What’s Up Underground?

Mopar® Underground design team whips up some fiendish performance parts and accessories for today’s custom-crazed world.

Words: Ross Ruehle

Underground design team treks to Moab Jeep Safari and tames the untameable.
If you’re an automotive designer—and truly passionate about cars—where do you go if you want to design parts and accessories that are, how should we say, slightly outside the mainstream? Parts that a certain element of our society could possibly … er … frown on. Parts that have a … oh, let’s say somewhat of a bad boy attitude.

Underground. Deep underground. That’s where you go.

That’s the idea behind the Mopar® Underground design team—a small but spirited group of car nuts with a can do mentality that slave away in the shadows to design, develop and validate very cool performance parts and accessories that the multitudes would probably find unnecessary. But then there’s the rest of us who must have them.

Overseen by Ralph Gilles, Vice President of Jeep®/Truck & CFM Design for Chrysler LLC, the Mopar Underground design team has been customizing production vehicles since its creation in 2002. The Underground team creates vehicle concepts meant to develop performance parts, accessories and customization as well as new vehicle concepts. “Our diverse team, which changes frequently, has been developing concepts for the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show for more than five years,” said Gilles. “We’re the usual ‘enthusiast’ suspects from our union shops [plastic, paint, metal and wood]. 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,” added Gilles.

This past March, the Mopar Underground design team showcased some of their customized Jeep vehicles and Dodge trucks at the renown Mopar Jeep Safari 2008 in Moab, Utah.

“Jeep Engineering has been coming to Moab for years,” said Simon Boag, President of Service & Parts/Mopar for Chrysler LLC. “Mopar is at Moab this year to test, evaluate and prove the authenticity of our Mopar performance parts on the most grueling off-road trails in Moab.” In case you missed it, vehicle customization has become big business. Foresight Research last year surveyed more than 1,700 truck owners about customization. Fifty percent had spent or planned to spend $500 or more on accessories. That figure jumped to more than 60 percent for Dodge Ram owners. Nearly one quarter of the respondents, or just over 20 percent, said they bought their trucks at a particular dealership because of the availability of accessories.

Vehicle customization with performance parts and accessories is especially popular among SUV and truck owners, but Mopar offers a full line of authentic accessories for virtually all Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge vehicles, reflecting the growing popularity of customization across the board.

So what do you get when you put a bunch of true car nuts into a room with the freedom to dream? Performance, capability, style … and attitude aplenty. Here’s just a sampling of what’s come above ground from the Mopar Underground design team. Some are new, some have been around the block a few times, but all made an appearance this year at the Moab Jeep Safari.

Jeep® Wrangler Rubicon® King

• Based on no less than Jeep®’s most capable off-road machine.
• Motivation comes from a 3.8L V6 engine and six-speed transmission.
• 4:1 ratio Rock-Trac transfer case and Tru-Lok-equipped Dana 44 axles.
• Massive BFGoodrich® 37 x 12.50-17 TA Krawler tires mount on Hutchinson beadlock wheels from Mopar®.
• Superlift Suspension provides four-inch lift for improved ground clearance.
• Fender flares and grille trimmed out for extreme clearance.
• Military spec tow shackles and radio delete plate.

Jeep Wrangler JT

• Built from the military version of the all-new Jeep Wrangler.
• Established its off-road cred at the 2007 Moab Jeep Safari.
• Dominated the steep climbs and descents on the slopes of the Hell’s Revenge trail.
• Negotiated slick hot tubs and waterfalls—at times almost completely vertical to the ground.
• Superlift Suspension provides four-inch lift.
• Traction comes from huge 35-inch BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain™ tires.
• Powered by a 3.8L V6 engine.
• Dressed with front and rear bumpers and tire carrier from Mopar.

Jeep Grand Cherokee Grand Canyon

• Rides on massive 33-inch tires and features a four-inch lift for extreme clearance.
• Inspired by a 3.0L Common Rail Diesel (CRD) engine.
• Made its Moab Jeep Safari debut in 2006.

Jeep Wrangler JKL

• How about 37-inch tires and 6.1-liters of HEMI® power under the hood?
• Wrangler JKL is brand new and made its Moab debut last March.

Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon

• The best of the best of what Jeep has to offer.
• Interior features custom Katzkin leather seating from Mopar, a GPS navigation system and satellite radio.
• Powered by a 230-horsepower 3.0L Common Rail Diesel (CRD) engine.
• Underpinned by Tru-Lok-equipped Dana 44 axles.
• Performance suspension lift allows clearance for huge 35-inch BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain tires mounted on 18-inch aluminum wheels supplied by Taneisya.
• Exterior appearance courtesy of Rolex Silver paint.
• Made its debut at the 2006 SEMA show.

Jeep Wrangler J8 Sarge

• Built off the new 116-inch wheelbase JK platform as a non-combat military support vehicle.
• Platform can be configured as a light troop carrier, ambulance or cargo truck.
• Special J8-only structural upgrades in the body and chassis combine to increase the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) to 7,400 pounds.
• Rides on exclusive J8-only 17" x 8" steel wheels with a larger 5 x 5.5" bolt pattern.
• Powered by a 158-horsepower, 2.8L four-cylinder, turbo-diesel engine and five-speed automatic.
• Unique features include heavy-duty steel bumpers each equipped with two forged military-spec “helicopter hooks,” hood-mounted air intake snorkel, dual rear-mounted battery boxes and heavy-duty hood spring latches.
• Upgraded with 1.25-inch Superlift front coil spacers, BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain tires and custom cargo top.

Dodge Ram Diesel Power Wagon

• Built to explore the feasibility of a Dodge Ram Diesel Power Wagon.
• 2500 Quad Cab® features a 6.7L Cummins diesel engine packing 350 horsepower.
• Features include Mopar Performance axles, front and rear electronic lockers and 40-inch Goodyear MTR tires.
• Suspension provided by Kore Performance.
• Custom fenders and a Warn winch from Authentic Dodge Accessories by Mopar.