Dodge Challenger GT AWD Leads Mopar’s SEMA Parade

No SEMA would be complete without another Challenger custom, and this year’s edition at least throws all-wheel-drive into the mix. Coated in Mopar add-ons—from the chin splitter to the fender bulges to the decklid badge—the Challenger GT AWD also gets a 75-hp boost to its 5.7-liter Hemi from a Scat Pack 3 upgrade. It’s a little big for rallying, but it sure would be fun to get it dirty.

Chances are Mopar will sell far more spoilers and exhaust tips than engine upgrade kits (which include new cylinder heads and high-flow catalysts), but that’s SEMA.

Chrysler’s design team has done a yeoman’s job of keeping the ancient Charger/300 platform up to date through facelifts. The Dodge Charger Deep Stage 3 highlights how the current look can be remixed, with smoked headlights, an aggressive body kit and Mopar 22-inch wheels.

Since it’s not enough to mount 22-inch rubber for filling the wheel arches, Mopar also offers a lowering kit. Not bad, all in all.

There’s not much hope that Dodge might revive its compact performance business, and given that the Dart GLH homage to the Dodge Omni GLH of yore features only cosmetic changes, it makes the likelihood of a Dart SRT-4 even more remote. Still, if you want to really make your Dart stand out, Mopar will sell you a body kit, custom wheels and an aluminum hood. Go crazy.

Full-size pickups are already a hotbed of custom parts, so the Ram Rebel X makes for a logical progression. While the 5.7-liter Hemi gets a modest upgrade, the rest of the Rebel receives a spate of off-road upgrades, including true beadlock wheels wearing knobby Toyo rubber.

Like most SEMA concepts, the Rebel X is too pretty for real driving, but at least its dressy form follows some function.

Putting big wheels on a Chrysler 300 is to SEMA what slot machines at the airport are to Vegas—the utterly expected. Outside of those 22-inchers and the matte paint, not much seems to stand out on this one, until you get close up…

…and see that the grille is actually made of hundreds of tiny “M” Mopar logos. It’s the perfect accessory for 300 owners whose names begins with M, and a questionable choice otherwise.

Mopar says the Fiat 500X Chicane is “a street-tuner vehicle, designed to buzz through urban areas” with its 20-inch wheels and factory cat-back exhaust. Mopar says it has more than 100 add-ons to lure the 500X shopper, which, well, who are we to question optimism wherever it sprouts?

The 500X for surfers, the Mobe has painted wheels and a roof rack.

Yes, in theory, if you are towing a factory drag-racing car, it would be nice to have a custom van to haul all your parts and your vehicles.

Although an interior workshop clean enough to serve dinner on would also be useful regardless of what’s attached out back.

Leaving no potential market untouched, Mopar will show off a Ram ProMaster City with a scuba-business theme, featuring nautical-inspired paint, special interior shelving and even rear-view mirrors with “diver down” decals.

Here’s where the idea of putting performance parts on every model starts to seem obligatory rather than inspired. Sure, there may be a few Chrysler 200 owners who dream of cold-air intakes, suspension-lowering kits and premium floormats. (The hood is “concept” only.) But most midsize sedans buyers choose their rides to avoid having to think about mechanical questions. At SEMA, there’s always something for everyone—and then some.