Chrysler to highlight Mopar

Chrysler Group LLC will give an aftermarket makeover to four vehicles that it will highlight at the Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association show next month in Las Vegas.

At the Nov. 3-6 trade show, the automaker is to display a variety of gadgets and design concepts that showcase its Mopar aftermarket parts brand. One of the featured vehicles is a yellow Dodge Challenger 1320 that uses lightweight materials and boasts a bulged hood covering an all-aluminum, 426-cubic-inch Hemi V8 engine.

The exhibit also is to include a 2009 Dodge Ram Bianco Sport truck outfitted with a Mopar bed rug, modified fender flares and 22-inch wheels, and two souped-up Jeep Wranglers. The first, the Wrangler Overland, can be converted to a self-contained campsite with a two-person rooftop-mounted tent and awning. The second, called the Mopar Jeep Lower Forty, has gargantuan 40-inch by 13.5-inch tires mounted on 20-inch aluminum wheels.

“We will gauge reaction to these vehicles and explore new directions,” said Pietro Gorlier, president and CEO of the Mopar brand.

In Chrysler’s post-bankruptcy restructuring, Mopar has been positioned as its own brand, along with Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge cars and Dodge Ram trucks.

Aftermarket accessories generate sales of more than $30 billion annually. Particularly in a weak economy where consumers expect rebates and discounted financing, Mopar can generate revenue Chrysler urgently needs as it updates vehicles and integrates Fiat’s product-development capabilities into future Chrysler cars.

SEMA’s annual show also offers the association’s 7,300 members a chance to display aftermarket equipment to car enthusiasts and media to grow demand for their products. - Freep

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