300-HP Dodge Avenger Rally Car Revealed to Announce Mopar and Magneti Marelli Partnership

Set to make its first public appearance at the New York International Auto Show later this month, Mopar has revealed its Dodge Avenger rally car showing off its new relationship with Italian aftermarket parts supplier Magneti Marelli.

Based off of a stock 2011 Dodge Avenger Heat, the combination of Italian aftermarket parts and American muscle makes for an intriguing rally car. Magneti Marelli’s expertise in European rally competition clearly shows in the finished product.

With the rising interest of rally racing in America, Mopar’s Avenger should garner plenty of attention with its blend of European and American flair. The Avenger has been lightened 200-lbs from its factory form thanks to a gutted/race interior accented by lightweight carbon fiber components. Mopar equips the Avenger with a full eight-point roll cage for safety while Magneti Marelli put in a helping hand with a carbon fiber hydra-graphics center stack and fully programmable slim racing display with shift lights and alarm multi-color LEDs.

Under the hood, a 3.6L V6 Dodge Pentastar powerplant can be seen along with a traditional Mopar cold-air intake and cat-back exhaust with Magneti Marelli tips. The motor is mated to a standard six-speed 62TE autostick transmission and power has been upped to 300-hp.

Brakes and suspension were obviously upgraded on this rally machine, with Mopar/Magneti Marelli teaming up to create a 14.25-inch front rotor upgrade while the rear features 13.5-inch rotors. The car is lowered 1.5-inches on 18-inch wheels by Mopar and Magneti Marelli.

Dodge says the car has been given a full track shakedown, although no announcement has been made about a racing program – nor is one expected.