The Dodge 50 Series was a range of light commercial vehicles built in Britain between 1979 and 1993. It replaced the Dodge Walk-Thru and the smaller Dodge Spacevan, used some body panels from the American Dodge B series to save money, and ended its life badged as a Renault.
Dodge 50 Series at a glance
| Maker | Chrysler Europe, then Renault Véhicules Industriels |
|---|---|
| Factory | Dunstable, England |
| Production | 1979-1993 |
| Class | light commercial vehicle, 3,500-7,500 kg |
| Replaced | Dodge Walk-Thru and Dodge Spacevan |
| Shared panels | doors and upper wings from the American Dodge B series |
| Chassis | British design, no parts shared with American Dodges |
| Engines | Perkins Phaser and 4.236 diesels |
| Four-wheel drive | RB44 by Reynolds Boughton (early 1990s) |
| Later name | Renault 50 Series, by 1987 |
| Factory closed | March 1993 |
Based on one source: the English Wikipedia article on the Dodge 50 Series.
History of the Dodge 50 Series
The 50 Series was introduced in 1979 as a replacement for the earlier Dodge Walk-Thru stepvan and the smaller Dodge Spacevan cab-over van. Chrysler Europe was in financial trouble, so the new vehicle used a few panels from the American Dodge B series vans, notably the doors and upper wings, modified for European regulations and needs. The chassis, however, was British-designed and shared no parts with American products.
The range covered a wide spread of chassis and body configurations, including two distinctly different cab designs, and spanned the 3,500 to 7,500 kg revenue weight class. Power came from a choice of diesels that included the Perkins Phaser and the Perkins 4.236. Bodybuilders converted many chassis into tippers, box vans and even buses, and the chassis-cab version was widely used by utility companies, often with compressors and generators fitted. In the early 1990s Reynolds Boughton built the RB44, a four-wheel-drive version based loosely on the Dodge van; it saw some use with the British army because it could carry far more than even the largest Land Rover.
By the late 1970s Chrysler Europe had inherited the struggling commercial marques of the Rootes Group, notably Commer and Karrier, and could not return a profit. In 1978 Chrysler pulled out of its European operations, selling the car business to Peugeot, and the Dunstable factory was run in partnership with Renault Véhicules Industriels. Until 1984 the 50 Series was marketed as being produced by Karrier Motors Ltd, and the change to Renault branding was gradual, with some vehicles carrying both a Dodge name and a Renault diamond.
By 1987 the updated vehicle was rebadged as the Renault 50 Series, and the Dodge marque ceased to be used for new vehicles in Britain. Renault kept building it at Dunstable until the factory closed in March 1993, though it was never a great sales success for Renault, which preferred its own Master van in export markets. In 1994 the production tooling was sold to RDS Automotive of Leamington Spa, which intended to start a light truck project in China.
Design and features
- Mixed parentage: American Dodge B-series doors and wings on a British-designed chassis.
- Wide range: chassis cabs, box vans, tippers and buses from 3,500 to 7,500 kg.
- Utility favourite: chassis cabs with compressors and generators were common with British utility companies.
- RB44: a four-wheel-drive conversion built by Reynolds Boughton for military and heavy-duty use.
Dodge 50 Series versions
- Dodge 50 Series (1979-1987): the original range, later sold under Karrier and Dodge names together.
- Renault 50 Series (1987-1993): the Renault-badged version built until the Dunstable closure.
- RB44: four-wheel-drive conversion by Reynolds Boughton.
- Chassis cab: the bare chassis used by bodybuilders for box bodies and specialist equipment.
The 50 Series was smaller than the Dodge 100 Commando and replaced the Dodge Spacevan in the British range. More Dodge commercial vehicles are in the Dodge collection.
Sources
- Dodge 50 Series, English Wikipedia: production, panels, engines, Renault period
