Despite their horrific financial conditions, the big three are all coming to SEMA with cool stuff to display. Chrysler is going to showcase several cars and trucks that range from totally bad ass to able to walk passed.
The vehicle we want to see the most is a specially outfitted “Lower 40” Jeep Wrangler Rubicon that’s been around for a while with a sectioned body and 40-inch-tall tires. A close second is a dolled up Challenger that seems to be highlighting parts currently available from Mopar Performance. We’re going to skip the mini-van, unless we want to take a couple of minutes to mock it.
We’re happy that Mopar will be at the show and that it appears not all the fun has been sucked out of the companies as of yet.
Here’s the legthy official press release:
Chrysler Group LLC to Showcase Four Mopar Image Vehicles at 2009 SEMA Show
Auburn Hills, Mich., Oct 15, 2009 –
A 556-horsepower Dodge Challenger, a Jeep® Wrangler that transforms
into a mobile campsite, a luxury Dodge Ram 1500 and a go-anywhere,
do-anything extreme Jeep Wrangler with 40-inch tires. It must be SEMA
season.
Four Mopar-customized vehicles will steal the show
next month at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in
Las Vegas. Mopar’s in-house team of creative customizers developed a
slew of high-performance image vehicles that feature the brand’s
innovative performance parts and accessories.
“Our Mopar
vehicles demonstrate this company’s passion and enthusiasm for the
automotive aftermarket,” said Pietro Gorlier, President and Chief
Executive Officer – Mopar Service, Parts and Customer Care, Chrysler
Group LLC. “We will gauge reaction to these vehicles and explore new
directions as we develop Mopar performance parts and accessories for
our vehicles.”
“The aftermarket is not an after-thought in our
design studio,” said Ralph Gilles, President and CEO–Dodge Car Brand
and Senior Vice President–Product Design, Chrysler Group LLC. “Our
vehicles are designed and built by the same passionate automotive
enthusiasts within our company who are designing and engineering new
Mopar parts and accessories for vehicles in our product pipeline.”
Led by Mark Allen, Head of Jeep Design, Chrysler Group LLC, the Mopar
design team developed four head-turning vehicles for next month’s SEMA
show.
Mopar Dodge Challenger 1320 Image Vehicle: Exploring a Street-legal Drag Pak Challenger
The Dodge Challenger 1320 began life as a Mopar Drag Pak Dodge
Challenger. The current Drag Pak option is a light-weight,
stripped-down, race-only, special-order version of the Dodge Challenger
designed for competitive drag racing.
For the street-legal
design, Mopar’s design team took the vehicle back to its roots with
styling reminiscent of vintage Mopar muscle, updated with today’s
technology. The Dodge Challenger 1320 image vehicle, named for the
1,320 feet on a quarter-mile drag strip, features Mopar’s 426
cubic-inch, all-aluminum, HEMI® V-8 crate engine that generates 556
horsepower. The engine is equipped with unique Mopar-designed valve
covers and a dress-up kit. Mopar’s long-tube headers and exhaust system
allow the cubic inches to breathe. Electric cutouts allow the exhaust
to bypass the muffler system, which exits through custom side pipes for
added rumble at the dragstrip. Power is put to the ground via a
six-speed manual transmission through a custom Dynatrac rear housing
with Mopar Dana 60 internals and a selectable, ARB locking
differential. Mopar police wheels, widened in the rear, are strapped
with Mickey Thompson street-legal drag radials to provide extra grip at
launch. A four-corner, adjustable coil-over kit is provided by Mopar as
an option for the Dodge Challenger. This system improves the handling
of the vehicle under extreme loads of 556 horsepower and 540 lb.-ft. of
torque.
Following Mopar’s high-impact color heritage, the
design team layered the 1320 in Acidic Hue, a non-metallic yellow paint
and added matte black graphics. The body is lightened with the
following carbon-fiber components from Mopar’s design team and Seibon:
• Bulged hood with HEMI scoop
• Front spoiler
• Grille panel/headlamp surround
The interior is equipped with bare necessities–Dodge Viper seats, a
sport steering wheel and a Hurst shifter. The rear seat, center console
and radio have been removed in order to reduce vehicle weight and
maintain the 1320’s no-nonsense theme.
Mopar Dodge Ram Bianco Image Vehicle: A Stylish, Luxury Pickup Truck
The Dodge Ram Bianco started life as a 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 Sport with a
5.7-liter HEMI V-8. The Dodge Ram is modified to reflect an upscale
feel and appearance with the aid of Mopar performance parts and
accessories. Colors, textures and accessories are combined in a manner
that showcases the sophisticated side of the Dodge Ram 1500.
Exterior modifications include a Mopar hard tonneau that adds a
classic, sporty appearance. The inside of the truck bed features
Mopar’s bed rug–a plush, yet washable carpet. For the exterior, a
Mopar body kit and modified Mopar fender flares give a unique,
sophisticated look. The stance is aided by a Ground Force lowering kit
that not only lowers the vehicle, but also provides excellent ride and
handling. The Dodge Ram Bianco is layered in several coats of Arctic
Ice pearl paint that give it a rich appearance. Holding true to the
upscale theme, Mopar’s 22-inch wheels are painted in a matching,
high-contrast design. Performance upgrades include a Mopar cold-air
intake and a throaty Mopar dual exhaust with just enough growl to let
you know there is something powerful under the hood.
The
exterior theme continues through the interior. White and black Katzkin
seats with matching door trim set the stage for a high-class ride.
Piano Black and Arctic Ice accents add to the luxurious theme. For
sound, Mopar contributed a Kicker audio system consisting of an audio
amplifier, a powerful subwoofer and upgraded speakers.
Mopar Jeep Wrangler Overland Image Vehicle: A Stop-anywhere, Camp-anywhere Jeep
The Jeep Wrangler Overland is perfect for those craving travel and
adventure. The Mopar design team took a 2009 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited
Rubicon and turned it into a mobile “on-the-go” self-contained campsite.
To increase cargo capacity for hauling gear, the Jeep Wrangler
Overland’s rear seats are replaced with a large, flat, rubberized
utility floor. Mounted to the cargo rack is an all-new ARB two-person
Simpson II rooftop-mounted tent and touring awning. The interior of the
Jeep Wrangler Overland features water-resistant Mopar front-seat
covers, rugged Mopar slush mats, a Daystar dash bin and lower switch
panel that powers added accessories.
Enhancing off-road travel
is an American Expedition Vehicles’ (AEV), Nth Degree, 3-inch
suspension lift and a Full Traction rear sway bar. The lift allows
aggressive 35-inch tires mounted on 17-inch steel Mopar winter/off-road
wheels to fit under the Jeep. Additional off-road protection at the
front and rear is provided by AEV steel bumpers and for added security,
a Warn 9.5ti winch.
In order to prepare the Jeep Wrangler
Overland for desert duty, an AEV Jeep Wrangler heat-reduction hood and
snorkel kit is fitted to the vehicle. Mopar windshield-mounted off-road
lights and Daystar bumper-mounted lights provide additional lighting
for nighttime and off-road driving.
Mopar Jeep Lower Forty Image Vehicle: An Extreme Trail Rig with 40-inch Tires
The Jeep “Lower Forty” takes the Jeep Wrangler platform to a new
extreme. The vehicle is equipped with massive 40-inch x 13.5-inch tires
mounted on Mopar’s 20-inch forged-aluminum wheels. Mopar added
aggressive wheels and tires to a stock, two-door Jeep Wrangler Rubicon
without the use of a suspension lift. The team’s goal was to achieve
added ground clearance without dramatically altering the vehicle’s
center of gravity. The team removed copious amounts of body metal in
order to provide room for 40-inch meats. Three inches are chopped from
the windshield frame and a 10-degree rake is added.
Custom
front and rear fender flares are 1-inch wider and are located 4 inches
higher than a stock Jeep Wrangler. A new one-piece carbon-fiber hood
with a Jeep CJ-like power dome and an all-new drop-down tailgate
stamped with the “Jeep” logo are added to complete the exterior design.
On the interior, an all-new roll cage is neatly integrated into the
body tub and tied directly into the frame rails. The spare tire is
relocated to the cargo floor and a custom cargo rack, supplied by Poly
Performance, holds extra gear. Once all body modifications were
completed, the exterior received a fresh coat of Red Eye No. 3 paint, a
custom color developed by Mopar.
Custom touches throughout the
interior include a color-matched center console and instrument panel.
Seats are re-covered with Mopar’s Katzkin leather package in a two-tone
scheme. Replacing the carpet is a durable, spray-in truck-bed liner.
Rugged Mopar floor mats complete the theme.
Mechanical
upgrades came directly out of the Mopar catalog. The Jeep “Lower Forty”
features an all-new 5.7-liter HEMI® V-8 engine and a Getrag 238
six-speed manual transmission. Powertrain installations were handled by
Burnsville Off-Road using an AEV 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 conversion kit.
The Mopar-supplied Dana 44 front axle and a Dana 60 rear axle, fitted
with 5.38 gears and ARB air lockers, were assembled by Dynatrac.
Mopar Brand
Mopar distributes approximately 280,000 components in more than 90
countries and is the source for all original equipment parts for
Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge vehicles. Mopar parts are unique in that they
are engineered with the same teams that create factory-authorized
vehicle specifications for Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge Car and Dodge Ram
vehicles – a direct connection that no other aftermarket parts company
can provide.
More than 70 Years of Mopar
When Chrysler bought Dodge in 1928, the need for a dedicated parts
manufacturer, supplier and distribution system to support the growing
enterprise led to the formation of the Chrysler Motor Parts Corporation
(CMPC) in 1929.
Mopar (a simple contraction of the words MOtor
and PARts) was trademarked for a line of antifreeze products in 1937.
It also was widely used as a moniker for the CMPC. The Mopar brand made
its mark in the 1960’s – the muscle car era. The Chrysler Corporation
built race-ready Dodge and Plymouth “package cars” equipped with
special high-performance parts. Mopar carried a line of “special parts”
for super stock drag racers and developed its racing parts division
called Mopar Performance Parts to enhance speed and handling for both
road and racing use.
