Starting as the name of a single product - antifreeze - the Mopar® brand has evolved over 75 years, developing a strong identity that represents authentic parts and accessories, expert service and convenient car care. Today, Mopar® is moving full-speed ahead into the global and Middle East marketplaces, building on its reputation for top quality, trusted service and high performance.
"The Mopar® brand has a proud 75-year heritage," said Pietro Gorlier, President and Chief Executive Officer - Mopar® Brand Service, Parts and Customer Care, Chrysler Group LLC. "The mission at Mopar® today is to fully support all of our brands by providing every single one of our customers with an exceptional after-sales experience. We will do this by continuing to offer cutting-edge technology, innovative products, authentic, quality-tested parts, and high-quality customer service."
Chrysler Group LLC was recently honoured at the eighth annual Golden Chariot Awards, co-hosted by the Russian Business Council (RBC), receiving the prestigious "Outstanding Development of Supply Chain Operations" award for the global expansion of its Mopar® operation - after opening facilities in the UAE and China, the opening of further parts distribution centres in Argentina and Brazil has also been announced, and these facilities will join the global network that already includes the operations in Dubai (18,000 sq. metres) and Shanghai (16,000 sq. metres).
"The new Mopar® Regional Distribution Centre (RDC) for genuine Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep® and Ram in Dubai is a key part of our regional expansion plans," explained Jack Rodencal, Managing Director of Chrysler Group Middle East. "Our sales grew significantly in 2011 - in most markets, our growth rates were way above the industry average - and we finished the year with record sales that were 20% up year on year. We are shifting up another gear in 2012 and 2013, our intention being to at least double our Middle East sales over this period. In order to do so, we will further expand our model ranges and strengthen our activities in the region."
"This means that it's essential for us to offer first-class after sales service, an important part of which is rapid parts supply. That's why we invested in opening our UAE-based Mopar® RDC - to ensure that our distributors, and subsequently our customers, consistently receive fast and efficient response."
Strategically located in Dubai's Jebel Ali Free Trade Zone, the facility distributes parts to general distributors and local sales companies across the Middle East and Africa, handling over 30,000 part numbers.
Another strategic regional move saw the opening of more Mopar® Express Lane Service Centres - Kuwait, Saudi Arabia (Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam), UAE (Sharjah) and Jordan - in 2011. This year will see 15 more opening including Kuwait, the UAE (Abu Dhabi), Qatar (Doha), Saudi Arabia (Dammam and Jeddah) and Iraq (Baghdad).
"Mopar® Express Lane sets new global quality benchmarks for automotive service, offering Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep® and Ram drivers quick and comprehensive multi-point vehicle inspections that are very competitively priced," said Rodencal. "The Express Lane initiative delivers first-class after sales service to our customers and runs parallel to the expansion of the Mopar® spare part and accessory range available throughout the region."
Committed to Customers in Kuwait
"Chrysler Group already runs an intensive on-going programme to enhance and improve the quality and performance of its vehicles on a global level," said Maher Abu-Shaaban, Assistant General Manager, Sales and Marketing at Al Mulla & Behbehani Motor Co. (MBMC), the sole distributor of Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram and Mopar in Kuwait.
"In-line with our commitment to deliver products that meet the exact needs of our customers in Kuwait and throughout the region, the testing process has been taken a stage further, with a team of specialist engineers and technicians from the US carrying out extensive vehicle testing in Kuwait, along with the UAE, Oman and Saudi Arabia. This is especially important in the harsh environments of the Middle East, particularly Kuwait, where climactic conditions and vehicle usage differ greatly from any other market in the world, and the results gathered here will play a major role in developing future models."
A specifically designed, dedicated customer-focused programme, "The Voice Of The Customer", is also staged on a continuous basis to gather valuable feedback and enhancement suggestions directly from drivers of Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep® and Ram vehicles.
In-line with the Chrysler Group's radical new approach towards the quality of the products offered to customers, MBMC has, since its formation in 2006, invested heavily in its sales and service network in order to deliver world-class customer service excellence and add real value to customer relationships - the central pillars of the company's long-term objectives.
This commitment has seen the company dramatically increase its market share in recent years. "We are determined to consistently set new benchmarks in Kuwait's automotive industry and grow our market share," said Abu-Shaaban. "While we're proud of what we have achieved so far, we know that we have to continually attain the very highest standards of customer satisfaction by expanding our capacity through investment in new, state-of-the-art systems and facilities, the very latest specialised service equipment and highly skilled technicians who are trained to international factory standards - further peace of mind for our customers comes in the form of a one year warranty on all parts and labour carried out in our service centre."
Abu-Shaaban, who has over 25 years experience in the Kuwaiti automotive industry is also President of Chrysler Group Middle East's Dealer Advertising Association (DAA) which is made up of representatives from each of its regional markets and has, for more than 16 years now, acted as a key platform to exchange ideas and initiatives to enhance customer service.
How It All Began: MOtor PARts
The Mopar® brand was officially trademarked in 1937 at a meeting of the Chrysler Parts Corporation's Activities Council in Highland Park, Michigan. The committee mulled over a list of names for Chrysler's antifreeze product and came up with "MoPar," a contraction of the words MOtor and PARts.
Mopar® became a brand name for most Chrysler Corporation parts and gradually evolved into the name of the parts business itself. The moniker was officially attached to a Chrysler parts organisation in the late 1960s, when Chrysler created an aftermarket business unit named the Mopar® Division.
In the 1960's, the brand took on an expanded meaning with the advent of high-performance "package cars," based on the 1962 Dodge Dart and Plymouth Belvedere. These specially crafted race vehicles dominated the drag strip, garnering the brand enduring respect from grassroots racers and automotive enthusiasts.
The 1960's also saw the introduction of Max Wedge and HEMI® Super Stock package cars, as well as altered-wheelbase "funny cars." Racers and enthusiasts began to refer to these exciting new racecars as "Mopars," and a new car culture began to emerge.
The last package cars of the era appeared in 1968, when Chrysler built a series of Dodge Dart and Plymouth Barracuda HEMI Super Stock cars. The legacy of these race vehicles is carried on today in National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) competition in the Super Stock/A-HEMI (SS/AH) class in the Mopar® HEMI® Challenge.
Mopar® further served this new market for high performance by introducing a line of "special parts" for super-stock drag racers, which was continuously expanded throughout the 1970s and 1980s as the Mopar® "Direct Connection" line of parts. The brand's performance parts business ultimately developed into the Mopar® Performance Parts division in 1987, with the aim of enhancing speed and handling in vehicles for both road and racing use.
Mopar® Today: a Global Brand Supporting Chrysler Group LLC and Fiat S.p.A.
With Chrysler Group LLC's partnership with Fiat S.p.A., Mopar® continues to expand its global footprint and started showcasing its vast product portfolio at international auto shows. The evolution of Mopar® continues unabated, with a number of milestones and innovations achieved in recent years.
Over the years, Mopar® expanded its service and parts offerings. With the introduction of Mopar® Express Lane service, customers now have an option for fast, affordable and dependable routine vehicle service. With extended customer-service hours, needed repairs and service can be scheduled to fit even the most hectic schedule.
Today, competitive makes are also welcome for Mopar® service at Chrysler Group dealers. The brand's new partnership with Magneti Marelli, announced in April 2011, gives the Chrysler Group dealership network the ability to fully service competitive vehicles. The Italian aftermarket parts supplier is currently supplying Mopar® and Chrysler Group dealers with brakes, shocks, struts, oil filters, air filters, fuel filters and cabin filters for competitive makes.
Through its long history, Mopar® has always been on the leading edge of technical advancements, and the brand continues to blaze a trail on the technological front. Recent industry-first features from Mopar® include smartphone vehicle-information applications, electronic owner manuals and in-vehicle Wi-Fi.
After 75 years, Mopar® continues to serve a vital role in the success of Chrysler Group, reflecting the brand's strength and heritage. Mopar® adds value to every Chrysler Group and Fiat S.p.A. vehicle, with the shared goals of adding value to the Company's brands and satisfying customers. Mopar® parts are unique in that they are engineered with the same teams that create factory-authorised vehicle specifications for Chrysler Group and Fiat S.p.A. vehicles - a direct connection that no other aftermarket parts company can provide.
About Chrysler Group LLC:
Chrysler Group LLC, formed in 2009 from a global strategic alliance with Fiat Group, produces Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep®, Ram and Mopar® brand vehicles and products. With the resources, technology and worldwide distribution network required to compete on a global scale, the alliance builds on Chrysler's culture of innovation - first established by Walter P. Chrysler in 1925 - and Fiat's complementary technology - from a company whose heritage dates back to 1899. Headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA, Chrysler Group's product line-up features some of the world's most recognisable vehicles, including the Chrysler 300, Jeep® Wrangler, Dodge Charger and Ram trucks. Fiat will contribute world-class technology, platforms and powertrains for small- and medium-size cars, allowing Chrysler Group to offer an expanded product line up including environmentally friendly vehicles.
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© Press Release 2012
