History of Chrysler in Argentina

In 1910, Julio Fevre founds Julio Fevre y cia, company applied to the importation of french cars makes such as Mors, Aries, Delage and Berliet. Six years later the company gets Dodge brother´s exclusive representation in Argentina, and it begins the importation of Dodge cars and trucks.
The mark which already was the third in importance in the USA got a quick acceptance in the argentinean market. In 1928, with the incorporation of Diego Basset to the company, this one changes its name by Fevre and Basset. Some time later in 1931, it purchases the firm Resta Fevre and brothers, Chrysler products distributor.
The society starts working in the luxurious Chrysler Palace facilities which was reconditioned for assembly activities and technical assistance.

But the most peculiar feature of the building was the construction on the fourth floor of an exclusive track of tests with a length of about 173 meters and several platforms for about 3,000 people.

First unit´s assembly

In 1932 cars and trucks assembly began at the 3300 Figueroa Alcorta avenue building. Two years later, the company changes again its social name by Fevre and Basset limited SAIC and keeps the production and importation of the Chrysler, Plymouth, Dodge products and Fargo trucks.
Soon sales were trebled quickly and in 1937 Chrysler corporation vice president, Mr. W. Leyland Mitchell, visiting our country, wishes a great future to his company and to the argentine automobile sector in general.
This development was interrupted because of the war, and to the lack of raw material, so the productive operations had to be stopped. In the meantime the assembly plant had been "stuck" by the development that was growing around it. Between 1948 and 1950 the company builds its new assembly plant on some fields of about 38 hectares which were situated in San Justo location.
Chrysler palace equipments and facilities are being moved out in order to set the plant in motion. In spite of this effort, the production was interrupted because of a series of restrictions to the importation of raw material and in a break of about five years the company was completely stopped. In 1957 and for a brief time, some medium Krupp trucks and a few units of Volkswagen Beetle were made in San Justo. A real premonition about what it was going to happen about 30 years later.

In 1959, stimulated by the official policy of development of automobile industry, Chrysler Corporation decides to produce completely in Argentina cars, trucks and vans after an agreement with its argentinean partner of Fevre and Basset Ltda.
Chrysler Argentina is created. The agreement sets that Chrysler Argentina was in charged of the production of parts and components while Fevre and Basset Ltda. had the responsibility of the assembly operations in the San Justo plant and the distribution of all the products all over the country.

National production

The first argentinean Chrysler cars were the pick up D-100 and the truck D-400 launched in 1960. Both of them were equipped with engines and gear boxes locally produced. At the same time a wide range of tasks for the first car launching are set up and in 1962 the compact american Valiant V200 is at last produced. This year 4,500 cars and 5,500 trucks are manufactured. At the same time, gear boxes destined to Chyrsler vehicles and other manufacturers start being produced.
Between 1962 and 1964, 27,000 gear boxes were manufactured.
Equipped with the 3687 cm3 slant six engine the Valiant is developed in versions II of 1963, III of 1964 and IV in 1965, with improvements in its motorization and changes in its bodywork. Meanwhile pick ups and trucks types are also being modernized and are available with Dodge, Fargo and De Soto marks with some motorization, equipment and load capacity varieties.

On 1965 November 29th, both companies are fused in Chrysler Fevre Argentina SAIC. San Justo plant occupied a 100,000m2 area composed by stamping, motor, transmition, painting and assembly sectors.
In 1970 the matrix sector is added.
The company staff was about 3,000 people. The same year one plant which had belonged to Siam di Tella in Monte Chingolo is added and it is reconditioned to the production of trucks and pick ups.
In 1969 Valiant range is totally replaced with the launching of a new bigger size model based on the american Dodge Dart.

In 1971, with the Dodge 1500 production, Chrysler is the first american company which launches at the argentinean market a medium size model.
During the seventies the production of trucks and pick ups is kept, Dodge line incorporates the coupe version in 1971 and in 1978 Dodge 1500 gets a modernization adding the station wagon version, too. At the beginning of 1978 the whole Chrysler Fevre Argentina production had overcome the 295,111 units.
In 1979 the company action's purchase is announced by Volkswagen, which is at the end applied on may 5th 1980 with the Volkswagen Argentina S.A. constitution. The whole Dodge line is discontinued, with the exception of the Dodge 1500 which is named VW 1500.

The return

Chrysler's return to the country is carried on in 1996. With an investment of 170 million dollars, a plant destined to the production of Grand Cherokee and Cherokee is built in Ferreyra, Cordoba. The plant opened in 1997 was in activity for a few years and was finally dismantled because of the international fusion of Mercedes-Benz and the later creation of Daimler-Chrysler Argentina.