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Mopar  SEMA Special Report

Challenger in Charge

Words: Darren Jacobs

The more things change, the more they stay the same—at least when fall rolls around, bringing the annual Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show back to Las Vegas. Each year Mopar® and Chrysler LLC, with a hot new vehicle that practically begs to be customized, dominate the headlines and create the show floor buzz. This year, without a doubt, that car was the new Dodge Challenger.

Attendees at the 2008 SEMA show, held November 4–7 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, didn’t have to search through the formidable two million square feet of exhibits before encountering a tricked out Challenger. In fact, too many Challengers to count dotted the many SEMA exhibits and displays. The general consensus marked the Dodge Challenger as the “it” car at the premier automotive specialty products trade event in the world.

“It seemed as if everywhere you turned a Challenger was right there,” observed B.J. Birtwell, vice president, marketing, DUB Publishing. “I’m sure that many event attendees all over the show were influenced by the customization of these cars in a way that made them want to buy one. It definitely made me want to buy one.”

Mopar led the way, of course, with a plethora of Challengers on display in its huge and much-trafficked exhibit, keyed by the reveal of the 2009 Mopar Drift Dodge Challenger. The event drew a standing-room only crowd of media and showgoers to the Mopar Stage, where Team Mopar driver and two-time Formula Drift (FD) champion Samuel Hübinette, who will steer the Mopar Drift Dodge Challenger during the 2009 season, and NuFormz Racing team owner Shaun Carlson participated in the reveal. Carlson spearheaded the build of the Mopar Drift Dodge Challenger at his NuFormz Racing shop in Ontario, Calif.

The unveiling continued Mopar’s long commitment to the rising motorsport of drifting. Mopar and Hübinette teamed up to capture the inaugural FD championship in 2004, with Hübinette also taking the 2006 FD title. Hübinette has claimed nine career FD victories, a series high, spreading the word about Mopar power to the younger demographic of race fans that follow drifting. “Mopar is reaching out to today’s car enthusiast by combining its storied racing heritage with a variety of performance and accessory products that allow customers to make a personal statement with their vehicle,” said Steve Shugg, Mopar’s Director of Sales and Marketing.

”When we decided to bring out a new competition drift car, what better platform than the new Dodge Challenger,” said Carlson. “It has cool styling, great aerodynamics and it’s a car that we feel is going to create a lot of buzz among fans of the FD Series.”

The Mopar Drift Dodge Challenger underwent modifications, including a variety of safety components such as a full roll-cage and a five-point harness. A front carbon-fiber splitter and rear carbon-fiber wing were added for improved aerodynamics, and weight was trimmed off the Dodge Challenger SRT8® chassis by utilizing a custom carbon-fiber body by NuFormz Racing.

“One of the biggest modifications was making the car light,” Carlson remarked. “Much of the body is now carbon-fiber, which cut quite a bit of weight. We’ve been able to put a lot of time, effort and hard work into this car. It’s going to be strong.”

The powerplant of the Mopar Drift Dodge Challenger features a Mopar A8 aluminum engine built by Gary Stanton Racing Engines, with Mopar W9 raised port heads, pumping out an estimated 850 horsepower and 849 lb-ft of torque to its BFGoodrich rubber. Additional Mopar components include Mopar front and rear sway bars on the suspension.

 

“This is going to be an exciting time, bringing out another car and another platform,” said Hübinette, who in 2009 will mark his sixth year as a member of Team Mopar. “All that we learned from building the Dodge Charger drift car is transformed into this car and really makes it competitive. The Dodge Challenger is definitely the hot vehicle right now — everybody’s talking about it. Having the vehicle built as a competition drift car is just going to add even more excitement. We’re pumped up about launching this car, doing some testing over the winter and getting it ready to rock, and then taking home some victories next year.”

Earlier in the day, Hübinette joined fellow Team Mopar drivers Gary Scelzi, Allen Johnson, Brian Collins, Chuck Hovey, Brady Bacon, Brad Sweet and Cindi Lux near the Mopar stage for an autograph signing that included drivers from the many racing series in which Mopar-powered machines compete.

The signing drew even more fans to the already-packed Mopar exhibit, which featured a number of customized Dodge Challengers from the Mopar Underground group. Drawing raves was the Dodge Challenger Blacktop, which began as a 2009 Dodge Challenger R/T equipped with a 5.7-liter HEMI® V8 and six-speed manual transmission. It was modified to included custom-made spoilers and front brow, a black-on-black racing stripe paint scheme, Mopar coil-over suspension and strut tower brace and massive 22-inch Dodge Viper wheels. The addition of Mopar components, including a Cat-Back™ dual-exhaust and cold air intake, allow the HEMI V8 to breathe easy.

Also attracting gawkers was the Dodge Challenger Targa, which raced and completed the challenging Targa Newfoundland, and the 2009 Dodge Challenger SRT10® Concept, which boasts a Dodge Viper 8.4-liter, all-aluminum V10 engine with 600 horsepower and 560 lb-ft of torque. Other Mopar Underground vehicles included the Dodge Ram TRXtreme, Dodge Ram R/T, Dodge Ram Sportsman, and Dodge Ram Mopar Street Package.

Keeping with the Dodge Challenger and Dodge Ram themes, the Mopar Alley, located between the North and South halls at the SEMA Show and always a popular stop for showgoers, featured “Evolution of the Dodge Challenger” and “Evolution of the Dodge Ram” exhibits. Vehicles from the past and present were on display representing the progression of both models. The Alley also featured the 2008 Mopar “Top Eliminator” vehicles, showcasing the most skilled Mopar enthusiasts and their restyled or customized Chrysler, Plymouth and Dodge vehicles (see page 52 for “Top Eliminator” coverage).

To top it off, Mopar also showcased all-new products at SEMA geared toward the Dodge Challenger and Dodge Ram. Mopar is ready to support those looking to customize their all-new Dodge Challenger, offering a new ram-air hood. Made from aluminum, the hood features a scoop that pays homage to Dodge. Also available are a rear spoiler and upgraded 20-inch “heritage” wheels with classic styling. A new Hurst shifter with a retro flare is also offered. The all-new 2009 Dodge Ram gets its fair share of new parts too. Wheel flares, a dual-snorkel hood and body kits add to a long list of components available for 2009.

“From the all-new 2009 Dodge Challenger to the all-new 2009 Dodge Ram 1500, Mopar’s accessories and performance parts create a personal statement for your vehicle,” said Simon Boag, President – Mopar/Global Service and Parts, Chrysler LLC. “We offer a variety of options for appearance and power enhancements to meet customer individuality. If you can dream it, you can build it with Mopar.”

Hmmm. Looks like many of the 2008 SEMA Show attendees have already taken that advice!

SEMA Show Scrapbook