SEMA 2007: Dodge Baja Trucks

Chrysler just revealed some Baja love with a couple of Dodge Ram pickups that'll be hitting the Baja trails. The first is a Mopar-sponsored Dodge Ram Off-Road Trophy Truck for Collins Motorsports to field in the SCORE International Off-Road Racing Series. The second's a stock 2007 Dodge Ram 2500 also for Baja truckin'. Full press release after the jump.

Dodge Baja Trucks

Mopar® Announces It's Ready to Blaze a Brand New 'Trail' at the 2007 SEMA Show

• Mopar® introduces Jeep® Performance and Dodge Off-road parts for new 'Trail' marketing initiative
• A new Mopar team will play a key role in connecting with the off-road market
• Mopar returns to off-road competition with the Collins Motorsports team

Center Line, Mich. —

Mopar®, Chrysler LLC's original equipment parts manufacturer, embarks on a new frontier with its new 'Trail' initiative. Mopar will offer authentic performance parts to Jeep and Dodge enthusiasts who want to go anywhere and do anything. For years, Mopar set the standard in the 'Muscle,' 'Street' and 'Speed' scenes. The next logical step was to add 'Trail' to the Mopar portfolio and go off-road.

To be authentic in this market segment meant having the right combination of durable and reliable high-performance parts. For development and testing, Mopar will dive into off-road competition with a new Mopar-sponsored team set to debut at the SCORE International Baja 1000 on Nov. 10.

Mopar introduces Jeep Performance Parts for new 'Trail' marketing initiative
Off-road enthusiasts will be able to rely on genuine Jeep parts and accessories from Mopar when performance and the off-road experience matter.

Modified beyond factory specifications, the initial line up of Jeep Performance Parts will include:

• Long-Arm Suspension Kit - 4.5-in. lift kit for the Jeep Wrangler - A comprehensive kit that delivers the highest ride quality of any comparable height lift kit for the Wrangler. Featuring revised, long-arm control arms, retuned coil springs, tuned shocks, front and rear track bar relocation brackets, drive shafts and more. Engineered to package massive 37-in. tires underneath a 2007 Wrangler two- or four-door.
• Two-wheel-drive low-range kits for Jeep and Dodge transfer cases - Jeep and Dodge owners with vehicles fitted with new process gear 241OR, 242 or 231 transfer cases can enjoy even more rugged aspects of the great outdoors. Uses a new "low" range in two-wheel-drive mode with these transfer case upgrade kits.
• Lowering Kit (P5155066) 2006-2007 Dodge Ram 1500 lowering kit (5.7-liter HEMI, two-wheel-drive, Regular Cab Short Bed) front drop: 1.5-in. rear drop: 4.3-in. This comprehensive lowering kit includes: front springs, rear flip kit, new bump stops, new shocks tuned for ride and handling
• Dana 44 Axle Assemblies (multiple part numbers) — locking and limited slip axles with 4.10:1 ring & pinion gear sets installed. Front and rear assemblies allow enthusiasts to upgrade the entire rolling stock of their classic Jeep with all-new hardware.
*Not legal for use on pollution-controlled vehicles or vehicles registered for highway use.
A new team to play key role in new Mopar 'Trail' initiative
Mopar knows that performance doesn't end where the road ends. Off-road enthusiasts can choose from a full line of performance parts when they hit the "Trail." Two new key Mopar team members, Steve Houtman, Jeep Performance/Dodge Off-Road Powertrain Manager, and Keith Montone, Jeep Performance/Dodge Off-Road Suspension/Steering Manager, will work to expand Mopar's line up of "Trail" performance parts.

Houtman will develop a full line of products for Jeep and Dodge truck off-road enthusiasts. His previous role was as development engineer for Jeep Vehicle Development. Houtman was responsible for drivetrain, chassis and off-road performance on the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Jeep Commander models. A Jeep and Dodge truck owner himself, Houtman attends Camp Jeep® and Easter Jeep Safari [Moab, Utah] events as part of the informal "Jeep Lunatic Fringe" group.

Montone will also focus on creating a line of products tailored to the off-road market for both past and current vehicles. Another recruit from Jeep Vehicle Development, Montone concentrated on powertrain matters. His area of focus during the previous four years was working to ensure that the 2007 Jeep Wrangler met customer needs for off-road and performance. Montone is no stranger to the "Trail" — he served as engineering team leader for the 2007 Jeep Rubicon® press event in Africa which covered 1,600 miles in four weeks across South Africa, Botswana and Zambia.

Mopar returns to off-road competition with Collins Motorsports team
Mopar will look to extend it motorsports dominance from the circle track and drag strip to the off-road course with a return to off-road competition. Collins Motorsports will field a Mopar-sponsored Dodge Ram Off-Road Trophy Truck in the SCORE International Off-Road Racing Series.

Brian Collins, Larry Ragland and Chuck Hovey will share driving duties on the off-road truck. The trio will add to Mopar's off-road heritage that includes legendary names and champions such as Rod Hall and Walker Evans, who competed under the Mopar and Dodge banners in the 1980s.

The Mopar Dodge Ram Off-Road Trophy Truck takes to the desert and rigors of off-road racing in the upcoming 40th annual Tecate Score Baja 1000 that is scheduled for Nov. 10 - 16, 2007.

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 LLC's Global Service & 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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