Mopar Turns 80: No Signs of Slowing Down

Mopar Turns 80: No Signs of Slowing Down

Mopar Turns 80: No Signs of Slowing Down

Mopar celebrates its 80th birthday on Aug. 1. From humble beginnings as a name for engine anti-freeze, the Mopar brand has come a long way and shows no signs of slowing down as it rolls past 80 years on the history odometer.

Today, the Mopar name works harder than ever — delivering high-quality service, parts and customer care for FCA vehicle brands and owners across the globe. Mopar reaches more than 150 markets, offers a portfolio of more than 500,000 products, taps into a network of more than 50 parts distribution centers around the world and welcomes almost 3 million visitors per year to the brand’s online Mopar Owner Center.

Aug. 1, 1937, is when the Chrysler Corp. introduced its ethylene-glycol-based anti-freeze under the Mopar name – a contraction of the words Motor and Parts. Two years later the company would trademark the Mopar name as the portfolio of parts grew rapidly. That growth spurred the opening in 1953 of the Mopar Parts Depot near Detroit in Center Line, Michigan, which today still serves as the spiritual hub for Mopar, shipping more than 16.5 million parts a year.

Mopar’s performance heritage roared to life in the 1960s. Trailblazers including a group of engineers calling themselves the Ramchargers and NHRA icon “Big Daddy” Don Garlits push the speed envelope on the strip and cement the brand’s reputation for success at the track. The HEMI® engine also dominates in muscle cars on the street as passionate enthusiasts and owners begin to refer to any Dodge, Chrysler or Plymouth vehicle as a “Mopar” car, giving the brand name recognition unlike any other service and parts organization.

As electronics take on a larger role in engine and vehicle performance, Mopar boosts its emphasis on customer care and technician training. The Mopar College Automotive Program (CAP) is launched, partnering with community colleges and dealerships on a two-year education/internship to train the next generation of service technicians.

Mopar has equipped service technicians with advanced technology, such as the wiTECH wireless diagnostic system, to help repair vehicles faster and right the first time. The growth of hand-held wireless devices helps Mopar, through a series of vehicle-information apps, open a new channel of communication with owners.

In 2008, Mopar launches its quick, convenient Express Lane service in dealerships, offering easy access to critical service needs such as oil changes and vehicle inspections. Mopar Express Lane has rapidly expanded to encompass more than 1,750 outlets in operation in more than 20 countries.

From that single line of anti-freeze, Mopar’s parts portfolio now runs the spectrum from basic maintenance items to performance parts for Jeep®, Dodge, Chrysler, Ram and FIAT vehicles, to Magneti Marelli brand parts for a wide range of non-FCA vehicles. Mopar and its partners also service enthusiasts looking to restore classic vehicles or add a modern touch, such as the recently introduced Crate HEMI Engine kits.

The drag strip continues to be the home of HEMI and Mopar racing technology, with the Dodge Challenger R/T Funny Cars of the Don Schumacher Racing stable dominating the NHRA class. Mopar-backed driver Matt Hagan is running a special 80thAnniversary paint scheme on his car.

courtesy: blog.chryslergroupllc.com

Sonoma Wine Country Does Not Bear Fruit For Dodge And Mopar

Sonoma Wine Country Does Not Bear Fruit For Dodge And Mopar

Sonoma Wine Country Does Not Bear Fruit For Dodge And Mopar

There is beautiful wine country surrounding Sonoma Raceway in California, but Dodge and Mopar® drivers will not be sorry to leave. Jack Beckman set the pace for Mopar this weekend at the NHRA Sonoma Nationals, turning in a valiant effort in his Infinite Hero Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car with a semifinal appearance.

Yet, despite Beckman’s best attempt, the Sonoma event ended a streak of 11 consecutive final-round appearances by Mopar Dodge Funny Cars in 2017. It was also the first time this year that neither a HEMI®-powered Funny Car nor Top Fuel dragster from Don Schumacher Racing (DSR) appeared in at least one category final round.

However, Mopar Funny Cars still have claimed 12 of 15 event wins on the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule this season, while Mopar Top Fuel machines have four wins to their credit.

At Sonoma, Beckman first drove his Mopar Dodge from DSR past Jonnie Lindberg on a clean pass in the first round when the young Swedish driver had issues at the hit of the throttle. Beckman next took down Del Worsham in round two, despite an explosion as the car crossed the finish line. Beckman gave up lane choice to J.R. Todd in the semis, but still looked like he had the race won when Todd smoked the tires at the starting line. Beckman’s car slowed as he worked his way down the track though, allowing eventual event winner Todd to make a come-from-behind pass for the win and end Beckman’s march.

Also in Funny Car, Tommy Johnson Jr. and his Make-A-Wish Dodge Charger R/T team from DSR began their day by defeating teammate Ron Capps in the first round for the second week in a row. Johnson next matched up against Courtney Force in round two, where each driver struggled to find traction at the starting line. Both pedaled but Force ultimately turned on the win light.

Matt Hagan, meanwhile, went out in the first round after smoking the tires in his Mopar 80th/Express Lane Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car. He fell to Del Worsham even as Worsham also struggled to get down track.

In the Top Fuel ranks, Leah Pritchett set a track record during qualifying to earn No. 1 honors. She defeated Terry Haddock in her Papa John’s Pizza/Mopar Pennzoil dragster from DSR during round one, but dropped cylinders forced her to bow out in the second round to Terry McMillen.

Pritchett’s Mopar-powered Top Fuel teammate, eight-time champion Tony Schumacher, smoked the tires in his U.S. Army car when the light turned green in the first round. He tried to pedal but eventually was forced to give up and was upset by Scott Palmer. Even with the team’s recent struggles, Schumacher still secured a spot in the NHRA Countdown to the Championship playoffs during the weekend.

courtesy: www.drivesrt.com

Bulgari jewellery takes a trip in the Fiat 500

Bulgari jewellery takes a trip in the Fiat 500

Bulgari jewellery takes a trip in the Fiat 500
Fiat and Bulgari have agreed a prestige partnership to form an integral part of Bulgari’s “Roman Holiday” creative campaign, expressing the exuberant spirit and ‘joie de vivre’ of the two all-Italian brands worldwide.

For the campaign, 1,600 exquisite pottery miniatures of the historic Fiat 500F, to scale 1:6 and 1:12, have been produced to adorn the windows of around 300 Bulgari boutiques worldwide. These cars will be carrying “passengers” of great distinction: magnificent items of Bulgari jewellery, symbolising the finest Italian taste and style.

Bulgari jewellery takes a trip in the Fiat 500

The little white and gold models are reproductions of the most popular Fiat 500 of all time, the F series, built from 1965 to 1972. And on July 4th this year, this model’s work-of-art status was formally recognised, as one of its number joined the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art, or MoMA, in New York. It was a well-deserved homage to the iconic little Fiat 500, which celebrates its 60th birthday this year and is a symbol of Italian creativity, capable of inspiring artists and designers all around the world, a unique expression of beauty and art.

The 500 project fits perfectly into the “Roman Holiday” summer campaign, Bulgari’s new creative programme originating from the famous film starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck, with advertising constructed around very colourful maps of Rome – home to both the most splendid cultural monuments and famous entertainment venues – which evoke the Eternal City’s hedonistic spirit. The irresistible joie de vivre of these drawings, by the young but already successful artist Lotta Nieminen, is well matched by the fun-loving, cheerful character of the Fiat 500, a global ambassador for Italy and emblem of mass car ownership.

Bulgari jewellery takes a trip in the Fiat 500

The model Fiat 500s are accompanied by miniatures of another Italian symbol, the Vespa scooter.

Some of the objects produced by the creativity of post-war Italian industry, of which the 500 and the Vespa are fine examples, cannot be judged merely by their appearance. Revolutionary in their design and concept, they exert a special, magical appeal, redefining shared assumptions, and are key masterpieces of industrial history. The Fiat 500, may have shaped automotive history but it has never been merely a car – in its 60 years of history, it has entered the collective imagination and has become an industrial icon of immense artistic and cultural value.

courtesy: www.fiatpress.com

The Fiat 500 Acquired By The Museum Of Modern Art In New York

Fiat 500

Fiat 500

The best-loved car in Fiat’s history, the icon that made Italians into car-owners, and worldwide ambassador for the country, celebrates its 60th birthday today with a special event that honours its history and the style and design that made it famous across the globe. Not by chance, it is joining the permanent collection of the MoMA, the Museum of Modern Art, in New York.

“While the Fiat 500 has unquestionably left its mark on automotive history, it is equally true that it has never been just a car”, said Olivier François, Head of Fiat Brand and Chief Marketing Officer FCA. “In its 60 years of history, the 500 has transcended its material manifestation to enter the collective imagination and become an icon, which has now the honour of being certified by being acquired by MoMA in a tribute to its artistic and cultural value”.

“The Fiat 500 is an icon of automotive history that fundamentally altered car design and production” said Martino Stierli, The Philip Johnson Chief Curator of Architecture and Design at MoMA. “Adding this unpretentious masterpiece to our collection will allow us to broaden the story of automotive design as told by the Museum”

The model acquired by MoMA will be a 500 F series, the most popular 500 ever, made from 1965 to 1972. Fiat’s “great little car” was an instant success worldwide, and the 18 HP of its 499.5 cm3 engine gave it a top speed of 95 km/h. Over 4,000,000 units were made from 1957 to 1975. From the New 500 in the late 50s, on to the Sport and then the D, both more powerful, followed by the F, which holds the record for the number produced, through to the more comfortable L, and finally the R.

The Fiat 500 is not just a symbol of mass car ownership. Over time, it has become a style and design icon. Unmistakable design has inspired the imagination of artists, who have responded with elegant, exclusive and sporty interpretations. It has achieved the feat of maintaining its identity while remaining youthful over 60 years of history and lifestyles, fashion and society. A successful car, but also a cultural phenomenon in centre stage for 60 years, never going out of fashion. With the launch of the new generation in 2007, the 500 appeared in a variety of original and cool interpretations, both hatchback and convertible, with an array of extraordinarily successful special editions (such as the 500 by Diesel, the 500 Gucci and the 500 Riva).

Success is reasserted by numbers: the Fiat 500 is the best-seller in Europe, ranking first in eight countries and among the first three in six others. The 2007 version won over 2,000,000 motorists in just 10 years and has reaped accolade after accolade since its debut, including Car of the Year and the Compasso d’oro design award.

The 500 is the symbol of Italian creativity which has always inspired artists and designers worldwide becoming an icon of beauty and art. Today, it makes another step forward becoming a work of art in its own right by the side of the other great icons of Italian design and yet again remaining “Forever Young”.

courtesy: www.fiat.com

Fiat Scores 5 Famed Awards For Advertising

Fiat Scores 5 Famed Awards For Advertising

Fiat Scores 5 Famed Awards For Advertising

This is a successful week for Fiat that has won five prestigious awards for advertising. Made in collaboration with the Leo Burnett creative agency, the winning campaigns are the result of the constantly innovative approach of the brand in this area. The star is the entire 500 family, from the iconic Fiat 500 to the Italian crossover Fiat 500X and the 500L, which form a family which is like no other on the international automotive scene.

The “GrandPrix Advertising Strategies” awards, the most important in Italy for brands and advertising, were given in Milan.

The first prize in the “Contro un avversario” category went to the “500X Transition” spot starring Oscar winner Adrien Brody and the Fiat crossover. During the journey, the car driven by the actor morphs into a dog sled, a hoverboard, a vintage scooter and a carriage. These vehicles represent the peculiarities of 500X: performance, innovation, style, comfort and elegance.

The first prize in the “Leader/Evergreen” category went to the “500S Test” video which was posted on social media and garnered the resounding result of 13 million spontaneous views and was shared over 500,000 times in just a week. The campaign speaks to the “Bad Boys” for which the 500S, the special version with bold looks and a strong personality, was explicitly designed and created.

The long prize record of Fiat was completed by the win in the “Viral” category at “Key Award”, the contest exclusively dedicated to advertising films, with the “500L Pronto mamma” project: a few days before Mother’s Day, a taxi offered free runs to customers providing they spent the whole time in the car talking on their phones with their mothers.

The success of Fiat advertising was reasserted in the “NC Awards” contest created by ADC Group to focus on integrated and holistic advertising in Italy, which every year brings together the most important names in the worlds of marketing and advertising on the panel. Fiat took two medals: Silver for “500 The Cult Sharing” in the relational marketing category and Bronze for the “Eroi cercasi” campaign in the sponsoring category. In particular, during the recent Milano Design Week the well-known 500 cars of the “Enjoy” car sharing service were replaced with some 1957 vintage models for the “500 The Cult Sharing” operation. It was an original way to celebrate the glorious icon of international automotive design.

courtesy: www.fiat.com