Dodge continues to move ahead and maintain its commercial market onslaught while further extending its Ram-tough leadership and heritage into the commercial vehicle market, the automaker reports.

Dodge now offers a full line of Class 2-5 commercial vehicles. Led by three powerful, capable and durable work trucks, the Dodge Ram 3500, 4500 and 5500 Chassis Cabs – which compete in the Class 3-5 medium-duty segments – the brand's commercial program is anchored by the Dodge Sprinter and the Dodge Grand Caravan cargo van.

For Dodge, the commercial market is a great example of capitalizing on adjacent opportunities while serving as a natural complement to a strategic objective of extending the business by investing in new products that cover new segments.

Beginning with the 2003 introduction of the Dodge Sprinter, the automaker made its return to the commercial market. Then, in returning to the Class 3 segment, Dodge set the new commercial standard with the all-new Ram 3500 Chassis Cab which quickly achieved a 29 percent market share in less than one year.

In addition, last year Dodge extended its reach into the Class 4 and 5 medium-duty markets with the all-new Ram 4500 and 5500 Chassis Cabs.

In 2007, Dodge sold 33,500 commercial vehicles, a 285 percent increase over 2003 when the company returned to the commercial vehicle market. Through the first half of 2008 Dodge sold 20,177 commercial vehicles, a 123 percent increase over the same period in 2007.

With the 2007 introduction of the Dodge Ram 4500 and 5500 Chassis Cabs, Dodge's Ram-tough heritage and legacy now extends into the Class 5 medium-duty segment. Boasting best-in-class fuel economy and low ownership costs, Dodge Ram 4500 and 5500 Chassis Cabs have carved a 16 percent retail share of the Class 4-5 segments.

With its 2003 introduction, the Dodge Sprinter completely changed the standard for full-size vans. Through July 2008, Dodge sold 9,501 Sprinters, representing a 21 percent increase over the same period last year.

In addition to class-leading fuel economy and lowest ownership costs, Dodge Sprinter offers the segment's most best-in-class advantages, world-class quality, innovations, design and performance, comfort and safety, and builds on Dodge's rich commercial heritage, bolstering the company's position as a leading player in the commercial vehicle market. Beyond its appeal to a wide range of customers in traditional and niche market vocations, Dodge Sprinter has quickly become a preferred vehicle of choice embraced by the market's major courier companies including FedEx, UPS and DHL.

In addition to great commercial vehicles, also supporting the company's commercial market success are innovative customer offerings including a new national dealer program, Fleet Elite. With a goal of providing a world-class dealer experience to Fleet and Fleet Management Company (FMC) accounts and customers, Fleet Elite is a dealership certification program that is designed to ensure that business customers receive enhanced service and support with specialized facilities, staffing and processes to meet their specialized needs.