–2009 Chrysler AspenChrysler AspenThe Chrysler Aspen is a full-size sport utility vehicle from Chrysler. Launched for the 2007 model year, the Aspen is essentially a rebranded Dodge Durango SUV...
* Dodge Intrepids and Chrysler Concordes were only built in Newark Assembly from 1994 to 1996. During those years, Newark was an overflow plant for Brampton AssemblyBrampton AssemblyBrampton Assembly is a Chrysler automobile factory is located at 2000 Williams Parkway East, in Brampton, Ontario, Canada. Originally built by American Motors Corporation for US$260 million, the manufacturing plant was specially designed for building the Eagle Premier.-History:In June 1984,...
.** The J-body Chrysler LeBaron coupes and convertibles were produced in St. Louis AssemblySaint Louis AssemblySaint Louis Assembly was a Chrysler automobile factory in Fenton, Missouri. The "South" plant opened in 1959, while the "North" portion opened in 1966. Saint Louis North was the home of minivan production from 1987 through 1995, when it was converted to build the Dodge Ram pickup truck...
from 1987 to 1991. For 1992, production was shifted to Newark until production ended in 1993 for the coupe and 1995 for the convertible.