Traditionally Testosterone Dodge Brand Gains Female Fans

Katie Merx | DETROIT - The Dodge brand, with its bullish Durango SUV and muscle car Charger, traditionally hasn't been much of a hit with female buyers. But a few strategically placed, subtle styling cues on its new Caliber and Nitro are generating more female attraction of late.

The Chrysler Group brand's new sporty offerings, despite their testosterone-injected names, are helping boost the brand among female buyers, who currently make up about one-quarter of Dodge's customers.

The Power Information Network reports that 44.9 percent of the Caliber's buyers in the third quarter were women and 39.2 percent of the newly launched Nitro's early buyers were women. The only other Dodge models to do as well were the Neon and the Stratus, both of which the company no longer makes.

Just 27.2 percent of the total brand's buyers are women. That compares with an industry average of 37.2 percent and an industry high of 48.7 percent by Mini, according to data from the Power Information Network.

"Until recently, Dodge has been predominantly a truck brand. We play big in the large truck segment with" sales of "about 450,000 units," said Mark Spencer, senior manager of Dodge brand communications. "Most of the truck buyers, 85 percent, are male. … When you look at the Caliber, it will be significantly female; we anticipate 45 percent of buyers will be female. The Nitro should be similar.

"Our brand will be much more gender-balanced going forward."