Chrysler Group LLC to Showcase Four Mopar Image Vehicles at 2009 SEMA Show
A 556-horsepower Dodge Challenger, a Jeep(R) 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 this week at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas, Nov. 3–6. 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."
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: The Mopar Dodge Challenger 1320, Mopar Dodge Ram Bianco, Mopar Jeep Wrangler Overland and Mopar Jeep Lower Forty Image Vehicles.
The Dodge Challenger 1320 is a sure bet to pique the interest of the drag racing set. It 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 drag strip.
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.
Additional "Moparized" Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge Car and Ram Truck vehicles that will be on display at the Mopar exhibit at SEMA are the 2010 Chromed Ram Heavy-Duty Crew cab, 2010 Ram Heavy-Duty Ultimate Tow Machine, 2010 Ram Heavy-Duty Work Truck, "Moparized" Dodge Challenger, Extreme Off-Road 2010 Jeep Wrangler, Family-Friendly, Off-Road 2010 Jeep Wrangler and a "Moparized" Chrysler Town & Country.
For a recap of Mopar's activities at the 2009 SEMA show, visit http://www.moparspeed.com on Monday, Nov. 9.