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2009 Challenger "Drag Racing Package" Coming

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2007-11-07

[ Chrysler's press release ]

Mopar Will Launch the Dodge Challenger Drag Racing 'Package' Car Program at the 2007 SEMA Show

  • The package car from Mopar is equipped with competition-bred versions of the third-generation HEMI engine
  • The SEMA Show, the annual showcase of technology, trends and products representing the $36.7 billion automotive parts and accessories industry, will be held Oct. 30 - Nov. 2, 2007, at the Las Vegas Convention Center
Center Line, Mich., Oct 29, 2007 -- Next year is the 40th anniversary of the famous 1968 HEMI Dart and HEMI Barracuda 'package' cars. These purpose-built vehicles allowed drag racers to be competitive at the track with a factory-built Dodge or Plymouth drag car. Mopar, Chrysler LLC's original equipment manufacturer, will announce the launch of a new 'package' car program based on the 2009 Dodge Challenger at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) trade show.

The annual showcase of technology, trends and products representing the $36.7 billion automotive parts and accessories industry, SEMA will be held Oct. 30 - Nov. 2, 2007, at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

The package cars will be equipped with competition-bred versions of the venerable third-generation HEMI engine. A limited number of these HEMI-powered Dodge Challenger Drag Racing packages will be available.

The '68 package cars present a significant part of Mopar's history. A watershed moment in drag racing history, they represented a major milestone in the evolution of the second-generation HEMI powerplant. Mopar's popular HEMI Challenge racing series that is operated in conjunction with the NHRA features these 1968 cars. Modern-day super stock competitors are still building new, 'clone' versions of the 1968-specification car that led to the creation of what we know as NHRA pro stock today.

The race-only, off-road-use-only parts packages will be sold at Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge dealerships.

About SEMA
The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show, the annual showcase of technology, trends and products for the $36.7 billion automotive parts and accessories industry, will be held Oct. 30 - Nov. 2, 2007 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The premier automotive specialty products trade event in the world, SEMA draws the industry's brightest minds and hottest products to the Las Vegas Convention Center and attracts more than 100,000 industry leaders from over 100 countries in the automotive, truck and SUV markets. Open to domestic and international industry professionals and media, the 2007 SEMA Show will feature more than 2,000 exhibitors. More than 100,000 are expected to attend this year. SEMA was founded in 1963. The industry provides appearance, performance, comfort, convenience and technology products for passenger and recreational vehicles.

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.

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