Over the past year or so Steve Saleen’s new project, SMS Supercars has released high performance versions of the Camaro, Mustang and Challenger. This week at the Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association (SEMA) Show, SMS announces the introduction of SMS Superparts, a division of the company that will sell the parts individually through a distribution network.

“We are excited to launch our newest addition to the SMS Supercars family right here at SEMA, where it all happens,” said Steve Salleen. “To have a strictly SMS Superparts display was a conscious choice on my part. I wanted to underline the importance of the aftermarket business, the passion of the enthusiasts and the true Steve Saleen fans.”

Saleen also included a second announcement, the introduction of the SMS 296 supercharger for the 2005-10 Mustang. This new blower is expected to produce output of 475-hp, with higher output packages reaching all the way to 650-hp.

For photos of the new SMS 296 Supercharger installed on a 2010 Mustang, as well as a Sour Grape Green 2010 SMS 570X Challenger, check out the gallery below.

GALLERY: SMS Superparts Cars at SEMA

Official release after the jump:

Orange County, California. (November 3, 2009) Today, at the 2009 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Steve M. Saleen, President and CEO of SMS Supercars, announced the formation of his nationwide sales, distribution and installation network SMS Superparts. On its own display area, SMS Superparts showed a virtually unmodified 2010 Ford Mustang with the new SMS 296 Supercharger under the hood, as well as a production version of the 2010 SMS 570X Challenger in Sour Grape Green. Center piece at the impressive display was the SMS 296 Supercharger.

Says Saleen: “We are excited to launch our newest addition to the SMS Supercars family right here at SEMA, where it all happens. To have a strictly SMS Superparts display was a conscious choice on my part. I wanted to underline the importance of the aftermarket business, the passion of the enthusiasts and the true Steve Saleen fans. Right now, SMS Superparts is actively looking for installers around the country, who will be selling Mopar, Mustang and Camaro enthusiasts the SMS 296 Supercharger™ System and all other performance parts from SMS”.

While the SMS 296 Supercharger™ System is standard on all SMS Signature Series Cars –the SMS 570 and 570X Challengers and SMS 460 and 460X Mustangs have been launched so far –, it can also be ordered as an aftermarket performance solution through SMS Superparts. Says the Head of SMS Superparts, Jon Clark: “SMS Superparts is your one-stop-shop for all your performance needs, starting with the awesome, patented SMS 296 Supercharger™ System, through the SMS S4 Suspension, wheel and tire packages, to aerodynamic body parts and our famous SMS Red Butterfly™ Induction hood. This way, every enthusiast out there with a 2008 or newer Dodge Challenger, a 2005 or newer Ford Mustang and – coming soon – a 2010 Chevrolet Camaro can personalize their car with genuine Steve Saleen designed and produced parts. Only SMS Superparts can rely on Steve’s 30 year experience in racing, development and retail.”

SMS Superparts plans that its nationwide network of retailers and qualified installers in the major markets will become the point of contact for customers purchasing performance components from SMS Superparts and having them installed. SMS 296 Supercharger™ Systems installed by Steve Saleen-qualified retailers will come with the full factory warranty from SMS Supercars.

While Mr. Saleen expects the SMS Superparts top seller to be the SMS 296 Supercharger™ System, he envisages that most of his fans will not stop there; “I see people fitting our SMS 296 Supercharger™ System to an existing Mustang or Challenger and coming to us for more. We offer high-performance suspension and brake systems, aerodynamically efficient body parts and our patented butterfly hood – which looks and performs great, – as well as smaller components that make each car unique. And for those of you whose partner has one of those cars – Christmas is just around the corner, and you can find everything on our website www.smssupercars.com/superparts.html”, says Steve Saleen with a smile. Christmas is in 51 days…

Mopar always has a big display at the SEMA Show and 2009 is no different, with plenty of Mopar-modded Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep vehicles. One of, if not the, most impressive car on hand is the Dodge Challenger 1320. Named after the number of feet in a quarter mile, the 1320 is essentially a street-legal version of the company’s Drag Pak 1/4 mile racer.

Along with the stripped down body and interior, there’s a Mopar 426 cubic-inch, all-aluminum, HEMI V-8 crate engine under the hood with 556 horsepower and 540 ft-lbs of torque.

Other highlights include Mopar police wheels with street-legal Mickey Thompson drag radials, an adjustable coilover kit, six-speed manual transmission with a custom Dynatrac rear housing with Mopar Dana 60 internals, an ARB locking differential and an exhaust bypass system that keeps the car emissions legal on the street but re-routes the exhaust gases past the mufflers for the drag strip.

The car is painted in a non-metallic yellow paint (called Acidic Hue) with matte black graphics. There’s also a new hood, front splitter and new grille panel and headlight surround. As for the inside, there’s all sorts of good stuff, including Dodge Viper seats, a sport steering wheel and Hurst shifter. Much of the other interior amenities, like the center console and radio have been removed to reduce weight and help the Dodge Challenger 1320 deliver maximum performance.

Check out the gallery below for all the photos:

GALLERY: Dodge Challenger 1320

Ready to give the Lingenfelter Camaro a run for its money, the team at SpeedFactory will unveil a 440 cubic-inch Dodge Challenger SRT8 with as much as 700-hp. The power increase comes thanks to a supercharger, but that’s not all. The 440 cu.-in. (7.2-liter) engine is a big step up from the already huge 6.1-liter V8. And to make the package even better, it uses a Mopar block made of lighter aluminum – rather than the heavy factory iron block. The heads are also aluminum and the all-new internals are forged.

Getting all that power down is made possible thanks to a Mopar transmission and a new rear end that can handle up to 1,000-hp.

Other highlights on the car include a Corsa stainless steel exhaust, new 20-inch wheels with Bridgestone R Compound tires, 15-inch Brembo rotors, stiffer springs and anti-roll bars, as well as a chassis brace.

AutoGuide’s live coverage of the 2009 SEMA Show starts November 3rd and we’ll be sure to track down this monster machine for a few extra pics – especially some under the hood!

See AutoGuide’s live SEMA Coverage here!

[Source: Car & Driver]

Chrysler has announced it will be bringing four specially-made Mopar vehicles representing each of the company’s brands to the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, including one very special 556-horsepower Challenger designed as a street-legal version of the company’s Drag Pak 1/4 mile racer. Named the Dodge Challenger 1320, after how many feet there are in a 1/4 mile, the car boasts a Mopar 426 cubic-inch, all-aluminum, HEMI V-8 crate engine with the aforementioned 556 horsepower and 540 ft-lbs of torque and uses the stripped-down, race-only chassis that Dodge sells to competitive drag racers.

Other highlights include Mopar police wheels with street-legal Mickey Thompson drag radials, an adjustable coilover kit, six-speed manual transmission with a custom Dynatrac rear housing with Mopar Dana 60 internals, an ARB locking differential and an exhaust bypass system that keeps the car emissions legal on the street but re-routes the exhaust gases past the mufflers for the drag strip.

The car is painted in a non-metallic yellow paint (called Acidic Hue) with matte black graphics. There’s also a new hood, front splitter and new grille panel and headlight surround. As for the inside, there’s all sorts of good stuff, including Dodge Viper seats, a sport steering wheel and Hurst shifter. Much of the other interior amenities, like the center console and radio have been removed to reduce weight and help the Dodge Challenger 1320 deliver maximum performance.

We’ll be sure to bring you more on the car with live coverage of the SEMA Show starting on November 3rd.

See AutoGuide’s live SEMA Coverage here!

Read more on the Dodge Challenger 1320 and the rest of Chrysler’s SEMA vehicles after the jump:

Chrysler Group LLC to Showcase Four Mopar Image Vehicles at 2009 SEMA Show

Auburn Hills, Mich., Oct 15, 2009  -

A 556-horsepower Dodge Challenger, a Jeep® Wrangler that transforms into a mobile campsite, a luxury Dodge Ram 1500 and a go-anywhere, do-anything extreme Jeep Wrangler with 40-inch tires. It must be SEMA season.

Four Mopar-customized vehicles will steal the show next month at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas. Mopar’s in-house team of creative customizers developed a slew of high-performance image vehicles that feature the brand’s innovative performance parts and accessories.

“Our Mopar vehicles demonstrate this company’s passion and enthusiasm for the automotive aftermarket,” said Pietro Gorlier, President and Chief Executive Officer – Mopar Service, Parts and Customer Care, Chrysler Group LLC. “We will gauge reaction to these vehicles and explore new directions as we develop Mopar performance parts and accessories for our vehicles.”

“The aftermarket is not an after-thought in our design studio,” said Ralph Gilles, President and CEO–Dodge Car Brand and Senior Vice President–Product Design, Chrysler Group LLC. “Our vehicles are designed and built by the same passionate automotive enthusiasts within our company who are designing and engineering new Mopar parts and accessories for vehicles in our product pipeline.”

Led by Mark Allen, Head of Jeep Design, Chrysler Group LLC, the Mopar design team developed four head-turning vehicles for next month’s SEMA show.

Mopar Dodge Challenger 1320 Image Vehicle: Exploring a Street-legal Drag Pak Challenger
The Dodge Challenger 1320 began life as a Mopar Drag Pak Dodge Challenger. The current Drag Pak option is a light-weight, stripped-down, race-only, special-order version of the Dodge Challenger designed for competitive drag racing.

For the street-legal design, Mopar’s design team took the vehicle back to its roots with styling reminiscent of vintage Mopar muscle, updated with today’s technology. The Dodge Challenger 1320 image vehicle, named for the 1,320 feet on a quarter-mile drag strip, features Mopar’s 426 cubic-inch, all-aluminum, HEMI® V-8 crate engine that generates 556 horsepower. The engine is equipped with unique Mopar-designed valve covers and a dress-up kit. Mopar’s long-tube headers and exhaust system allow the cubic inches to breathe. Electric cutouts allow the exhaust to bypass the muffler system, which exits through custom side pipes for added rumble at the dragstrip. Power is put to the ground via a six-speed manual transmission through a custom Dynatrac rear housing with Mopar Dana 60 internals and a selectable, ARB locking differential. Mopar police wheels, widened in the rear, are strapped with Mickey Thompson street-legal drag radials to provide extra grip at launch. A four-corner, adjustable coil-over kit is provided by Mopar as an option for the Dodge Challenger. This system improves the handling of the vehicle under extreme loads of 556 horsepower and 540 lb.-ft. of torque.

Following Mopar’s high-impact color heritage, the design team layered the 1320 in Acidic Hue, a non-metallic yellow paint and added matte black graphics. The body is lightened with the following carbon-fiber components from Mopar’s design team and Seibon:

• Bulged hood with HEMI scoop
• Front spoiler
• Grille panel/headlamp surround

The interior is equipped with bare necessities–Dodge Viper seats, a sport steering wheel and a Hurst shifter. The rear seat, center console and radio have been removed in order to reduce vehicle weight and maintain the 1320’s no-nonsense theme.

Mopar Dodge Ram Bianco Image Vehicle: A Stylish, Luxury Pickup Truck
The Dodge Ram Bianco started life as a 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 Sport with a 5.7-liter HEMI V-8. The Dodge Ram is modified to reflect an upscale feel and appearance with the aid of Mopar performance parts and accessories. Colors, textures and accessories are combined in a manner that showcases the sophisticated side of the Dodge Ram 1500.

Exterior modifications include a Mopar hard tonneau that adds a classic, sporty appearance. The inside of the truck bed features Mopar’s bed rug–a plush, yet washable carpet. For the exterior, a Mopar body kit and modified Mopar fender flares give a unique, sophisticated look. The stance is aided by a Ground Force lowering kit that not only lowers the vehicle, but also provides excellent ride and handling. The Dodge Ram Bianco is layered in several coats of Arctic Ice pearl paint that give it a rich appearance. Holding true to the upscale theme, Mopar’s 22-inch wheels are painted in a matching, high-contrast design. Performance upgrades include a Mopar cold-air intake and a throaty Mopar dual exhaust with just enough growl to let you know there is something powerful under the hood.

The exterior theme continues through the interior. White and black Katzkin seats with matching door trim set the stage for a high-class ride. Piano Black and Arctic Ice accents add to the luxurious theme. For sound, Mopar contributed a Kicker audio system consisting of an audio amplifier, a powerful subwoofer and upgraded speakers.

Mopar Jeep Wrangler Overland Image Vehicle: A Stop-anywhere, Camp-anywhere Jeep
The Jeep Wrangler Overland is perfect for those craving travel and adventure. The Mopar design team took a 2009 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon and turned it into a mobile “on-the-go” self-contained campsite.

To increase cargo capacity for hauling gear, the Jeep Wrangler Overland’s rear seats are replaced with a large, flat, rubberized utility floor. Mounted to the cargo rack is an all-new ARB two-person Simpson II rooftop-mounted tent and touring awning. The interior of the Jeep Wrangler Overland features water-resistant Mopar front-seat covers, rugged Mopar slush mats, a Daystar dash bin and lower switch panel that powers added accessories.

Enhancing off-road travel is an American Expedition Vehicles’ (AEV), Nth Degree, 3-inch suspension lift and a Full Traction rear sway bar. The lift allows aggressive 35-inch tires mounted on 17-inch steel Mopar winter/off-road wheels to fit under the Jeep. Additional off-road protection at the front and rear is provided by AEV steel bumpers and for added security, a Warn 9.5ti winch.

In order to prepare the Jeep Wrangler Overland for desert duty, an AEV Jeep Wrangler heat-reduction hood and snorkel kit is fitted to the vehicle. Mopar windshield-mounted off-road lights and Daystar bumper-mounted lights provide additional lighting for nighttime and off-road driving.

Mopar Jeep Lower Forty Image Vehicle: An Extreme Trail Rig with 40-inch Tires
The Jeep “Lower Forty” takes the Jeep Wrangler platform to a new extreme. The vehicle is equipped with massive 40-inch x 13.5-inch tires mounted on Mopar’s 20-inch forged-aluminum wheels. Mopar added aggressive wheels and tires to a stock, two-door Jeep Wrangler Rubicon without the use of a suspension lift. The team’s goal was to achieve added ground clearance without dramatically altering the vehicle’s center of gravity. The team removed copious amounts of body metal in order to provide room for 40-inch meats. Three inches are chopped from the windshield frame and a 10-degree rake is added.

Custom front and rear fender flares are 1-inch wider and are located 4 inches higher than a stock Jeep Wrangler. A new one-piece carbon-fiber hood with a Jeep CJ-like power dome and an all-new drop-down tailgate stamped with the “Jeep” logo are added to complete the exterior design.

On the interior, an all-new roll cage is neatly integrated into the body tub and tied directly into the frame rails. The spare tire is relocated to the cargo floor and a custom cargo rack, supplied by Poly Performance, holds extra gear. Once all body modifications were completed, the exterior received a fresh coat of Red Eye No. 3 paint, a custom color developed by Mopar.

Custom touches throughout the interior include a color-matched center console and instrument panel. Seats are re-covered with Mopar’s Katzkin leather package in a two-tone scheme. Replacing the carpet is a durable, spray-in truck-bed liner. Rugged Mopar floor mats complete the theme.

Mechanical upgrades came directly out of the Mopar catalog. The Jeep “Lower Forty” features an all-new 5.7-liter HEMI® V-8 engine and a Getrag 238 six-speed manual transmission. Powertrain installations were handled by Burnsville Off-Road using an AEV 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 conversion kit.

The Mopar-supplied Dana 44 front axle and a Dana 60 rear axle, fitted with 5.38 gears and ARB air lockers, were assembled by Dynatrac.

Mopar Brand
Mopar distributes approximately 280,000 components in more than 90 countries and is the source for all original equipment parts for Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge vehicles. Mopar parts are unique in that they are engineered with the same teams that create factory-authorized vehicle specifications for Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge Car and Dodge Ram vehicles – a direct connection that no other aftermarket parts company can provide.

More than 70 Years of Mopar
When Chrysler bought Dodge in 1928, the need for a dedicated parts manufacturer, supplier and distribution system to support the growing enterprise led to the formation of the Chrysler Motor Parts Corporation (CMPC) in 1929.

Mopar (a simple contraction of the words MOtor and PARts) was trademarked for a line of antifreeze products in 1937. It also was widely used as a moniker for the CMPC. The Mopar brand made its mark in the 1960’s – the muscle car era. The Chrysler Corporation built race-ready Dodge and Plymouth “package cars” equipped with special high-performance parts. Mopar carried a line of “special parts” for super stock drag racers and developed its racing parts division called Mopar Performance Parts to enhance speed and handling for both road and racing use.

Those shifter experts at Hurst have just announced that they will offer a new modification package for the Dodge Challenger… and the real surprise is that it is available for Challengers of all colors.

Hurst is well-known for its either white/gold or black/gold paint schemes, but that certainly limits the company’s customer group. This new setup, the Competition/Plus package, will be available for any Challenger, be it B5 Blue, Hemi Orange, TorRed or any other color.

Along with appealing to a broader audience, the new kit is designed to offer performance at an affordable price. It includes Eibach springs, a Magnaflow exhaust, 20-inch Hurst wheels, color-matched leather seat inserts and stitching and a Competition/Plus shifter with a classic white shift knob ball.

Hurst just announced the new Competition/Plus package for the Challenger at the NHRA Motorsports Museum in Pomona, CA.The Competition/Plus package is available for the RT and SRT8 Dodge Challenger at Hurst Dodge Dealers at cost of $18,495 above the factory Challenger price.

[Source: Autoblog]

[Photo Credit: Drew Phillips]

GALLERY: Hurst Competition/Plus Challenger

Official release after the jump:

Hurst Performance debuts AN ALL-NEW

COmPETITION/PLUS Challenger

Legendary Performance Brand Introduces New Specialty Series,

Paying Homage to Iconic Shifter

Irvine, Calif. (July 2, 2009) – Hurst Performance Vehicles, one of the most recognized and revered names in automobile history, kicked off its highly-anticipated Competition/PLUS series with the Hurst Competition/PLUS Challenger at the NHRA Museum’s Twilight Cruise Wednesday, July 1, 2009.

Hurst’s Competition/PLUS series pays homage to Hurst’s most popular and best-selling shifter of the same namesake. Over the past several decades, Hurst has sold approximately one million of these iconic Competition/Plus shifters.

Set to continue the brand’s long standing tradition of building some of the most sought-after collectible muscle cars, these numbered cars will be available based on both the R/T 5.7 Hemi or the 6.1 SRT8 Hemi. A variety of legendary color combinations including red, blue, white and silver will be available, all complete with matte black Hurst graphics and color-keyed, Hurst leather interiors.

The Competition/PLUS Challenger will also come with a traditional white, Hurst round-ball shift knob. An extra black shift knob will come in every car’s glove box, so that customer’s may choose which they like best.

“The Competition/PLUS is the newest series to expand the availability of Hurst cars through our authorized dealer network,” said Nate Shelton, Chairman of Hurst Performance. “The Hurst Competition/PLUS shifter is easily the most successful shifter in the history of racing and automotive performance. We’re proud to name our new series of limited edition vehicles after Hurst’s most famous product.”

The Competition/PLUS Challengers will also have Hurst polished, forged aluminum wheels, with graphite gray spokes and the traditional red and black Hurst “H” logos. They will come with BF Goodrich KDW performance tires, a Magnaflow stainless-steel exhaust, a K&N Air Filter and an Eibach Suspension with coil-over adjustable shocks, springs and sway bar.

“We’re just glad to be building cars with looks and attitude, and most importantly, the credentials to back it all up,” said Hurst President, Ron Flint. “It’s an amazing feeling to be building cars you actually want to build.”

Each Hurst limited production vehicle comes with a signed and numbered certificate of authenticity and an invitation to the owner, to pick up his vehicle at the factory.

The car unveiled at the NHRA event has already been sold to a private Hurst collector and features an optional Mopar hood scoop.

The Competition/PLUS Challenger will be available through authorized Hurst Dodge dealers nationwide. The suggested MSRP at authorized Hurst Dodge Dealers for the RT or SRT8 Competition/PLUS package is $18,495.00 (above the cost of the base vehicle.) For more information please visit the company website at www.hurst-performance.com.