Iconic — adj. \ī-ˈkä-nik\ — widely recognized and
well-established; acknowledged for distinctive excellence
What are the most iconic brands in the automotive performance aftermarket? We thought about that for a while and collected votes from thousands of hot rodders and performance enthusiasts on Summit Racing’s Facebook and Instagram in search of the answers.
Here is your choice for the #7 most-iconic aftermarket brand.
#7 — Mopar
Mopar or no car.
That’s been the rallying cry for generations of Dodge, Plymouth, and Chrysler fans. As much an automotive cultural movement as an aftermarket parts brand, Mopar has been around since the late 1930s. Originally used to advertise Chrysler Motor Parts Corporation’s (CMPC) line of antifreeze products, the name Mopar, short for Motor Parts, was soon used for all of CMPC’s products. By the mid 1950s, the Mopar parts division had cemented itself as the exclusive OE supplier for the Chrysler family of vehicles.
Mopar as we know it today was really born in the 1960s, though.
Professional and sportsman racers had already begun using performance-oriented Mopar products, but the dawn of the muscle car era accelerated the demand. When the legendary Gen. II HEMI was introduced in 1964, demand for Mopar performance parts skyrocketed. Chrysler opted to forego wholesale distributors and instead offered parts directly to customers. The name Mopar soon became synonymous with Dodge and Plymouth performance.
In the 1970s, Mopar launched the “Direct Connection” name for performance parts—a forerunner of Mopar Performance. Today, the Mopar name is associated with Dodge, Plymouth, Chrysler, Jeep, and RAM performance past and present! The brand now offers everything from complete crate engines right down to the bolts and fasteners that hold engines together. The Mopar line also includes chassis parts, exterior accessories, brake components, wheels, interior parts, and more!
What began as a small parts division with a weird name is now one of the most iconic aftermarket brands—your #7 most iconic brand!
Here is just a sampling of what Mopar has to offer:
Mopar Performance Engines and Components
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Mopar Exterior Accessories
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Mopar Performance Chassis & Suspension Parts
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Mopar Performance Transmission & Drivetrain Parts
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Mopar Performance Air & Fuel Delivery Equipment
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