The launch of the new Jeep Renegade opens up a whole new showcase of parts and accessories for MOPAR, the long established aftersales arm of Chrysler.
Formed by the US carmaker in 1937, the business – the name is an amalgam of ‘motor’ and ‘parts’ – MOPAR has been adopted by the newly-formed Fiat Chrysler to back up all the brands within the Group.
Go deeper with GlobalData
And it’s big business covering 10 brands across the world, handling half a million part numbers, employing 6,000 people and shipping to 11,000 dealer and service locations around the world.
President and chief executive officer Pietro Gorlier, told just-auto: “Now that the Fiat and Chrysler brands are together it is more important than ever to have a single organisation as the Group moves to align platforms.”
MOPAR is also a brand the Fiat Chrysler Group is pushing. It forms an integral part of its motor show stands and has a presence in showrooms around the world. As well as supplying parts and accessories, it also provides tailored service and maintenance, tying customers into dealers beyond the warranty period.
The level of customisation available stretches from simple graphics on a Fiat 500 to the complete conversation of a Jeep Wrangler into a pick-up.
How well do you really know your competitors?
Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.
Thank you!
Your download email will arrive shortly
Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample
We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form
By GlobalDataGorlier said: “The availability of accessories is important in the ‘why buy’ decision-making process. The fact that you can make your vehicle unique by customisation. We have around 2,000 accessories available.”
“An important factor is that Mopar engineers are involved at the very earliest stages of model development so that accessories can be properly integrated and we can share information around the brands while ensuring they are properly differentiated.”
The biggest customer group is in the US with an average spend on customisation of around US$300. In Europe it’s between €100 and €200 (US$138-US$276). The Jeep Wrangler is the most popular vehicle for accessorising with an average customer spend of US$1,000.
That’s where the new Renegade small Jeep provides an opportunity, said Gorlier. Some 100 accessories already planned.
MOPAR will offer tents and bikes and canoe carriers, as well as unique 17- and 18-inch alloy wheels, a graphics package as well as dressings for the interior. There is also a modular rack-mounted cargo management system.Performance parts include a cold-air intake, uprated exhaust and even a suspension lowering kit.
Gorlier explained that MOPAR has four teams of engineers working in different regions around the world. “Local regulations dictate some of what we can do to a car with the US by far the most flexible in what we can do.”
The regional engineering teams have to take account of the specific requirements of each market as well as local regulatory requirements.
MOPAR is also looking at more complex electronic accessories, particularly vehicle tracking , speed limiters and wireless smart phone charging
Gorlier said: “We share information across the brands which gives us the flexibility to launch brands in new regions with the knowledge that there will be a high level of aftersales support.
“Across the brands it gives us synergies without the duplication in costs. While we don’t individually brand products as Fiat or Jeep or Chrysler, our customer care telephone lines are dedicated to each brand and we process some 300,000 orders a day.”
The MOPAR term was first used by Chrysler in the 1920s but emerged as a brand in 1937 although OE parts were sold in Canada under the Chryco and Autopar names until the late 1970s. MOPAR at one time actually designed and built a small number of customised vehicles.
It is a name that has worked its way into the lexicon of Chrysler fans – a club for owners of any Chrysler Corporation vehicle often describes itself as a club for MOPAR enthusiasts.
