Dodge created the first production car with a fully enclosed steel body in 1914.
The Dodge brothers, John and Horace, began as parts suppliers and had previously built components for Ford. In 1914 they introduced their own cars under the Dodge Brothers brand, including a touring car and a sedan with an all-steel body.
The steel construction made the Dodge cars durable and helped distinguish them from many competitors that used wood-framed bodies with metal panels. The company’s early vehicles also featured equipment such as a sliding-gear transmission and a 12-volt electrical system.
Dodge became one of the major American automobile manufacturers. Chrysler acquired Dodge Brothers in 1928, bringing the brand into the Chrysler corporate family. The 1914 cars therefore mark both a manufacturing milestone and the beginning of Dodge as a vehicle producer.