Get Ready for the SEMA 2011 Annual Market Study
Tue, 04/12/2011 - 08:42
The SEMA 2011 Annual Market Study is almost ready to be released! This annual report will help SEMA-member companies better understand the overall specialty-equipment market and its components. Within the specialty segment of the aftermarket, SEMA tracks nine primary niche markets. Data includes information from businesses in the industry as well as consumers.

Join Gavin Knapp, senior manager of SEMA’s market research department, on Thursday, April 28, at 10:00 a.m. (PDT) as he highlights results from the recent study and explains their potential impact. Learn the following:
  • Overall size of the specialty-equipment market
  • Sales within specialty-equipment product segments and niches
  • Industry and product trends
  • Vehicle sales trends

Participate live or download the webinar when it’s convenient. And remember: SEMA webinars are free to SEMA members and only $29 for non-members.

Members: for more information and to register, click here.

Non-Members: for more information and to register, click here.

SEMA-Member Companies Contribute Parts to Six New Mopar Vehicles for Annual Moab Easter Jeep Safari
Mon, 04/11/2011 - 16:31

Each year, thousands of diehard off-road enthusiasts descend upon Moab, Utah, for the Easter Jeep Safari and a week of fun on some of the country’s best and most rugged trails. Jeep and Mopar are marking the occasion by returning to the annual event—which takes place April 16–24, 2011—with six new customized vehicles.

“The annual Moab Easter Jeep Safari provides us a perfect opportunity to interact with our most loyal fans in a true Jeep setting,” said Mike Manley, president and CEO – Jeep Brand, Chrysler Group LLC. “We are able to demonstrate and test new potential Jeep production and customization ideas at our away-from-home proving ground, while getting instant feedback from our customers.”

More than 30% of the people who are in the market for a new vehicle are influenced by the breadth and availability of aftermarket accessories and Mopar comes to the party with a vast selection of accessories that will fit a variety of lifestyles.

“From full engine packages to slush mats, Mopar has everything for the avid off-roader,” said Pietro Gorlier, president and chief executive officer – Mopar, Chrysler Group’s service, parts and customer-care brand. “In fact, Mopar covers the spectrum with more than 280,000 proven quality-tested parts and accessories that allow customers to personalize their Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram and Fiat vehicles.”

Over the past decade, a dedicated group of engineers, designers and fabricators from Mopar and Jeep have customized more than two dozen vehicles and a host of off-road parts and accessories, and showcased them to the enthusiast crowds in Moab.

“Moparized” Jeep vehicles for the 2011 Moab Easter Jeep Safari

Jeep Wrangler "Pork Chop"

The primary focus in the development of "Pork Chop" was to increase Jeep Wrangler’s off-road fun and performance even more through extensive weight savings. The project started with a new ’11 Jeep Wrangler Sport. Weight savings began with removal of a long list of items, including doors, the top, the tailgate, bumpers, carpet and sway bars.

Body modifications began with removing the rear tailgate hinges and latches and creating a custom surround. The inner fender panels were reshaped and the taillamps were relocated closer together. A custom roll cage was crafted, and the windshield height was reduced 2 in. Hanson Bumpers provided a set of unique aluminum bumpers, and QMC contributed their prototype aluminum/carbon fiber hood, held in place with Drake aluminum hood latches.

Mopar added an aluminum cold-air intake kit, lightweight fender flares, slush mats and mirror relocation brackets.

The interior was updated with bright red lightweight Sparco ‘Chrono Road’ reclining bucket seats. Gale Banks added a unique set of long tube headers and dual-exhaust with an integrated H-pipe to replace the stock system. Further weight savings were recognized courtesy of a Gen-Right-fabricated, prototype rear-mounted 20-gallon fuel tank and aluminum skid plate.

A smaller evaporation canister for the emissions system was borrowed from a ’12 Fiat 500. The massive weight savings actually lifted the suspension, which was combined with a moderate Mopar lift to clear Mickey Thompson 35-in. Baja Claw radials mounted on lightweight 17x8 E-T Vintage V wheels. The suspension includes Bilstein 2-in. shocks with reservoirs and TeraFlex air bumps at all four corners. Dynatrac Axles designed lightweight ProRock 44 front and rear axles fitted with 4.88 gears, ARB air lockers and prototype aluminum differential covers. The axles are located with unique aluminum control arms provided by Full Traction.

The result is a weight savings of more than 850 lbs. and even more open-air Jeep Wrangler fun.

Jeep Compass Canyon

For 2011, the team has built up its first Jeep Compass. The project began with a new ’11 model equipped with Freedom Drive II drivetrain. The Compass Canyon features a 2 1/8-in. lift kit provided by Rocky Road Suspension, making room for Mickey Thompson Baja ATZ 225/75-R16 tires with 16-in. alloy wheels from a Jeep Liberty.

To gain additional wheel articulation, front and rear sway bars were removed. Select items from the Mopar catalog include a cold-air induction kit, cat-back exhaust system, slush mats and a sport pedal trim kit.

To protect the underbody, the team installed an extensive set of front and rear skid bars, sill guards and longitudinal skid plates to fend off the harsh rocks on the trails of Moab.

blue crush  
Jeep Wrangler Blue Crush
 

Jeep Wrangler Blue Crush

Inspired by the King of the Hammers race in the deserts of California, the Jeep Wrangler Blue Crush combines high-speed off-road racing and rock-crawling capability. At the core is a Mopar 426ci Hemi with 540 hp. The all-aluminum V8 is paired with a 545RFE performance transmission and a gear-drive transfercase.

To help the suspension keep up with the engine, Mopar added a high-speed, performance off-road suspension system with internal bypass shocks, a front stabilizer bar and full hydro-steering. Gigantic 39-in. tires are turned with the help of custom driveshafts. The Wrangler Blue Crush also features a baja-style full cage, race seats, a fuel cell and short aluminum bumpers.

 

Jeep Cherokee Overland

The mission for the Jeep Cherokee Overland was to create a small, light adventure platform alternative. The template is a built-for-export ’11 Jeep Cherokee (Jeep Liberty in the United States) equipped with a 2.8L CRD four-cylinder turbo diesel and Selec-Trac II 4x4 system.

ARB offered their steel roof rack, awning, compact refrigerator and prototype rock rails to set the Overland’s mood.

To increase off-road capability, an ARB 3-in. suspension lift and Old Man Emu shocks clear the way for Mickey Thompson 265/75-R16 MTZ tires mounted on steel wheels. Traction is increased with the addition of an ARB air locker in the rear differential and on-board air compressor.

Mopar provided a host of underbody protection, including skid plates for the front suspension, a transmission and a transfer case. Additional items from the Mopar catalog include front and rear tow hooks, slush mats, a cargo tray liner, sill guards and a sport pedal kit.

To blend in with the wildlife, an update of the classic zebra safari pattern paint scheme is added to the exterior.

  independence
  Jeep Wrangler JK-8 Independence

Jeep Wrangler JK-8 Independence

Taking cues from the popular Jeep Scrambler CJ-8 from the ’80s, Mopar has designed a kit for do-it-yourselfers that converts a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited into a pickup. The bed length is 50 in., and the width between wheelwells is 44 in. The team created body panels to cover the second-row entrance and removed all of the interior parts behind the front seats—transforming the vehicle into a two-seater with just enough room for gear inside, and a pickup-style bed to be used for outside cargo.

The JK-8 drivetrain is fitted with a Mopar/Dynatrac ProRock 44 front axle and stock Dana 44 rear axle, both spun with 4.88 gears. Linking the axles to the frame is a 4.5-in. long-arm suspension kit and 37-in. BFGoodrich Mud Terrain KM2 tires make the connection to the ground. A fresh coat of yellow paint and Mopar’s off-road bumpers for the front and rear were utilized, along with a new fuel door and slush mats.

The JK-8 kit includes bed floor, inner/outer body panels, half hard top (works with Freedom Top panels) and a new bulkhead.

Jeep Wrangler Renegade

At the heart of the Jeep Wrangler Renegade is the all-new 475hp, 6.4L Hemi V8 from Chrysler Group LLC’s Street and Racing Technology (SRT) engineering team. Harkening back to the ’72 Jeep Renegade, which was offered with a V8, Jeep and Mopar mated the Hemi to a six-speed manual transmission feeding a Dynatrac-prepped ProRock 44 front axle and ProRock 60 rear axle, both equipped with ARB air lockers and 4.10 gears. To clear the 35-in. Mickey Thompson Baja Claw radials mounted on AEV Pintler wheels, an AEV/Nth Degree 4-in. suspension lift was installed.

Mopar added a heat-dissipating hood and a new winch-mount front bumper. Other Mopar accessories include: a fuel door, sill guards, a bikini top, rock rails, slush mats and a half-door kit.

Warn provided its all-new 9.5 CTi series winch and AEV finished off the Renegade with its rear bumper/spare tire carrier combo. The interior was treated to a Katzkin seat trim kit sourced from the Mopar catalog and the exterior was finished in a black and gold paint scheme that recalls the early ’70’s CJ5 Renegade model.

 

  ram runner
  Mopar Ram Runner

“Moparized” Ram Truck

Mopar Ram Runner

The available Mopar Ram Runner kit was inspired by high-speed desert off-road racing. The rigors of off-road racing require large tires, additional ground clearance and a sophisticated suspension system capable of withstanding tremendous impact. These features are combined with the proven Hemi 5.7L V8 into a package that is stable at speed and rock-solid in the corners. Inspired by trophy trucks, steel front fenders and rear bed-sides are replaced with fiberglass layered in the Liquid Metal Mopar racing scheme. The high-clearance wheel wells allow tremendous suspension articulation with zero tire-to-body interference.

Description
   Part number
   Price
Pre-runner stage II lift kit
  P5155662   $13,270
Off-Road Front Bumper
  P5155663
  $1,250
Off-Road Rear Tire Carrier  
P5155664
 
$1,010
Off-Road Front Fenders
 
P5155665
 
$1,020
Off-Road Rear Fenders (6'4" Bed)
  P5155666
  $1,350

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ram and Mopar will sponsor the 2011 TORC short-course off-road racing series and bring a significant on- and off-track presence to each round of the championship. Ram will become the official vehicle of TORC with the Mopar Ram Runner pacing all of the series’ events.

Jeep and Mopar at the Moab Easter Jeep Safari

Jeep and Mopar will have a large display in the center of downtown Moab during the Easter Jeep Safari with these and a number of other customized vehicles on exhibition, including the previously introduced Jeep Grand Cherokee Off-Road Edition, Jeep Wrangler Mayhem, Jeep Wrangler Immortal, Mopar Camper Trailer, Jeep Wrangler Tan Man, Jeep Wrangler “The General” and a fully dressed military version of the Jeep Wrangler J-8 with turret and passenger mounted-machine guns.

Chrysler Group LLC Releases Sketch of Mopar ’11 Charger
Mon, 04/11/2011 - 16:23
mopar
Mopar ’11 Charger sketch.
Chrysler Group LLC has issued a sketch of its new Mopar ’11 Charger. The company will release details of the vehicle later this month. “After the success of our Mopar ’10 Challenger, we moved on to the iconic Dodge Charger and added even more performance,” said Pietro Gorlier, president and CEO of Mopar, Chrysler Group’s service, parts and customer-care brand. “As a new company, we will continue to leverage the heritage of the Mopar brand at every turn.”
New Postal Rates Effective April 17
Mon, 04/11/2011 - 16:03

The postal service has released preliminary numbers on the postal rates that will go into effect on April 17. However, the rate increases for postal presort are minimal. Click here to view all the rates online.

The highest rate increase will be on full-rate first-class mail more than 1 oz., which will range from 4.9% to 9.5%. Less than 1 oz. first-class rates remain the same. Presort first-class rates will increase from less than .5% to 2%.

For standard and non-profit mail, the rate increase is smaller and, in some cases, they are reduced. These rates are expected to increase less than .5%. For example, for standard letters weighing less than 3.3 oz., the current rate for five-digit automation is .233. The new rate will be .237. 

SEMA Show Photos: ATVs, Motorcycles and More From the Powersports Industry
Mon, 04/11/2011 - 15:49
The vehicle photo gallery on enjoythedrive.com includes more than 2,000 vehicles on display at the 2010 SEMA Show. Not only is the SEMA Show an annual hot spot for the latest project vehicles and four-wheel custom rarities, the Show also features motorcycles, side-by-sides, ATV, scooters and more from the hottest manufacturers in the powersports industry. Check out more than 130 pictures of rides from Harley-Davidson, Kawasaki, Polaris, Puma Sunny Motor, Yamaha and more in this gallery.
SEMA Show Photos: ATVs, Motorcycles and More From the Powersports Industry
Mon, 04/11/2011 - 15:49
The vehicle photo gallery on enjoythedrive.com includes more than 2,000 vehicles on display at the 2010 SEMA Show. Not only is the SEMA Show an annual hot spot for the latest project vehicles and four-wheel custom rarities, the Show also features motorcycles, side-by-sides, ATV, scooters and more from the hottest manufacturers in the powersports industry. Check out more than 130 pictures of rides from Harley-Davidson, Kawasaki, Polaris, Puma Sunny Motor, Yamaha and more in this gallery.
Customer Service: Be Great or Be Gone
Mon, 04/11/2011 - 15:00

SEMA News—April 2011

Be Great or Be Gone

    Chris Kersting-President and CEO, SEMA
     
     
Customer service has become a key difference-maker in an interconnected world. The growth of social media means a single customer can broadcast what he or she thinks of your company, good or bad. And others can give that message an exponential pop—making or breaking your company’s image. Where customers have multiple options for parts and service, business leaders agree that building customer loyalty based on service is imperative.

On SEMA.org, you’ll find a recent SEMA webinar devoted to customer service. If you missed this presentation, we hope you get a chance to download it. It contains valuable tips that apply to any business, large or small. The webinar is also a tool to remind everyone in your company that customer service isn’t a department, it’s a moment-to-moment attitude.

Here at SEMA, we are fundamentally a service organization. We’re here to help our members’ businesses succeed and prosper. Part of that comes by producing a world-class trade show, but SEMA can’t be excellent without working closely with our customers—and providing great service. Since the only way to improve is to recognize where you have an issue, we’ve initiated processes to encourage feedback. Since 2008, we’ve conducted an annual study that measures member satisfaction. We find that in certain categories, a high percentage of members are either “satisfied” or “very satisfied,” but each study has also showed us where we have some work to do.

One fundamental change we’ve made recently was aimed at improving our ability to handle callers. We put in a new phone system that allows people to dial directly, but more importantly, when calls do land at the switchboard, it goes to a customer service specialist who makes sure the right person follows up.

After the call, we regularly send out a two-minute customer service survey that solicits specific feedback about the interaction. These are the kinds of improvements any business can make—not by hiring more workers, but by refocusing the responsibilities of the people they already have.

We’ve also instituted Town Hall Meetings with our members. The premise is simple: There is no better way to find out what is on your customer’s mind than face-to-face interaction. We’ve put three Town Hall Meetings on the calendar for the first six months of 2011, and we’d be thrilled to see you at the next one, April 8, in Fort Worth, Texas. You can check the schedule by pulling down the “Events” tab on SEMA.org.

Another way we are improving service is through our Exhibitor Summit meetings. That’s where we invite SEMA Show exhibitors to meet with us in advance of the SEMA Show to explore ways to improve ROI from the SEMA Show. Feedback from meetings such as these helps us hone our Show operations. Look under the “Events” tab on SEMA.org for scheduling and to sign up.

Experts will tell you that customer service is a continuous process. No matter how much progress is made from one year to the next, it’s never done. You can always get better. Speaking for ourselves, we intend to keep the throttle on, and the service level moving in the right direction.

—Chris Kersting, SEMA President and CEO

Customer Service: Be Great or Be Gone
Mon, 04/11/2011 - 15:00

SEMA News—April 2011

Be Great or Be Gone

    Chris Kersting-President and CEO, SEMA
     
     
Customer service has become a key difference-maker in an interconnected world. The growth of social media means a single customer can broadcast what he or she thinks of your company, good or bad. And others can give that message an exponential pop—making or breaking your company’s image. Where customers have multiple options for parts and service, business leaders agree that building customer loyalty based on service is imperative.

On SEMA.org, you’ll find a recent SEMA webinar devoted to customer service. If you missed this presentation, we hope you get a chance to download it. It contains valuable tips that apply to any business, large or small. The webinar is also a tool to remind everyone in your company that customer service isn’t a department, it’s a moment-to-moment attitude.

Here at SEMA, we are fundamentally a service organization. We’re here to help our members’ businesses succeed and prosper. Part of that comes by producing a world-class trade show, but SEMA can’t be excellent without working closely with our customers—and providing great service. Since the only way to improve is to recognize where you have an issue, we’ve initiated processes to encourage feedback. Since 2008, we’ve conducted an annual study that measures member satisfaction. We find that in certain categories, a high percentage of members are either “satisfied” or “very satisfied,” but each study has also showed us where we have some work to do.

One fundamental change we’ve made recently was aimed at improving our ability to handle callers. We put in a new phone system that allows people to dial directly, but more importantly, when calls do land at the switchboard, it goes to a customer service specialist who makes sure the right person follows up.

After the call, we regularly send out a two-minute customer service survey that solicits specific feedback about the interaction. These are the kinds of improvements any business can make—not by hiring more workers, but by refocusing the responsibilities of the people they already have.

We’ve also instituted Town Hall Meetings with our members. The premise is simple: There is no better way to find out what is on your customer’s mind than face-to-face interaction. We’ve put three Town Hall Meetings on the calendar for the first six months of 2011, and we’d be thrilled to see you at the next one, April 8, in Fort Worth, Texas. You can check the schedule by pulling down the “Events” tab on SEMA.org.

Another way we are improving service is through our Exhibitor Summit meetings. That’s where we invite SEMA Show exhibitors to meet with us in advance of the SEMA Show to explore ways to improve ROI from the SEMA Show. Feedback from meetings such as these helps us hone our Show operations. Look under the “Events” tab on SEMA.org for scheduling and to sign up.

Experts will tell you that customer service is a continuous process. No matter how much progress is made from one year to the next, it’s never done. You can always get better. Speaking for ourselves, we intend to keep the throttle on, and the service level moving in the right direction.

—Chris Kersting, SEMA President and CEO

Customer Service: Be Great or Be Gone
Mon, 04/11/2011 - 15:00

SEMA News—April 2011

Be Great or Be Gone

    Chris Kersting-President and CEO, SEMA
     
     
Customer service has become a key difference-maker in an interconnected world. The growth of social media means a single customer can broadcast what he or she thinks of your company, good or bad. And others can give that message an exponential pop—making or breaking your company’s image. Where customers have multiple options for parts and service, business leaders agree that building customer loyalty based on service is imperative.

On SEMA.org, you’ll find a recent SEMA webinar devoted to customer service. If you missed this presentation, we hope you get a chance to download it. It contains valuable tips that apply to any business, large or small. The webinar is also a tool to remind everyone in your company that customer service isn’t a department, it’s a moment-to-moment attitude.

Here at SEMA, we are fundamentally a service organization. We’re here to help our members’ businesses succeed and prosper. Part of that comes by producing a world-class trade show, but SEMA can’t be excellent without working closely with our customers—and providing great service. Since the only way to improve is to recognize where you have an issue, we’ve initiated processes to encourage feedback. Since 2008, we’ve conducted an annual study that measures member satisfaction. We find that in certain categories, a high percentage of members are either “satisfied” or “very satisfied,” but each study has also showed us where we have some work to do.

One fundamental change we’ve made recently was aimed at improving our ability to handle callers. We put in a new phone system that allows people to dial directly, but more importantly, when calls do land at the switchboard, it goes to a customer service specialist who makes sure the right person follows up.

After the call, we regularly send out a two-minute customer service survey that solicits specific feedback about the interaction. These are the kinds of improvements any business can make—not by hiring more workers, but by refocusing the responsibilities of the people they already have.

We’ve also instituted Town Hall Meetings with our members. The premise is simple: There is no better way to find out what is on your customer’s mind than face-to-face interaction. We’ve put three Town Hall Meetings on the calendar for the first six months of 2011, and we’d be thrilled to see you at the next one, April 8, in Fort Worth, Texas. You can check the schedule by pulling down the “Events” tab on SEMA.org.

Another way we are improving service is through our Exhibitor Summit meetings. That’s where we invite SEMA Show exhibitors to meet with us in advance of the SEMA Show to explore ways to improve ROI from the SEMA Show. Feedback from meetings such as these helps us hone our Show operations. Look under the “Events” tab on SEMA.org for scheduling and to sign up.

Experts will tell you that customer service is a continuous process. No matter how much progress is made from one year to the next, it’s never done. You can always get better. Speaking for ourselves, we intend to keep the throttle on, and the service level moving in the right direction.

—Chris Kersting, SEMA President and CEO

Customer Service: Be Great or Be Gone
Mon, 04/11/2011 - 15:00

SEMA News—April 2011

Be Great or Be Gone

    Chris Kersting-President and CEO, SEMA
     
     
Customer service has become a key difference-maker in an interconnected world. The growth of social media means a single customer can broadcast what he or she thinks of your company, good or bad. And others can give that message an exponential pop—making or breaking your company’s image. Where customers have multiple options for parts and service, business leaders agree that building customer loyalty based on service is imperative.

On SEMA.org, you’ll find a recent SEMA webinar devoted to customer service. If you missed this presentation, we hope you get a chance to download it. It contains valuable tips that apply to any business, large or small. The webinar is also a tool to remind everyone in your company that customer service isn’t a department, it’s a moment-to-moment attitude.

Here at SEMA, we are fundamentally a service organization. We’re here to help our members’ businesses succeed and prosper. Part of that comes by producing a world-class trade show, but SEMA can’t be excellent without working closely with our customers—and providing great service. Since the only way to improve is to recognize where you have an issue, we’ve initiated processes to encourage feedback. Since 2008, we’ve conducted an annual study that measures member satisfaction. We find that in certain categories, a high percentage of members are either “satisfied” or “very satisfied,” but each study has also showed us where we have some work to do.

One fundamental change we’ve made recently was aimed at improving our ability to handle callers. We put in a new phone system that allows people to dial directly, but more importantly, when calls do land at the switchboard, it goes to a customer service specialist who makes sure the right person follows up.

After the call, we regularly send out a two-minute customer service survey that solicits specific feedback about the interaction. These are the kinds of improvements any business can make—not by hiring more workers, but by refocusing the responsibilities of the people they already have.

We’ve also instituted Town Hall Meetings with our members. The premise is simple: There is no better way to find out what is on your customer’s mind than face-to-face interaction. We’ve put three Town Hall Meetings on the calendar for the first six months of 2011, and we’d be thrilled to see you at the next one, April 8, in Fort Worth, Texas. You can check the schedule by pulling down the “Events” tab on SEMA.org.

Another way we are improving service is through our Exhibitor Summit meetings. That’s where we invite SEMA Show exhibitors to meet with us in advance of the SEMA Show to explore ways to improve ROI from the SEMA Show. Feedback from meetings such as these helps us hone our Show operations. Look under the “Events” tab on SEMA.org for scheduling and to sign up.

Experts will tell you that customer service is a continuous process. No matter how much progress is made from one year to the next, it’s never done. You can always get better. Speaking for ourselves, we intend to keep the throttle on, and the service level moving in the right direction.

—Chris Kersting, SEMA President and CEO