Did Chrysler buy out Dodge?
Yes. Chrysler Corporation acquired the Dodge Brothers Company in 1928, absorbing Dodge as a division of Chrysler. In today’s corporate landscape, Dodge is a brand within Stellantis, not a standalone company purchased separately from Chrysler.
Historical relationship: how the acquisition unfolded
This section outlines the key moments in which Chrysler gained control of the Dodge business and how the arrangement evolved through later corporate mergers.
- 1928: Chrysler Corporation completes the purchase of the Dodge Brothers Company, bringing Dodge under Chrysler’s umbrella and expanding its manufacturing capabilities.
- 1930s–1950s: Dodge operates as a distinct brand within Chrysler, sharing engineering and manufacturing resources while maintaining its own identity.
- 1998: Chrysler merges with Daimler to form DaimlerChrysler; Dodge remains a core American brand within the conglomerate.
- 2009–2014: Chrysler collapses into bankruptcy and undergoes restructuring; Fiat S.p.A. takes a controlling stake, leading to the creation of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) as the parent company.
- 2021: FCA merges with PSA Group to form Stellantis; Dodge and Chrysler become brands under the Stellantis corporate family.
The Dodge brand thus became a division within Chrysler, and later within FCA, rather than being independently owned or repeatedly sold off. The modern evolution reflects broader industry consolidations rather than a wholesale separation of the Dodge name from Chrysler.
Current status: Dodge and Chrysler inside Stellantis
Today, Dodge and Chrysler are sibling brands within Stellantis, the multinational automaker formed in 2021 from the merger of FCA and PSA. There has not been a contemporary sale of Dodge separate from Chrysler in the sense of an independent purchase; the two brands share corporate governance under Stellantis and operate as distinct marques with their own product lines.
For readers tracking branding and ownership, the essential point is that the historical purchase of the Dodge Brothers Company in 1928 established a long-running Chrysler-Dodge relationship. In the current corporate structure, both Dodge and Chrysler are brands under Stellantis, working side by side rather than one buying out the other in the present day.
Why this distinction matters
Understanding the difference between an early 20th-century acquisition (Chrysler buying the Dodge Brothers Company) and 21st-century corporate restructuring (FCA merging into Stellantis) clarifies why Dodge is not a separate company that Chrysler bought out today. It also helps explain why Dodge remains a widely recognized brand within a larger multinational automaker.
Summary
Chrysler did acquire the Dodge Brothers Company in 1928, which brought Dodge under Chrysler’s ownership and helped shape the early automotive lineup. Since then, Dodge has remained a brand through successive corporate changes, most notably the formation of FCA and then Stellantis in 2021. Today, Dodge and Chrysler operate as distinct brands under Stellantis, rather than a current, standalone buyout of one by the other.
Is Dodge still owned by Chrysler?
Chrysler is not Dodge, and Chrysler does not own the Dodge brand. Chrysler and Dodge have a parent company called Stellantis. Under the Chrysler and Dodge parent company, Stellantis, you'll find other popular makes such as Jeep and RAM.
Is RAM still owned by Dodge?
When Did Dodge and RAM Split? Chrysler acquired Dodge in 1981 and kept their most popular models, including RAM pickup trucks. From 1981 to 2009, their pickup trucks were named “Dodge RAM,”. After 2009, RAM trucks became its own brand.
When did Dodge get bought out?
1928
Why is RAM not Dodge anymore?
Dodge and Ram were split into separate brands by their parent company, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), in 2009. The decision to separate the two was driven by a strategic desire to focus each brand on different market segments and to create a stronger identity for each.
