Chrysler's SRT operation drives Mopar sales.
Few auto manufacturers have been more associated with racing and performance over the past half-century than the Chrysler Corporation. The often-asked question, "Does that thing got a HEMI?" didn't magically appear with the utterances of a couple of slack-jawed hayseeds in a recent television commercial. Lots of "those things" had HEMIs, starting in the 1950s, with the introduction of the Chrysler Firepower V-8. It proved to be the first of three generations of HEMIs.
The second-generation HEMI spanned the decade between the mid '60s to mid '70s. The legendary dual-quad 426-cubic-inch HEMI-powered factory teams and personal vehicles rose to the top of the drag-racing world—a quarter-mile at a time. It made celebrities out of Chrysler product drivers like the Ramchargers, Sox & Martin, Mr. Norm, the late "Dandy" Dick Landy, and more.
Chrysler introduced a modern HEMI in 2003. Not a true hemispherical head engine (it has a polyspherical combustion chamber), it does retain the HEMI's traditional inline perpendicular valves. The new engine replaces Chrysler's large LA family of engines, most notably, the Magnum 5.9, which is available in two displacements—a 5.7 liter and a 6.1 liter.
For pure nostalgia, nothing surpasses the fabled second-generation HEMI. It was frequently found in Dodge and Plymouth street rockets like the Road Runner, Super Bee, Charger, Challenger, and Barracuda. Time and appraisal have been most kind to these vehicles, with prices for some of the rarer breeds easily running into seven figures.It was during this time when Chrysler dealers were kings of performance parts and services. Mopar became the standard for purchasing and replacing parts developed and used on the race track.
THE BIRTH OF MOPAR
Mopar (short for MOtor PARts) is the automobile parts and service arm of Chrysler. The term was first used in the 1920s and has been in continuous use ever since. The name became mythical in the muscle cars decade of the '60s and early '70s. It didn't matter whether you were driving around in your orange Road Runner or the family Valiant with a Slant-6—your vehicle's innards were from Mopar.
Around the mid '70s, the factories backed away from racing sponsorship and, while this didn't lessen fan enthusiasm for motorsports, it did put an end to the cubic-inch/horsepower wars that so thrilled spectators on weekends. Over the next decade, the idea of factory "high-performance" was defined by how much horsepower the latest four-cylinder—or even V-6—could produce. One of the era's hottest vehicles was a turbocharged V-6-powered Buick. Quick, yes, but we're not talking about the cache (not to mention the torque) of a 440-Six-Pack with a four-speed, my friend.
Chrysler was not that different from their colleagues across town. Instead of the "General Lee" of Dukes of Hazzard fame, Chrysler began producing a high-performance Dodge Omni and did so by forming an affiliation with racing icon Carroll Shelby. With Shelby's help, Chrysler produced a model called a Dodge Omni "GLH," which stood for "Goes Like Hell." Hell was an apt moniker because it was not the small-block Cobras and monster side-oiler V-8s so associated with the Carroll Shelby of yore. Though fast, they were four-bangers. And then a different snake slithered into the picture—the Viper.THE VIPER—A MODERN-DAY COBRA
The Viper was initially conceived in late 1988 at Chrysler's Advanced Design Studios. Then-Chrysler-President Bob Lutz suggested to Tom Gale (at Chrysler Design) that the company should consider producing a modern-day Cobra. A few months later, Gale presented Lutz with a clay model, and several months after that, it appeared as a concept at Detroit's North American International Auto Show in 1989. The concept vehicle was originally called the Copperhead because of its low, wide appearance—characteristic of the reptile. However, the name would later be changed to Viper. Public reaction was so enthusiastic that the order was given to develop Viper as a production car.
Roy Sjoberg, chief engineer, selected 85 engineers that formed "Team Viper." Development of Viper began in March 1989. In May, the team asked Lamborghini (then a Chrysler subsidiary) to cast some prototype aluminum blocks based on their V-10 truck engine. The production body was completed in the fall, with a chassis prototype running in December. A V-8 was first used in the test mule, but the V-10 was ready in February 1990. Official approval came from Chrysler Chairman Lee Iacocca in May 1990, and a year later, Carroll Shelby drove the first preproduction car as the Indianapolis 500 Pace Car. First customer deliveries began in January 1992.
The first-generation Viper covered the years 1992-1995. It basically was a fast, mean-looking roadster that could reach a maximum speed of more than 180 mph. It was devoid of any real luxuries, but made up for it in its ability to turn heads.
The second-generation Viper spanned the years 1996-2002. It was a coupe with a more powerful engine; the Viper GTS had a 450-horsepower mill and was a 200+ mph phenomenon.The third-generation Viper spanned the period from 2003-2006. The engine was enlarged to 8.3 liters, which bumped it to 510 horsepower. The fourth-generation Viper will be introduced this fall and will have an 8.4-liter V-10 that produces 600 horsepower and 560 lb.-ft. of torque.
To complement the Viper, Chrysler developed a retro-styled production car called the Plymouth Prowler, which resembled a modern-day hot rod and caused more twisted-neck injuries than any car since the Viper. The Prowler used the same powertrain as Chrysler's LH cars, but the 4-speed AutoStick automatic transmission was relocated to the rear. The Prowler was the first rear-wheel-drive Plymouth since the 1989 Gran Fury and was based on a 1993 concept car of the same name. It was first introduced as a 1997 model and was only offered in purple the initial year. There was no 1998 model, and after the Plymouth nameplate was discontinued in 2001, the Prowler was sold as a Chrysler until 2002. It was replaced by the Chrysler Crossfire for 2004.
Prowler was a decent seller, but questions have always arisen about whether it would have been a blockbuster hit had it gone totally retro and been fitted with a big V-8 and a performance automatic, or even a close-ratio manual. In Chrysler's defense, however, Prowler arrived during one of the worst financial crises in the company's history, so the finances needed for experimentation were simply not there.
THE MERGING OF TEAM VIPER AND TEAM PROWLER
Team Viper merged with Team Prowler to become Specialty Vehicle Engineering, which was renamed Performance Vehicle Operations (PVO). Since all PVO vehicles used the Street and Racing Technology (SRT) name, it was also decided to use that name for the development group. SRT has produced vehicles for the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Plymouth marques.
In today's performance parlance, the number following the SRT name indicates the number of cylinders (i.e., SRT-4, SRT-6, SRT-8, and the ultimate—SRT-10). As long as SRT is part of the vehicle's designation, do not make it mad. In a fight, it will run circles around you and then run away. You probably won't be able to catch it.
The director of Dodge Brand and SRT Marketing Communications is an affable, 48-year-old car buff named Michael J. Accavitti. Previously, he served as director – Motorsports and SRT Product Planning and Marketing. He's about as involved in motorsports and performance as you'd ever want in an executive. And, it doesn't end at the office, either. His "hobby" car is a 1970 Dodge Challenger T/A with a 340-cubic-inch Six-Pack V-8 and 4-speed transmission. Turns out he's not just the head of Chrysler's racing program, he's also a customer. His linkage was bad on his Challenger, so he went online to the Mopar parts catalog and purchased a brand-new replacement for his Hurst shifter at a terrific price, no less. In fact, the two major sales outlets for Mopar Parts are Chrysler dealerships and online at www.mopar.com.
Racing emphasis is perpetually shifting. Whereas at one time, Chrysler put the majority of its sponsorship money into drag racing, its budget is now spent mainly in NASCAR and Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA). According to Accavitti, marketing and product development are the two major reasons for spending money on racing. If any further proof of the importance of investing money in this arena is needed, during the darkest financial days of Chrysler, very little, if any, money was cut from the racing budget, and in fact, there have been no changes on money spent for the past three years.
In addition to a presence at almost every type of automobile racing organization in existence, the SRT is also heavily involved in the large number of owners clubs for Chrysler vehicle enthusiasts. The largest of these groups is the Viper Owners Group, but there are owner groups for everything you can think of—all the way from the Viper Owners to clubs for DeSoto (remember that brand?) owners.
CHRYSLER'S STABLE OF SRT VEHICLES
SRT's major function is to develop performance parts and market them under the Mopar brand. While it's possible to buy something as mundane as an oil filter for a 1968 Dodge 318-cubic-inch V-8, it's also just as easy to purchase a dual-quad manifold for a 1965 Dodge 426 HEMI V-8. One can also order transmission linkage like Mike Accavitti did, or something as detailed as the pistol grip gearshift handle for the Hurst linkage itself.
There are five major attributes that constitute an SRT vehicle: a gorgeous exterior, a race-inspired interior, world-class ride and handling, benchmark braking, and a standout powertrain.
For 2008, six vehicles fill the SRT stable and they are all worthy of the brand. Every demographic has one to choose from. They include the Chrysler 300C SRT-8, Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT-8, Dodge Caliber SRT-4, Dodge Charger SRT-8, Dodge Magnum SRT-8, and the Dodge Viper SRT-10. Briefly described:
Chrysler 300C SRT-8: A unique performance sedan powered by the SRT-engineered 6.1-liter, 425-horsepower, 420 lb.-ft. of torque HEMI V-8. It will reach 0-60 mph in the low-five-second range. It has 85 more horsepower (25-percent more) than the standard 5.7-liter HEMI and is mated to a 5-speed automatic transmission with adaptive electronic control, performance-tuned AutoStick driver-interactive manual control, and electronically modulated torque converter clutch.
Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT-8: The first four-wheel-drive SRT vehicle, it's the quickest, most powerful Jeep vehicle ever built by the factory. Jeep claims the Grand Cherokee SRT-8 can accelerate from 0-60 mph in just under five seconds, in wet or dry conditions. It's been proven faster than competitors like the Porsche Cayenne Turbo and BMW X5. It's powered by a 6.1-liter HEMI V-8, putting out 420 horsepower and 420 lb.-ft. of torque. The vehicle has more than 90 additional horsepower than Jeep's usual 5.7-liter HEMI. It also has a specifically developed four-wheel-drive system offering highly capable performance.
Dodge Caliber SRT-4: SRT introduces the all-new 285-horsepower Caliber SRT-4. With 265 lb.-ft. of torque, the 2.4-liter DOHC I-4 Turbo World Engine (with dual variable valve timing) is mated to an electronically tuned Brake Lock Differential (BLD) and Getrag DMT 6-speed transmission. It will hit 0-60 mph in about six seconds and reach a top speed of more than 150 mph.
Dodge Charger SRT-8: Key ingredients of the Dodge Charger SRT-8 include a 6.1-liter 425-horsepower, 420 lb.-ft. of torque HEMI V-8. 0-60 range is in the low five seconds and quarter-mile time is less than 14 seconds. It has been described as a "Charger on steroids" (not that it's a bad thing). Transmission is the same one described above in the Chrysler 300C SRT-8. Special packages include a Super Bee Special Edition with Surf Blue Pearl coat.
Dodge Magnum SRT-8: All the attributes of the Dodge Charger SRT-8, but housed in the unique body of the Dodge Magnum. This wagon will run all your family errands in a hurry.
Dodge Viper SRT-10: Arguably the ultimate American sports car—and halo car of the Dodge brand—the 2008 Viper SRT-10 is powered by an 8.4-liter, 600-horsepower, V-10 engine, delivering 560 lb.-ft. of torque. The massive powerplant is mated to a 6-speed manual transmission. The new engine presents a 90-horsepower increase from the previous version. Mind-blowing performance figures will be released shortly after press time.
Not everyone will be able to afford an SRT anything. But that certainly doesn't mean that everyone won't be able to customize their own Chrysler, Dodge, or Jeep vehicles with performance and replacement parts from their own local dealerships. A frugal person could literally have years of fun by gradually "SRTing" their cars. The day may come when you're driving your formerly conservative family vehicle down the street and two chuckleheads roll down their windows and yell out, "Hey, does that thing got a HEMI?" Thanks to SRT and Mopar, the answer is up to you. Just remember the SRT theme..."Race inspired, street legal."
