Mopar® and the Mopar Underground team showcased their customized
Jeep® vehicles and Dodge trucks at Moab Jeep Safari 2008 in
March.
“Jeep engineering has been coming to Moab for years. Mopar is at
Moab to test, evaluate and prove the authenticity of our Mopar Performance Parts
for Jeep vehicles and Dodge trucks on the most grueling off-road trails in
Moab,” said Simon Boag, President – Service & Parts/Mopar, Chrysler LLC.
Mopar is Chrysler LLC’s original equipment parts manufacturer and supplier.
Boag added, “We wanted our core off-road customers to talk about their
vehicle usage so we can address their unmet needs and identify emerging product
trends to better support their off-road adventures. Mopar prepped several
vehicles for Moab Jeep Safari to gauge consumer feedback and reaction.”
Overseen by Ralph Gilles, Vice President of Jeep/Truck & CFM Design,
Chrysler LLC, the Mopar Underground design team has been customizing production
vehicles since its creation in 2002. The Mopar Underground design team creates
vehicle concepts meant to develop performance parts, accessories and
customization as well as new vehicle concepts. In fact, the first-generation
SRT4 was born from this team’s style initiative.
“Our diverse team which
changes frequently has been developing SEMA concepts for more than five years.
It’s the usual ‘enthusiast’ suspects from our union shops [plastic, paint, metal
and wood], Product Design Office, SRT and Mopar Performance Parts and
engineering,” said Gilles.
“We try to push the boundaries of
conventional thinking—customizing with no limits to creative expression and
freedom, just the power to imagine. We want to build customized concept vehicles
that flex the potential in our platforms, show that Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge
vehicles are indeed designed for customization and keep the Mopar spirit and
passion alive,” said Gilles.
Vehicle Customization Industry
- The 2007 Jeep Wrangler was named one of the most accessory-friendly vehicles
by SEMA members
- According to a Foresight Research report conducted last year [commissioned
by SEMA's Research and Information Center], more than 1,700 full-size truck
owners revealed that 50 percent had spent or planned to spend $500 or more on
accessories—with a high of 63 percent for Dodge Ram owners (most likely to
accessorize). And 20 percent of that group said they bought their trucks at a
particular dealership because of the availability of accessories
Jeep® Wrangler “Rubicon® King”
An amplification of
Jeep's most capable off-road machine. Taking full advantage of the 4:1 ratio
Rock-Trac transfer case and Tru-Lok-equipped Dana 44 axles, the JK Rubicon King
utilizes massive BF Goodrich 37 x 12.50-17 TA Krawler tires mounted on
Hutchinson beadlock wheels from Mopar. Superlift Suspension provided the 4-in.
lift for extra ground clearance. Warn-supplied the new 9.0 RC Rock Crawling
Winch. Featuring a six-speed transmission, power is provided by the 3.8-liter
V-6 engine under the hood.
Custom features include relocation of the
spare tire where the back seat used to reside, fender flares and grille trimmed
for extreme clearance, trick lighting, military spec tow shackles and radio
delete plate. Other features include American Expedition vehicle's new
heat-reduction hood and rear corner guards.
The “JK Rubicon King” premiered at the 2006 SEMA Show and traversed the
trails at Moab Jeep Safari 2007.
Jeep® Wrangler JT
Built from the military version of the
all new Jeep Wrangler, the Jeep Wrangler JT showcases just how flexible this new
platform can be. Revealed at the Moab Jeep Safari 2007, the JT dominated the
steep climbs and descents on the slopes of the Hell’s Revenge trail. Its 4x4
capability was established as it negotiated the slick hot tubs and waterfalls –
at times, almost completely vertical to the ground.
Beginning with the
new 116-in. wheelbase platform for the Wrangler Unlimited, the design team
managed to create a very nimble, trail-savvy Jeep with a 5-ft. pickup bed and an
easy-to-handle removable hardtop. Power is provided by its 3.8-liter V-6 engine.
Off-road enhancements include:
- 4-in. suspension lift provided by Superlift
- 35-in. BF Goodrich Mud Terrain tires
- Rear bumper and tire carrier from Mopar
- Front bumper from Mopar
- Warn 9500ti winch
The Wrangler JT is painted Hearing Aid Beige. The JK JT premiered at Moab
Jeep Safari 2007 and was shown at the 2007 SEMA Show.
Jeep® Grand Cherokee “Grand Canyon”
The “Grand Canyon”
features 33-inch tires and a 4-in. lift. Power comes from a 3.0-liter V-6 CRD
engine under the hood. The “Grand Canyon” premiered at Moab Jeep Safari 2006.
Jeep® Liberty “Liberator II”
The “Liberator II”
features 33-inch BFG MT KM2 tires (on 17x17.5 wheels) and a 2-in. suspension
lift from Superlift. Power comes from the 3.7-liter V-6 engine under the hood.
It features an ARB rear locker with an onboard air inflation compressor. It also
has custom-fabricated rock rails and front fascia skid plate as well as a Mopar
brush guard and Borla cat-back exhaust. The “Liberator II” premiered at Moab
Jeep Safari 2008.
Jeep® Wrangler “JKL”
The “JKL’s”
110-in. wheelbase features 37-inch tires and a 4-in. lift. Power comes from the
6.1-liter HEMI® V-8 engine under the hood. The “JKL” premiered at Moab Jeep
Safari 2008.
Jeep® Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon®
Takes the already off-road benchmark Jeep Wrangler to a whole new level,
this Wrangler represents the best of the best of what Jeep has to offer. The
interior of the “50K JK” features custom Katzkin leather seating from Mopar, GPS
navigation system and satellite radio.
Plenty of power and traction
comes with the 3.0-liter CRD diesel engine under the hood that pushes 230
horsepower and 390 lb.-ft. of torque. There are Tru-Lok-equipped Dana 44 axles
underneath. Performance suspension lift allows clearance for 35-inch BFG Mud
Terrain tires mounted on custom 18-inch aluminum wheels supplied by Taneisya.
The exterior features a Warn 9.5ti winch mounted on an American
Expedition front bumper. A full-size spare is carried by a rear bumper from
Mopar Performance Parts. Sprayed in Rolex Silver paint, it looks like a billion
bucks.
The JK Unlimited Rubicon premiered at the 2006 SEMA Show.
Jeep® Wrangler “All-access”
The interior of the
Jeep Wrangler All-access has been upgraded with premium materials and paint. To
give it “trail and off-road” credibility, the designers vamped it up with Mopar
Performance Parts including a Rubicon Express 4-in. suspension lift, front and
rear bumper with tire carrier, rock rails, cold air intake and a Warn 9500ti
winch. American Expedition Vehicles supplied its new Pintler sheels.
Power comes from the 3.8-liter V-6 engine. Painted “Surf Blue,” the
“All-access” also features 35-in. BFG Mud Terrain tires. The “All-access”
premiered at the 2007 SEMA Show.
Jeep® Wrangler “J8
Sarge”
The Jeep Wrangler “J8 Sarge” is a military version of the
new JK platform built as a non-combat military support vehicle. Built from the
116-inch wheelbase version, the “J8 Sarge” is offered in either two-door or
four-door configurations. Special J8-only structural upgrades in the body and
chassis combine to increase the GVWR rating to 7,400 pounds.
The
platform can be configured as a light-troop carrier, ambulance or cargo truck.
Other notable features include the Dana 60 rear axle mounted on leaf springs,
larger front-disc brakes and exclusive J8-only 17 x 8 steel wheels with a larger
5 x 5.5-inch bolt pattern. The rear differential is equipped with Trac-Lok
limited slip device (the front is open).
The powertrain is the VM
2.8-liter 4-cylinder turbo-diesel engine producing 158 horsepower and 295
lb.-ft. of torque. It’s mated to a five-speed automatic transmission. The
four-wheel-drive system is the Command-Trac with both high and low-range
gearing.
Other features unique to the “J8 Sarge” are heavy-duty steel
bumpers each equipped with two forged military-spec 'helicopter hooks' (rated at
1.5 GVWR each), a hood-mounted air intake snorkel, dual rear-mounted battery
boxes and heavy-duty spring hood latches.
The “J8 Sarge” has been
upgraded with 1.25-inch Superlift front coil spacers, BF Goodrich Mud-Terrain
tires and custom cargo top. It’s painted olive drab with military markings.
The Jeep J8 is manufactured in a Chrysler LLC joint-venture facility in
Cairo. There are currently no plans to offer the J8 for retail sale in the North
American market. The “J8 Sarge” premiered at Moab Jeep Safari 2008.
2007 Dodge Ram Diesel Power Wagon
This vehicle was
built to explore the feasibility of a Dodge Ram Diesel Power Wagon. The Ram 2500
Quad Cab features a 6.7-liter Cummins diesel engine with automatic transmission
packing 350 hp and 650 lb.-ft. of torque. It has Mopar Performance axles, front
and rear electronic lockers and 40-inch Goodyear MTR tires. Kore Performance
provided the suspension. It features custom fenders and a Warn® Winch from
Authentic Dodge Accessories.
The Dodge Ram Diesel Power Wagon premiered
at Moab Jeep Safari 2008.
2005 Jeep® Wrangler (TJ) Rubicon®
Diesel Engine Project Vehicle from Mopar
The 2005 Jeep Wrangler
(TJ) Rubicon Diesel Engine Project Vehicle from Mopar was built to explore the
feasibility of integrating a diesel engine kit into a TJ vehicle system.
Developed by Jeep enthusiasts/engineers who work at Mopar Performance Parts, the
TJ features a custom diesel crate engine adaptation.
The prototype
vehicle demonstrates that Mopar listens to its off-road enthusiasts. And this is
not a show vehicle—Jeep enthusiasts will see this “engineering mule” driven and
tested on Moab’s trails.
Though what’s under the hood is not production
intent, the 2.8-liter I-4 T1 VM diesel engine packs 120 hp and 240 lb.-ft. of
torque. It has an AISIN five-speed manual transmission. It features 35-inch B.
F. Goodrich Mud Terrain KM2 tires and a 4-inch lift to support its 523 pounds of
weight.
- Tru-lock Rubicon 4.10 ratio axles
- NV 241 OR transfer case
- 3-inch Black Diamond suspension
- High-line hood and fender kit from AEV
2007 Jeep® Wrangler Rubicon®
The 2007 Jeep Wrangler
Rubicon is proof of what happens when you use the right combination of Authentic
Jeep Accessories and Mopar Performance Parts.
- 00PM4311 Jeep Windshield Decal
- 82207271 Off Road Lamps - Windshield Mount
- 82210556AB Off Road Lamps - Windshield Mounting Kit
- 82210507 Off Road Lamps - Windshield Wiring Kit
- 82209740 Off-Road Bumper – Front
- 82209916AB Off-Road Bumper – Rear
- 82210485 Spare Tire Carrier
- 82210401 Steering Linkage Skid Plate
- 82209880AB Fog Lamps
- 82210549 Wiring Harness
- 82209325AB Winch
- 82210256 Tow Hooks
- 82210557 Driver’s Auxiliary Mirror Kit
- Katzkin Leather Seats
- 82210106 Door Sill Entry Guards – Black
- 82210166 Slush Mats
- 82210558AC Chrome Grille
- 82210316 Hood Cover
- 82210270 Taillamp Guards – Black
- 82210609 Fuel Filler Door – Black
- 82209912 Soft Top Boot
- 82207660AB Grab Handles
- 82210208AC Trail Guide™ Navigation System
- 82210613 Interior Trim Appliqué Kit - Carbon Fiber Design
- 82210575AC Rock Rails
- 82210464 Hood Lock
- 77060021 Cold Air Intake Kit
- P5153858 Cat Back Exhaust System (3.8L, 2-Door)
- 77KICK10 Mopar/KICKER® Front Speaker Upgrade
- 77KICK10 Mopar/KICKER® Rear Speaker Upgrade
- 77KICK24 Mopar/KICKER® 200 Watt Subwoofer
- P5155075 4.5-inch Lift Kit: Sway Bar Disconnect Kit, Spring Kit
(Front/Rear), Drive Shaft Kit (Front/Rear w/Yokes), Bilstein Shocks
(Front/Rear), Brake Line Kit (Front/Rear) and Control Arms
Powertrain
- 250 horsepower and 240 lb.-ft. of torque
Wheels/Tires
- Walker Evans Wheels
- Goodyear 37 x 12.5 x 17 tires
Painted Detonator Yellow, the 2007 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon premiered at the
2007 SEMA Show.
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.
Originally used in
the 1920s, Mopar (a simple contraction of the words MOtor and PARts) was
trademarked for a line of antifreeze products in 1937. It was also widely used
as a moniker for the CMPC. The Mopar brand made its mark in the 1960s – 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.
Today, Chrysler’s Global Service and Parts
division is responsible for the manufacturing and distribution of nearly 250,000
authentic Mopar replacement parts, components and accessories for Chrysler, Jeep
and Dodge vehicles sold around the world. To assure quality, reliability and
durability, all Mopar parts and accessories are designed in strict adherence to
Chrysler engineering standards.