CENTER LINE, Mich. – Last year, more than 2.6 million customers with competitive vehicles visited Chrysler Group dealerships for light maintenance including oil changes and tire rotations. This week, Chrysler Group’s Mopar division — its service, parts and customer-care brand — announced a strategic agreement with Magneti Marelli and Shell Lubricants that will give its dealership network the ability to fully service competitive vehicles.

“After introducing a number of initiatives to improve service for our customers including brand-specific customer-care lines, extended service hours during weekdays and weekends, and a push for Mopar Express Lanes, taking care of owners with competitive vehicles is the next frontier,” said Pietro Gorlier, president and CEO of Mopar. “For customers with competitive vehicles, Mopar’s agreement with Magneti Marelli and Shell Lubricants effectively creates one-stop service shops at our Chrysler Group dealerships. And with the addition of 3,000 quality-tested parts, our dealership network will now have the ability to fully service customers who drive into our service lanes with competitive vehicles.

“In addition to customers with competitive vehicles, our dealers will now be able to supply independent repair facilities with a full line of premium parts,” said Gorlier. “With this unique collaboration, this move further positions Mopar as a leader in customer care.”

Beginning this month, Magneti Marelli will begin supplying Mopar and Chrysler Group dealerships with brakes, shocks, struts, oil filters, air filters, fuel filters and cabin filters for competitive makes. Other product lines will gradually phase into the Chrysler Group dealership network.

“Over the past few months, we have worked closely with Mopar on distribution synergies and our parts range proposition,” said Dino Maggioni, CEO of Magneti Marelli Aftermarket. “We are ready to develop our presence in the U.S. aftermarket, bringing our product expertise and becoming the brand source for the company’s all-makes parts.”

In addition to Magneti Marelli, Mopar is also working with Shell Lubricants in order to further bolster the company’s move to offer dedicated express-lane services in its dealerships. Shell Lubricants provides dealer-level program and marketing support and supplies the Mopar oil program with premium Mopar and Pennzoil motor oils for Chrysler Group vehicles and competitive makes.

In addition to Pennzoil passenger-car motor oils, Mopar’s oil program will feature Shell Rotella heavy-duty engine oils. Both Pennzoil and Shell Rotella are the most preferred brands in the U.S. in their respective categories, according to Chrysler, and will be featured components of Mopar’s Express Lane program.

“We are very pleased to be working with Chrysler Group, the Mopar brand and its dealers,” said Lisa Davis, president, Shell Bulk Fuels and Lubricants, Americas. “Chrysler Group builds some of the finest vehicles in the US, delivering cutting-edge design and performance, and we are proud to provide their dealers with our leading Pennzoil and Shell Rotella motor oils for the vehicles they service.”

The agreement with Magneti Marelli and Shell Lubricants is the latest example of how Chrysler Group, through its Mopar division, is aggressively moving to further improve customer service and convenience while growing its service business.

Currently 70 percent of Chrysler Group’s 2,311 dealers now offer Saturday service hours. Mopar is planning to improve this number to 80 percent by the end of this year. Dealers that have made the move to Saturday service hours have increased their overall service business by 20 percent, the company says.

Regarding Mopar Express Lane service, currently 600 dealers, or 26 percent of the Chrysler Group dealer network, now offer express service. Mopar says it is planning to improve this number to 80 percent by the end of 2014. Dealers that add Mopar Express Lane service to their dealerships average a 50 percent increase in their retail service business within the first six months and double their oil-change business in the first year.

“It’s important to note that competitive vehicles currently make up 25 percent of Mopar Express Lane traffic,” said Gorlier. “Our new relationship with Magneti Marelli and Shell Lubricants will allow us to further serve this growing market. Our dealerships will become full-line retail service and tire centers.”