Dodge Durango debate: Will it be cancelled and could its replacement vehicle be built in Windsor?

Auto analysts believe the vehicle will be phased out in favour of a smaller crossover vehicle that could be built in Windsor, much to the ire of the United Autoworkers Union (UAW).

On Monday, the UAW filed a grievance with the National Labor Relations Board “over the company’s attempt to move Dodge Durango production out of the United States,” according to a UAW news release.

The UAW further accuses Stellantis of not providing details to the union about the product commitments they secured in the 2023 collective agreement.

Stellantis told CTV News Tuesday even though they have not received the complaint, the automaker denies the accusations.

“The Company has not violated the commitments made in the Investment Letter included in the 2023 UAW Collective Bargaining Agreement,” the Stellantis statement reads.” We will communicate our plans to the UAW at the appropriate time.”

That triggered some digging by auto analysts at Auto Forecast Solutions (AFS) and Automotive News Canada (ANC).

Both believe not only is Stellantis phasing out the Durango, they believe the product will be shifted to Windsor Assembly Plant (WAP) on the new production line capable of building minivans, muscle cars and crossover vehicles.

Currently, WAP employs nearly 4,000 employees who build the Chrysler Pacifica minivan, the Voyager minivan (for USA), Grand Caravan minivan (for Canada), and the two-door electric Dodge Charger.

“They plan on adding [to WAP] a Chrysler crossover and a future Dodge crossover over the next three years,” Sam Fiorani with AFS told CTV News Tuesday.

AFS and ANC both believe a new Dodge crossover is coming to WAP, to be called ‘Stealth,’ a reboot of a name used in the 1990s for a two-door sports car.

“It’s easier to bring something back, a name - think Pacifica - than it is to create something new,” Greg Layson with ANC told AM800s the Morning Drive Tuesday. “The patent and trademark already exists. It has brand familiarity.”

Stellantis officials won’t confirm the auto analysts’ predictions about discontinuing the Durango, replacing it with a crossover called Stealth nor will they say what future products might be coming to WAP.

Unifor Local 444 President James Stewart was not available for an interview Tuesday and would not confirm any of the analysts’ details.

“Through collective bargaining and our members' unwavering commitment to excellence, we have positioned ourselves to ensure we are considered for future investment and product opportunities,” Stewart wrote. “Our efforts are focused on securing our jobs and seeing the eventual return of a third production shift.”

Fiorani believes that third shift could return if the Charger sales “start going off.”

“By the time the Chrysler and the Dodge model [crossovers] get added in 2026 and 2027, then we'll see a need for a full second and into a third shift,” said Fiorani.

“Windsor is really sitting pretty when it comes to being able to fill that factory to capacity,” said Layson.