Mopar-Modified 2018 Jeep Wranglers Debut in LA

In addition to introducing the 2018 Jeep Wrangler, FCA used the 2018 LA Auto Show to show off a collection of Mopar modifications for the new off-road-ready SUV.

While FCA’s Mopar aftermarket accessory group offers items for every vehicle in their corporate portfolio, no brand gets more attention from Mopar than Jeep. Not surprisingly, Jeep buyers respond well, as nearly every single Wrangler sold has at least one item from Mopar added before the customer drives the vehicle home. It might be something as simple as mud flaps or rubber floormats, but 98% of Wranglers have something from Mopar.

Based on the success of the Jeep accessories from Mopar, it should come as no surprise that the aftermarket division has been showing off items for the next-gen Wrangler since before it was actually introduced. Mopar showed off a variety of add-ons for the new Wrangler at SEMA, but with the start of the Los Angeles Auto Show, we get to see those components on the new Jeep in the flesh.

“The Jeep Wrangler is one of the most versatile and customized vehicles in the industry,” said Pietro Gorlier, Head of Parts and Service (Mopar), FCA. “A total of 98 percent of Jeep Wrangler vehicles are typically outfitted with at least one of our products. We worked with the Jeep brand, engineers and designers to create an exclusive line of parts and accessories that perfectly match the new Jeep Wrangler, delivering unique functionality, style and factory-backed quality. The two customized vehicles at LA showcase our new product portfolio and empower owners to personalize the new Jeep Wrangler for extreme off-roading or for all-purpose lifestyle adventures.”

To showcase just a few of the 2018 Jeep Wrangler items from Mopar, the company has brought a pair of dressed-up SUVs to LA, including a four-door 2018 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon and a two-door Jeep Wrangler Sport.

The Mopar-Modified 2018 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon

The 2018 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon is the toughest of the new SUV trimlines, so it makes sense that Mopar picked one of these models to really load up with goodies for the LA debut.

Exterior upgrades made to this 2018 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon include:
-2-inch-round steel tube doors
-Jeep Performance Parts rock rails with a bedliner-like coating
-Production Rubicon front “Stubby” bumper assembly with the ends removed
-Water-resistant Mopar Warn winch kit with a synthetic rope, a wired remote control and hawse fairlead, controlled by the standard auxiliary switch bank
-2-inch lift kit that works with the production Rubicon wheel flares
-Jeep Performance Parts beadlock-equipped 17-inch aluminum wheels with a 12mm offset
-BFGoodrich KM2 35-inch tires
-LED off-road lights in 5- and 7-inch applications, controlled by the standard auxiliary switch bank
-Jeep Performance Parts off-road light bracket
-Jeep Performance Parts snorkel embellished with the all-new Jeep Performance Parts badge
-Mopar cold-air intake
-Spare tire tailgate hinge reinforcement stamped with the all-new Jeep Performance Parts badge

On the inside, the Moparized 2018 Rubicon upgrades include:
-Mopar Roadside Assistance and First Aid kits
-Molle storage bags on the rear seatbacks
-Mopar grab handles, hard-secured to the sport bars
-All-weather floor mats with a topographic design inspired by the rugged Moab trails
-Katzkin leather seats are embroidered with the distinctive Jeep grille logo in Tungsten stitching
-Infotainment screen protector

The Mopar-Modified 2018 Jeep Wrangler Sport

The white 2018 Jeep Wrangler Sport shown here is the more mildly-modified of the two Moparized vehicles at the LA Auto Show.

The add-ons start on the outside with the following items:
-The first ever Mopar roof rack for a Wrangler, which can be optioned to hold the cargo carrier shown here, a bicycle rack, ski racks or snowboard carriers
-Mopar 17-inch “Gear” wheels
-BFGoodrich KO2 35-inch tires
-Tube-style sidesteps
-2-inch lift kit, off-road lights
-CHMSL light relocation kit
-Black fuel door
-American flag-themed hood graphics and Moab bodyside graphics

On the inside, this customized Wrangler features  Katzkin leather seats, door sill guards, grab handles, all-weather floor mats and the new tailgate table that folds out when the gate is open – creating the perfect space for food and drinks during a break on the trail.

We have people at the LA Auto Show, gathering images of all of the new model debuts. The live images here were captured from the show floor by our photographers. Check out our gallery below for a closer look at both of these Moparized Jeeps!

Patrick Rall

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

Rall can be contacted at QuickMirada@Yahoo.com

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