The Chrysler Group has promised that their massive Mopar
display at the 2012 SEMA Show in Las Vegas will have more than 20 “Moparized”
vehicles and with just a few weeks until the big show – the car gods have
bestowed upon us sketches of five of the vehicles headed to Vegas.Among these images is a Jeep Wrangler, a Fiat
500, a Ram 1500, a Dodge Charger and a new Dart Dodge – all sporting a unique
look that will help them to stand out on the crowded SEMA Show floor.
Unfortunately, the Chrysler Group announcement including
these images didn’t include any information but we can make some speculations
on the Dodge and Ram products based on what we can see in these pictures.
The Dodge Charger shown in orange says “Dodge” on the grille
so that means that it will likely be a tuned up base model with the 3.6L
Pentastar V6 or an R/T with the 5.7L Hemi. All that we can see in the drawing in terms of modifications are some
large black wheels and a unique hood with a front mounted scoop – similar to
what was available on the older SRT8 models.
The 2013 Dodge Dart shown in white with black and red trim
wears a unique chin spoiler, lightweight wheels, a tow hook and a carbon fiber
hood that looks a great deal like the one displayed on the Dart GTS 210
Tribute.This car will likely featured a
tuned up version of the 1.4L turbocharged Fiat engine along with a variety of
goodies that will be available via the Mopar parts catalog.
Finally, the Ram 1500 shown in black and blue could be just
a Ram 1500 with some Mopar accessories – or this could be out first look at the
Mopar 13 that many have speculated will be based on the Ram pickup.The Mopar division used the Challenger R/T in
2010, the Charger R/T in 2011 and the Chrysler 300C in 2012 as the base
vehicles for their factory built Moparized vehicle and it has been speculated
that the next Mopar branded vehicle could be a Ram 1500.The black paint with the blue driver’s stripe
is identical to the scheme from the other Mopar models so SEMA could bring us
our first look at what could be the Mopar 13.
There is also a new Fiat 500 with a unique hood that is
likely based on the new Fiat 500 Turbo along with a Jeep Wrangler with a custom
front bumper, a winch, some big ol’ meats and a lift kit.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
