10 Questions: MOPAR President and CEO Pietro Gorlier

Over a year ago, things weren’t looking too good for Chrysler. Groaning under the strain of a sagging economy, slumping auto sales, and frozen credit, the venerable third member of the Big Three was facing Chapter 11. Deemed “too small to survive” by the current Presidential Administration, Chrysler was all but left to its own devices to weather the storm. Bringing in Fiat as its new alliance partner, Chrysler – now reorganized as Chrysler Group LLC – was able to get back to business.

Now, a year later, things are already looking up for Chrysler. Seventy-five percent of the manufacturer’s vehicle line-up is either all-new or will be revamped by the end of 2010. Chrysler has announced that 100-percent of its line-up will be “refreshed or renewed” by the end of 2012. And thanks in no small part to the manufacturer’s venerable aftermarket parts and service branch MOPAR, the manufacturer is back on the upswing.


MOPAR President and CEO Pietro Gorlier
Courtesy Chrysler Group LLC

Appointed President and Chief Executive Officer*of MOPAR Service, Parts and Customer Care, a year ago this June, Pietro Gorlier joined the Chrysler Group via the Fiat Group Automobiles S.p.A. and CNH Global N.V., where he previously worked as head of the Network and*Owned Dealerships Organization. Pietro’s current position assigns him full profit and loss responsibility for the MOPAR’s product portfolio, Service & Parts operations as well as Chrysler’s Customer Service operations.

While that may sound intimidating and just a little unexciting, it’s impressive how present MOPAR has become as an aftermarket performance supplier especially during this economy. Today, you can modify your Ram 1500 into a factory-outfitted R/T-optioned tire burner with a dual-scooped Challenger-style hood. Want a fully-retro Challenger? Through MOPAR, you can outfit your Challenger with a T/A hood, classic Strobe Stripe kit, and even vintage script-style “Challenger” emblems.


MOPAR offers nearly everything you’ll need to turn your Challenger into a full-customized street machine.

If horsepower is what you’re really looking for, you can equip your new Charger, Challenger, 300, Magnum or Ram with Mopar’s Coil-Over Suspension and Lowering Kits, Exhaust Header Packages, Cat-Back Exhaust kits and so much more. For those favoring the classics, a selection of HEMIs (Gen 2 and Gen 3), 440s, and small block crate motors and components are at your ready. MOPAR even provides replacement body panels, electronics, and interior and exterior trim for your classic muscle car.

We sat down with Pietro Gorlier, President and Chairman of MOPAR Parts and asked him about everything from learning to love diehard MOPAR fanatics, MOPAR’s influence on production models, and what to expect in the future.

powerTV: Things are starting to really show promise in Auburn Hills from a year ago. How do you think the MOPAR division has served to revitalize Chrysler’s image over this past year and help boost new car sales?

Gorlier: The MOPAR brand is full-speed ahead. From a performance parts standpoint, just this year we’ve expanded our crate-engine offerings to include a 572 cubic-inch V-8 HEMI and a new 4.7-liter I-6 long block. And we’re the first to offer all-aluminum HEMI engine blocks in three variations.

In addition to performance parts and accessories, the MOPAR brand now encompasses service and customer care. In the past year, MOPAR has introduced hundreds of new products, and not just in the performance-parts arena. We were the first to introduce live, mobile TV in our Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Ram vehicles. We were the first to get rid of traditional owner manuals and go digital, saving 20,000 trees annually along the way. We introduced brand-specific customer-care phone numbers to link our customers directly with our brands. We introduced truck-loads of MOPAR-ized vehicles that showcase our capabilities and inspire customers to accessorize their rides. And we introduced the MOPAR eStore, where we deliver MOPAR parts and accessories to customers who purchase our parts and accessories online.

powerTV: The MOPAR brand, possibly the nation’s oldest and most storied corporate aftermarket performance label, is known most notably by its avid – almost religious – fans. Did you find relating to and retaining this demographic daunting while taking the over the reins?

Gorlier: Not at all. If I’ve learned one thing since joining MOPAR, it’s that the spirit and passion of MOPAR Nation is contagious. With our proud 73-year history, the MOPAR brand resonates with those who we call MOPAR-heads! At last count, there are more than 340 MOPAR clubs around the country. I’m sure all of our fans and enthusiasts would be happy to know that the people who work here at MOPAR share their passion. The enthusiasm is seamless.

powerTV: MOPAR’s presence in NHRA, NASCAR, USAC, and the SCCA, not to mention its extensive aftermarket performance catalog is impressive. Do you foresee a greater influencing of MOPAR’s racing experience on future production vehicles (such as dealership-available MOPAR-edition Challengers, Chargers, etc?)?

Gorlier: MOPAR offers more than 280,000 parts and accessories in more than 90 countries. And our involvement with racing puts our parts and accessories to the ultimate test in order to ensure a high level of quality and performance. Last year, we built and sold 100 Drag Pak Dodge Challengers. This year, we introduced another Drag Pak Challenger and a new Dodge Avenger Pro Stock body. While I do not want to disclose future products, I can tell you that we have a bunch of new ideas in the pipeline. And there are plenty of opportunities for MOPAR to support Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Ram vehicles going forward.

powerTV: MOPAR’s dealership-available optional equipment for new vehicles has sparked modern takes on “retro” packages, such as the Challenger T/A hood, R/T Stripe kits, and the modern “Pistol Grip” shifter. What other similar equipment can we hope to see for modern Chryslers in the future?

Gorlier: These retro packages are extremely popular and we will continue to fill the pipeline with these types of offerings.

powerTV: Undoubtedly, as the Mustang GT, Camaro SS, and Challenger SRT8 continue to capture people’s attention, the resurgence of the muscle car as a marketable property has been on everyone’s mind in Detroit. Has this inspired a new sense of the “Horsepower Wars” of the 1960s around the office?

Gorlier: Yes, the second wave of the Pony Car Wars is just as exciting for us as it is for the consumer. And we are well represented with our 5.7-liter and 6.1-liter HEMI V-8 engines for Dodge Challenger. And for real muscle-car fanatics who want to upgrade or optimize their rides, MOPAR offers a complete list of nearly 35 performance and handling accessories.


Courtesy of AutoBlog
This crate-available 392 cui Gen 3 HEMI features iconic wrinkle-black valve covers and hidden over-plug coils, with the plug wires jutting from the valve covers like the second generation HEMIs that took the 1960’s by storm.

powerTV: By offering components like the Max Wedge cross-ram intake manifold, restoration-correct Holley Six-Pack carburetors, and the legendary “Purple Shaft” cam, do you see this helping MOPAR’s credibility as a performance/restoration brand?

Gorlier: We make a concerted effort to support our customer base that appreciates the ‘60s and ‘70s muscle-car era. At the same time, we recognize that a new era of high-tech engines requires a new set of solutions for increased horsepower and performance. Just as the carburetor gave way to fuel injection, some of the old technology is not appropriate on new cars. We are working every single day to develop exciting new products including our aluminum 6.1-liter HEMI block, the Dodge Challenger Drag Pak, the 426 crate engine (Gen 3) and cams.

powerTV: There’s a lot more than just a couple cosmetic changes between an R/T-equipped Charger and a SRT8. What role does MOPAR play in working with and developing the top-tier SRT-equipped vehicles available today?

Gorlier: Our SRT team develops high-performance production vehicles and MOPAR offers enhancements. For example, for the Dodge Charger SRT8, we offer a cold-air intake, cat-back exhaust and a strut tower brace. Our mission at MOPAR is to support our Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Ram brands and every single one of the vehicles that they put on the road.

powertV: We’ve heard some strong rumors that Chrysler plans on utilizing MOPAR’s fantastic 525-horsepower 6.4L 392 HEMI in the next generation SRT8s, which, of course, is exciting stuff. Is this true? And what from MOPAR can we expect to see for such an equipped Challenger?

Gorlier: [smiles] Sorry, I can’t discuss future product opportunities.

powerTV: We were all excited to see the return of Chrysler’s Drag Pak-optioned Challenger. And we nearly fell over ourselves over the “1320” Challenger at last year’s SEMA. Would Chrysler ever consider a similarly-MOPAR equipped, “1320-style” Challenger for limited production?

Gorlier: We are always looking to expand our offerings at MOPAR. Stay tuned. [Wink, wink – Ed]


The “1320” Challenger featured the very best in MOPAR’s attention to drag car-for-the-street technology and made a HUGE splash at last year’s SEMA show.

powerTV: Finally, Pietro, what would you like to see for MOPAR in the future?

Gorlier: From performance parts to accessories to customer service, MOPAR owns the after-sales experience of Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Ram owners. I want MOPAR to anticipate and uncover every single opportunity to satisfy our customers at every turn. I want MOPAR to add value to the ownership experience. Accomplishing this will be critical as we renew 75 percent of our entire vehicle lineup by the end of this year.

About the author

Kevin Shaw

Kevin Shaw is a self-proclaimed "muscle car purist," preferring solid-lifter camshafts and mechanical double-pumpers over computer-controlled fuel injection and force-feeding power-adders. If you like dirt-under-your-fingernails tech and real street driven content, this is your guy.
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