The Dodge Dart compact sedan differs significantly from the two other vehicles that are built at Chrysler’s Belvidere, IL, assembly plant—the Jeep Compass and Jeep Patriot sport utility vehicle. The 47-year-old plant had to make a number of changes to accommodate the new vehicle’s architecture, which is based on the Alfa Romeo Giulietta hatchback.
Fiat invested $700 million in a state-of-the-art body shop that features new machinery, tooling and material handling equipment exclusively for production of the Dart. “This new facility sets the benchmark for future Chrysler Group body shops in terms of design, efficiency and flexibility,” says Scott Garberding, senior vice president of manufacturing at Chrysler Group LLC.