Making a 1995 Dodge Neon at Belvidere

When the Neon was brand new, it was truly exciting. Chrysler had, for roughly the cost of converting the Daytona and Acclaim into the Shadow, built a completely new car, one that could easily outrun the competition - while having more interior space, good gas mileage, and superior handling. To top it off, the Neon had lovable styling.

Chrysler was, at the time, very proud of the Neon. They had made it more environmentally friendly than past cars; had involved workers more; and had done more in safety and quality. Unfortunately, a large number of design flaws were to appear and destroy the small car's reputation, but assembly quality still seems higher than past models.

These photos were taken by Chrysler Corporation in 1994 at the Belvidere factory, and were part of the Neon's launch press kit. The fact that they were released shows some of the pride Chrysler had at the time, a pride that disappeared shortly after the Daimler takeover.

We have more information on the Neon's new design and assembly processes and will add more information on its electronic design process and supplier participation; there is information in the main first-generation Neon section which describes safety and environment advances. The Neon's racing record is also covered in this site.