Mopar is Chrysler’s auto parts and service arm, and has been around since the 1920s. Besides being the brand for parts and service for Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, and Ram, Mopar is also sort of the umbrella term that automotive enthusiasts use to encompass all of Chrysler’s brands. Until 2010, there was never a Mopar-badged vehicle—then came the Mopar 10, which was a heavily modified Dodge Challenger R/T.
Today Mopar called some media folks together to make a few big announcements:
- A strategic partnership with Magneti Marelli and Shell Oil
- New extended hours (Saturdays and soon Sundays) for Mopar Express Lane service centers
- Mopar Express Lane service centers will now service almost all domestic makes and models of cars (not just Chrysler vehicles)
- A new, super hi-tech Dodge Avenger rally car
- The Mopar ’11—a Mopar-enhanced Dodge Charger
Magneti Marelli is an Italian company that has a long and storied European history, beginning in the 1920s as the first automotive service shop in Italy. They got their chops in the highly competitive racing circuit during the 20’s and 30’s, and branched out into consumer electronics for a bit before refocusing as a strictly automotive company. Their newly announced partnership brings 26 product lines and over 3000 parts to dealerships across North America. Italian executives in exceptionally fine Italian shoes proudly discussed the history of their company to the crowd of journalists.
Because of the partnership, owners of Kia, Hyundai, GM, Ford, Toyota, and Nissan products will be able to utilize Mopar Express Lane Service centers for their regular vehicle maintenance. Shell was also on hand to let us know that premium Pennzoil and Rotella lubricants will be on-hand in Mopar shops.
The new Avenger rally car rolled into the press conference, strategically covered with mud. Autoweek will do a much better job of explaining the Avenger rally car than I will. I’ll also lead you to Autoweek to give you the gritty details of the Mopar ’11. Suffice to say, it’s an impressive machine and if I had lots of disposable income, I’d tool around all day looking like a bad-ass in this thing. Check out the reveal video at the end of this story, and if you want to see more photos, check out Chrysler’s official Flickr stream.
Not a Russian nuclear base
Mopar’s World Headquarters is located in relatively unknown little Center Line, Michigan. Incidentally, I also hail from Center Line, Michigan. Center Line is a very small town—about a mile square. Much of Center Line is Mopar’s headquarters. I grew up about 1500 feet away from this giant facility, yet had never set foot in the place. I have fond memories of riding my bike around the place with my friends, getting glares from the security guards as we raced around their parking lot, and sneaking glimpses behind the fences. When we were small children, we had no idea what Mopar was. We pretended it was a secret nuclear research facility or a missile launch site filled with Russian spies. The tantalizing glimpse of two giant, dome-covered blue water tanks fueled our speculation, because for all we knew they were cooling towers or fusion reactors. Fun times.
It was therefore somewhat surreal when I got waved in by the guards and was cordially greeted at the door by Chrysler social media guru Mike Driehorst. Stepping through the portal into a world I only imagined as a child was quite disconcerting. I felt like I was going to get yelled at any moment.
Well, as it turns out, the inside of Mopar’s facility is somewhat less exciting than a fusion reactor or secret Russian spy base. It’s actually kind of a Mopar nerd’s dream garage. There are classic engines on stands throughout the conference room as well as some milestone vehicles, such as a Mopar drag car, a Jeep camper, and the 2010 Mopar Challenger R/T.
The press conference was small and intimate. Mopar president and CEO Pietro Gorlier opened with a hearty, “Welcome to Center Line!” before getting down to business.
Good for Center Line
It’s exciting for me to hear all the good news coming out of Mopar today. Not only is what’s good for Mopar good for my hometown of Center Line, where my parents still live and where my kids go to school, but it’s good for Detroit and Michigan as a whole. Heck, it’s good for our national economy. The fact that Mopar can announce new strategic partnerships, new services, and new vehicles means that money is being made and large global corporations want to partner with domestic companies to get in on the action. Center Line suffered through the economic recession just as the rest of our region did, and during the ’90s and 00’s many businesses closed up, yielding to vacancies and blight. Mopar never shuttered, but the parking lot was looking awfully empty for those years. A stronger Mopar means a stronger Center Line—and that’s important to me personally.
It’s good to have you back, Mopar. Welcome to Center Line, indeed.