Dodge and Ram SEMA Concepts
The Mopar brand is debuting six modified vehicle creations at the 2016 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show at the Las Vegas Convention Center, November 1-4. Mopar production and concept products have been used to transform Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep® and Ram vehicles and to demonstrate the Mopar brand’s capacity to help owners bring to life a unique, personalized version of their ride.
“The Mopar customized vehicles speak to our ability to assist owners in creating a ride that fits the blueprint of their individual lifestyles,” said Pietro Gorlier, Head of Parts and Service (Mopar), FCA – Global. “Our SEMA lineup highlights the parts and accessories we have available to bring vintage Mopar vehicles roaring to life, fuel family fun for all, equip off-roaders for trail adventures, and so much more. Our job at Mopar is to help customers to enhance their current rides, but also inspire our sister brands and customers to have fun, push boundaries and imagine new customization possibilities for the exceptional portfolio of FCA vehicles.”
Including the six vehicles built specifically for the 2016 SEMA Show, a fleet of 14 Mopar-modified rides will fill the brand’s 15,345-square-foot display. A small portion of the vast Mopar portfolio will be showcased, including 24 parts walls and hundreds of Mopar products.
The annual Mopar press event, a tradition at the SEMA Show, will take place at its usual 7:26 p.m. Eastern Time/4:26 p.m. Pacific Time start on Tuesday, November 1. The event will include a special reveal of new Mopar-powered products. The press event can be viewed live via https://livestream.com/FCALive/MoparSEMA2016.
2016 Dodge and Ram SEMA Concepts
Dodge Shakedown Challenger
The Dodge Shakedown Challenger weaves together design cues from the past and present to create a uniquely original Mopar creation. The blend of yesterday and today is distinctly visible through exterior and interior styling, but comes to throaty fruition under the hood, where new Mopar-powered products — to be revealed later on Tuesday during the Mopar SEMA press event — administer a jolt to the heart of the classic 1971 Challenger.
The Shakedown Challenger drives 485 horsepower to the pavement via a Viper Tremec T6060 six-speed transmission and is further augmented by a Mopar concept cold-air intake and Mopar custom dual exhaust with black powder-coated Mopar exhaust tips. The custom front and rear suspension is lowered, dropping the Shakedown Challenger closer to the road — or to the track — creating a capable performer versatile enough to tackle the street or Pro Touring/Drift-type motorsports competition. Braking power is supplied by Brembo-red SRT® Hellcat six-piston front brakes and four-piston rear brakes.
The merging of old-school muscle with the 21st century is quickly evident on the “Bitchin’ Black” exterior, hung on a unique hand-built, one-off frame with a removable body. The Dodge Shakedown Challenger rolls on concept SRT Hellcat Slingshot-designed 19-inch by 9 1/2-inch front and 20-inch by 9 1/2-inch rear wheels, providing a “coiled” stance. A heritage-inspired 1971 Shaker hood scoop is added with help from select parts from the Mopar brand’s modern-day Shaker hood kit, feeding fresh air to the HEMI® powerplant.
The Shaker hood scoop is accented on top with a black “Shakedown” badge outlined in red, tying in neatly with custom gloss-black and gloss-red stripes that hug the scoop and flow down to the fascia and also up and over the roof to the tail, extending around and underneath the valance.
The 1971 Dodge Challenger body is shaved, deleting the door handles, drip rails and fuel door, which is relocated to the trunk. The Dodge Shakedown Challenger incorporates concept front headlamps and taillamps from the 2017 Dodge Challenger “massaged” to mesh seamlessly with ’71 Challenger proportions. The headlamp bezels are Satin Black, as are the housing and surround of the tail lamps, which feature lenses trimmed in red. The modern Challenger grille and surround also get the Satin Black treatment, set off by gloss-black grille bezels. Satin Black also colors the concept rear spoiler and chin spoiler, fog lamp bezels and mirror caps. Matching red Mopar 392 logo decals on the front fenders complete the exterior.
Heading inside, the iconic Dodge is further transformed with modern mods. Dodge Viper front seats are re-trimmed in black Katzkin leather bolstered by black Alcantara inserts and red stitching matching the embroidery on the Dodge Viper steering wheel, which features a custom satin black airbag cover and shroud. The black leather shift boot adds additional modern Challenger DNA, capped by an SRT Hellcat gearshift knob. Mopar instrument panel gauges are black, contrasted with the gloss carbon fiber instrument panel cluster trim. The center console, steering wheel trim and door panels are also gloss carbon fiber. A black “Shakedown” badge outlined in red is stamped on the dash.
The Shakedown’s potential as a track performer is catered to with a custom roll bar and rear seat delete, replaced with netting and a console shelf for storing racing essentials. The fuel cell and lines are stored in the black-carpet lined trunk.
Dodge Durango Shaker
As if the already aggressive styling, performance and driving dynamics of the Dodge Durango aren’t enough to make enthusiasts quake, Mopar “shook up” the Dodge Charger of the SUV segment for SEMA by creating the Dodge Durango Shaker concept.
The B5 Blue three-row SUV gets in your face fast with a custom-fabricated, functional Shaker Hood — the first-ever for a Dodge Durango — embellished with matte-black graphic accents that run from the hood to the roof. In the performance department, the custom Shaker hood feeds a 6.4-liter HEMI engine mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission, with further upgrade courtesy of a functional Mopar cold-air intake. In another Dodge Durango first, the rumble of the Shaker is delivered by customized chrome Mopar cat-back dual exhausts located in the center of the vehicle, replacing standard side exhausts. SRT six-piston big brakes and rotors, cooled by functional brake ducts in the front, rein in the Dodge Durango Shaker.
The Dodge Durango Shaker, dropped 3 inches closer to the street courtesy of a custom lowering kit, sits menacingly on concept Satin Black 22-inch x 10 1/2-inch Mopar wheels protected by custom fender flares. The crosshair grille is replaced with an open grille design for better breathing, and an aerodynamic Satin Black chin splitter projects out from the fascia.
Additional modifications include Satin Black side sills, B5 Blue mirror caps and a B5 Blue custom rear spoiler that helps plant the Durango’s rear to the pavement. The Durango Shaker turns to a sibling from the Dodge brand lineup for a unique closing exterior touch — a custom Dodge Challenger fuel filler door, cut from the quarter panel of a Challenger and transplanted to the Durango.
The interior also boasts what is undoubtedly another first for Dodge brand’s SUV – three rows of Viper seats, trimmed in Katzkin leather with B5 Blue stitching. The performance flat-bottom steering wheel comes from a Dodge Charger SRT. The center console and entertainment center console bezels are also colored B5 Blue, and a unique console shifter replaces the standard rotary knob. Mopar accessories include remote start, EVTS system, bright door sill guards, wireless charging, pedal kit and an emergency kit.
Ram Macho Power Wagon
The Ram Macho Power Wagon owes its moniker to a popular Power Wagon trim level from the 1970s, and the heavy-duty pickup lives up to its audacious namesake. The Mopar-modified Ram is a bold take on the Power Wagon’s reputation for off-road capability with added versatility delivered by Mopar concept and production products.
That adaptability is showcased in the 6-ft. x 4-in. bed of the Macho Power Wagon, where a Mopar concept Satin Black accessory sliding RamRack securely stores toys to fit a variety of lifestyles. The Ram Rack is designed to neatly slide up and stow under the cab’s sail panel when not in use. The bed rack works in concert with a RamRack roof system that locks down items with six unique tie downs.
The Ram Macho Power Wagon is elevated by a four-inch custom lift kit and giant 37-inch x 12 1/2-inch Nitto Trail Grappler MT tires, set on concept 18-inch beadlock wheels. The vibrant Macho Mango body color, which also extends to the beadlock wheel rings, is accented with painted black graphics on the side and rear. The concept, aggressive hood is Satin Black, and a new front bumper is equipped for the trail with a winch, winch guard and tow hooks.
Further exterior customizations include one-piece Mopar concept off-road running boards, larger concept fender flares, low-gloss black door handles and a 21-inch heavy-duty light bar and LED clearance lights on the roof. Both front and rear bumpers integrate painted, bright silver skid plates and tow hooks. Black “RAM” lettering on the grille and body sides is outlined in Macho Mango.
Macho Mango also brightens the interior, coloring the steering wheel Ram logo and the trim on the gauges, HVAC, infotainment center and side door panels. Interior Mopar accessory upgrades include wireless charging, a pedal kit, front and rear all-weather mats and “RAM”-letter logo sill guards. Under the Macho Power Wagon’s hood is a 6.4-liter HEMI engine paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. A Mopar cold-air intake injects added performance and concept, dual-wall five-inch Mopar exhaust tips are black-powder coated and provide a deeper note.
