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August 14, 2008

Next Jeep Grand Cherokee to be "car-based"

NOT_trailrated 555.jpg

So is this the beginning of the end for Jeep? A car-based Grand Cherokee? Is that what Jeep buyers want?

Or is Cerberus banking on the fact that each year there are less and less true die-hard Jeep afficienados out there, and that sooner or later that number will be so miniscule it won't matter?

"The segment the Grand Cherokee competes in has seen some of the most decline (because of the) high gas prices," said Global Insight analyst Rebecca Lindland. "This new product will allow the consumer to keep all attributes of the Jeep Grand Cherokee. They won't be able to navigate the Rubicon trail but they will get to the grocery store on less fuel."

Oh Lord, did I really read that? A real Jeep that can't do the Rubicon?

You know, it's all fine and dandy that all the other SUV pretenders are being designed to handle nothing tougher than shopping center parking lots, but must Jeep follow that path too? Unlike most SUVs out there Jeep has real off-road credibility, but if they go that route, you can kiss their stellar 60-plus-year reputation of being America's first and true off-roader goodby.

For the record, this is not about being unibody, as the Cherokee and and Grand Cherokee have always been unibody. And it's not about using IFS and IRS, as there are several really good off-road vehicles using IFS and IRS. No, this is about changing the mission of Jeep Grand Cherokee. No longer will it be a true dual-purpose on-off road vehicle, but instead it will be skewed heavily towards on-road abilities at the expense of its famous off-road heritage. So it looks like the Grand Cherokee will become just another CUV. Sad.

For the sake of the Grand Cherokee let's hope I'm dead wrong with this blog entry.

Full story here.

July 29, 2008

Jeep brand remains the crown jewel of Chrysler LLC

2007-jeep-rubicon260.jpg

The one glimmering light at Chrysler LLC is Jeep. Despite the high gas prices and all the anti-SUV sentiment these days, the "brand" of Jeep remains strong--very strong. If Cerberus decides to unload Chrysler, Jeep is their ace in the hole.

"At this point, it's hard to say what positive value Chrysler has," said Gerald Meyers, chairman of the former American Motors Corp., which owned Jeep until Chrysler bought AMC in the late 1980s. "But Jeep is worth a lot -- it's the sole clear-cut jewel in their crown ... that can be isolated and sold as a unit, without being much concern if Chrysler survives or not."

Full story here.

July 4, 2008

A peek at future Chrysler truck plans

FutureDodge trucks 555.jpg

How's a unibody replacement for the Dakota grab you? Or a BOF Jeep pickup? There's even a smaller pickup than the Dakota being studied. Yep, there's also a Ram hybrid in the works too, as well as a 1/2-ton diesel. Those are just some of the plans Chrysler LLC has in store down the road.

Also expect to see an integrated trailer brake controller for the new Ram 1500 next spring. This will also go into the completely redesigned 2010 HD Rams.

If you're left scratching you head as to why the Dakota replacement is going unibody, consider that the Honda Ridgeline, with similar construction, is outselling the current Dakota so far this year.

Full story here.

June 30, 2008

New rumors of a Chrysler LLC sale surface



Once again rumors of a Chrysler LLC sale have surfaced.  An annual study of the U.S. automotive product pipeline says Chrysler's lack of future product plans is an indication of a near-future breakup or sale by the automaker's majority-owner, Cerberus Capital Management.

"Chrysler's product pipeline severely lags the industry on a number of key metrics, which is an ominous sign for its market share," Merrill Lynch's recently issued Car Wars report said. "We believe that this is an active decision by new owners to rationalize the product portfolio in advance of a breakup/sale."

The above image that was taken at a recent Chrysler press event at the Chelsea Proving Grounds displaying 2009 models...

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June 26, 2008

Chrysler to offer wireless Internet on 2009 models



Well, it was going to happen sooner or later. The question was who was going to be first to offer wireless Internet, and it looks like that will be Chrysler.

The first question that will come to many is how can this be safe? I mean surfing the Net while driving?..

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May 21, 2008

Wounded Warrior Project Jeep Sweepstakes



Help a Hero. Win a Jeep.


Interested in helping those brave souls who have been wounded in action? If so, check out the Wounded Warrior Project (here), and maybe even win this custom built Jeep Wrangler Rubicon...

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May 20, 2008

Full Test: 2008 Hennessey Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT530

Full Test: 2008 Hennessey Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT530

A 530-horsepower Jeep that can launch from zero to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds?

Count me in.

Read the Hennessey Cherokee Full Test on Inside Line.

Full Test: 2008 Hennessey Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT530

Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor

May 7, 2008

Chrysler refueling America



In the latest incentive to move vehicles off dealer lots, Chrysler has introduced their "Let's Refuel America" plan, in which Chrysler will pay for part of your fuels for the next three years.

They will lock in a price of $2.99 for that time span. That's what you the customer will pay. Anything over that Chrysler picks up the tab...

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May 2, 2008

Full Test: 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 4x4 CRD

2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 4x4 CRD

Jeep's Grand Cherokee gets a fuel-efficient V6 turbodiesel engine from Mercedes under its hood.

And it only costs an extra $1,655.

Do you think it's worth it?

Read the Grand Cherokee CRD Full Test on Inside Line.

2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 4x4 CRD

Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor

 

April 15, 2008

Jeep Commander to be retired

Long rumored, it's now been confirmed by insiders that the Jeep Commander is indeed going the way of the dodo bird. Jeep has yet to make the announcement, thus making it "truly official," but I would expect that to come shortly. It should be dead and buried by mid 2009.

Frankly, I'm sorry to see it go...

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March 21, 2008

Jeep's mystery CJ4



No, that's not a typo in the title. There was indeed a Jeep CJ4.

CJ3 and CJ5 Jeeps we've all heard about, but what happened to the CJ4, as Jeep just skipped over that model for production, and went straight from the CJ3 to the CJ5? In fact both the CJ3 and CJ5 co-existed for several years, sitting side-by-side on showroom floors, as the production of both models overlapped for some time during the '50s...

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March 10, 2008

New Jeep Grand Cherokee scheduled for 2011

The Car Connection is reporting that Jeep will offer an all-new Grand Cherokee for 2011. There are also rumors that the slow-selling Commander will be dropped. Slow-selling? I can't speak for the rest of the country, but I see a lot of Commanders out where I live...

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February 20, 2008

Off-road hybrids in the cards



It sounds like we may be seeing some off-road-ready vehicles using hybrid power sometime in the future. At the recent NAIAS Jeep showed a hybrid Renegade (above) and Land Rover displayed their urban cruiser LR-X, both using hybrid power. In addition, the U.S. Army is developing a new diesel-electric ‘Alternative Mobility Vehicle’...

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February 13, 2008

Jeep to Mahindra?



Chrysler LLC and Mahindra & Mahindra are reportedly in discussions about some sort of Jeep tie-up. It could be about marketing Mahindra Jeeps here—or in possibly taking over the Jeep brand from Chrysler.

It's no secret that time is running out for the Cerberus-run Chrysler to start showing progress (as in making some money). If that's not going to happen, Plan B is to sell off the various divisions, and Jeep could well be the starting point...

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February 8, 2008

Chrysler's "Project Genesis"

Chrysler's latest corrective action, called "Project Genesis" is in a nutshell, a plan to cut even more models and to consolidate even more dealers.

The details have yet to emerge, but it's safe to say that badge-engineered vehicles, slow sellers, and vehicles that don't fit the brand image are at risk of being dropped. The word is they want to cut the products offered in half, from 30 models to 15 models, and each with a clearly defined market slot and with no model overlaps.

Also, they want more (if not all) dealers to be selling all three Chrysler LLC brands, that being Dodge, Jeep and Chrysler...

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January 22, 2008

Chrysler Hemi not in future product plans



Not long after the government announced the upcoming and much tougher corporate fuel standards, GM announced that their Northstar V8 was terminal. Now the latest casualty is the Chrysler Hemi engine, as it too will have its life cut short thanks to these new government-mandated fuel regulations.

Full story here.

Having said that, and in a couple of related stories, both AutoObserver and Inside Line have stories up stating that V8 engines are not dead at GM...

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January 14, 2008

2008 Detroit Auto Show: Chrysler Concepts

Chrysler apparently used up its full allotment of fun yesterday when it herded a bunch of longhorns in front of Cobo Hall. And so we were greeted today by possibly the most lifeless press conference we've seen from Chrysler in a good long time. Even Chrysler didn't seem excited about the three concept cars it showed today. None of them have even the remotest shot at production...

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January 8, 2008

2008 Consumer Electronics Show: Hughes Telematics

The competition for OnStar type services is really heating up. Ford's Sync system has already added features like accident notificaiton and remote diagnostics. Now, Hughes Telematics is confirming details of their system which will be included on many 2009 Mercedes Benz vehicles.

 
The Hughes system is by far the most comprehensive and includes these features: emergency crash notification, hands free calling, maintenance reminders, recall notification, red light camera alerts, roadside assistance, real time traffic, remote emissions reporting, stolen vehicle locator, turn by turn directions, vehicle tracking, plus news, weather, gas and streaming media...

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November 22, 2007

Thanksgiving automotive news



Here's a couple of items to keep you thinking motor vehicles in between the feasting and football games:

It seems a Flex-fuel Ford F-150 delivered a couple of very lucky turkeys to the White House, to be pardoned by the Prez.

And...

Five Chrysler products topped Forbes 2007 Automotive Turkeys list (here). They are: The Chrysler Sebring, the Dodge Nitro, the Jeep Liberty, the Dodge Caliber and Dodge Magnum...

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November 21, 2007

2008 Detroit Show Preview: Three Chrysler Green Concepts

Chrysler LLC will roll out three green concepts at the Detroit auto show in January: The Jeep Renegade, Dodge ZEO and the Chrysler ecoVoyager.



The Jeep Renegade is powered by a small diesel-hybrid. Chrysler claims it could run for 40 mile just on the lithium-ion battery, and in diesel-hybrid mode, could achieve 110 mpg.



The Dodge ZEO is a 2+2, and is solely powered by a lithium-ion battery pack...

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November 17, 2007

Sweeping changes may be coming to Chrysler

We've heard for some time now that big changes will be coming at Chrysler LLC. Rounds one and two involved in cutting large chunks of workers and underperforming models. Next up is round three—which, if these rumors prove to be true, could be a real deusy.

As such, the entire product line of Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep would be radically streamlined by making the following changes:

• Chrysler would be the only brand to sell cars...

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November 5, 2007

Jeep is drowning in too many 4WD systems

Want to know one of the reasons Chrysler, in this case Jeep, is so out of whack in terms of profits?

It's 4WD, or more precisely the utterly stupefying amount of different 4WD systems being offered. The following list is from various '08 Jeep brochures:

Compass / Patriot:
Freedom-Drive I
Freedom-Drive II

Wrangler:
NV241 G2 Command-Trac
NV241 OR Rock-Trac

Liberty:
Command-Trac MP1522
Selec-Trac II MP3002

Grand Cherokee:
Quadra-Trac I NV140
Quadra-Trac II NV245
Quadra-Drive II NV245
SRT NV146

Commander:
Quadra-Trac I NV140
Quadra-Trac II NV245
Quadra-Drive II NV245

Okay, that's 10—TEN! different 4WD systems being offered—just within the Jeep brand—and I haven't even listed what Dodge offers! Unbelievable...

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November 2, 2007

Grading Chrysler's products and plants

Now that Chrysler has announced massive product and employee cuts, AutoObserver takes a hard look at what's left, and what the future looks like. Surprisingly (or not) the only plant that rates an "A" is the Toledo plant where the Wrangler is made. Oh, and the plant that makes the Viper gets an "F."

Chrysler's Product Cupboard Is Shockingly Bare

October 29, 2007

2007 SEMA Show: Sirius Backseat TV

Till now, the only way to get Sirius Backseat TV was to buy one of several new Chrysler, Dodge or Jeep vehicles. Debuting here at SEMA, Sirius is offering an aftermarket kit that brings the same flexible options to your non-Chrysler vehicle's entertainment system. Now your backseat passengers can watch Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network or Disney Channel on your existing rear-seat DVD screen no matter what kind of vehicle you have. A second, kid friendly remote with big buttons is also included...

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October 25, 2007

2007 SEMA Preview: Dodge "BFT"



Dodge says "BFT" stands for "Built For Towing." Others have hinted at "Big Fine Truck;" but as Motive states, it's not hard to figure out what "BFT" really means...

Whatever. Dodge has taken a 6.7L Cummins-powered LWB Ram 3500 Quad Cab pickup, and replaced the Quad Cab with a Regular Cab; and then to fill in the 2' chassis gap, replaced the 8' bed with a 10' bed. Add in some Ram 4500/5500 features like 19.5" wheels, tires and fender flares, and an assortment of chassis upgrades and you end up with this "BFT."

Getting beyond the silly semantics here, the big question is does Dodge plan to do battle with the just-introduced Ford F-450 pickup?

The truck will be on display at SEMA 2007...

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October 17, 2007

Chrysler may trim five models

We may know within the next month as to which Chrysler products will be getting the ax. While there's been no official word yet, those in the know seem pretty certain that the Jeep Compass and Commander, the Chrysler Pacifica and Sebring, as well as the Dodge Dakota are likely candidates.

"We have models that overlap, where we have two or three vehicles that serve the same market segment and maybe the same customer and actually compete with each other to some extent," Chrysler President and Vice Chairman Jim Press told reporters last week. "We also have markets where we have insufficient coverage...

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October 15, 2007

Comparison Test: 2008 Audi R8 vs. 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8

Comparison Test: 2008 Audi R8 vs. 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8

You may think we're starting to pull comparison tests out of our hats, but not so. These two vehicles have more in common than you would think at first glance.

They are both all-wheel drive, both have V8 engines and both are rated at 420 horsepower...

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September 14, 2007

Jeep J8: A military-spec Wrangler



Jeep has just announced a heavy-duty military-spec version of the Wrangler called the J8 at the DSEi trade show (here) in London. It will be available in 4-door (above) and a LWB 2-door pickup (Will Jeep build the Wrangler JT pickup?).

The suspension has been beefed up with rear leaf springs, and can now carry a payload of 2,952 pounds, and can tow 7,716 pounds. It is also powered by a 158 hp 4-cylinder turbo diesel that's hooked up to a 5-speed automatic, along with Command-Trac 4WD...

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September 5, 2007

First Drive: 2008 Jeep Liberty

2008 Jeep Liberty

Redesigned for 2008, the Jeep Liberty SUV features a 210-hp 3.7-liter V6, improved fuel economy, and 5,000-pound towing capacity. It's also slightly cheaper than its predecessor.

Read the Jeep Liberty First Drive on Inside Line.

2008 Jeep Liberty

2008 Jeep Liberty

Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor

June 21, 2007

Chrysler's new/used 2006 cars

This could turn out to be a good thing for those looking to buy a Chrysler in the near term. As you probably already know, Chrysler, through some inept production planning, has a bunch of new, unsold 2006 Chrysler models sitting on storage lots all over the place.

Because of this huge unsold backlog, Chrysler is now going to sell them as used cars. All they have to do is to drive each one for a day or so, and then they can be labeled as "used," and put on dealer used car lots...

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June 19, 2007

Subaru-powered WaterCar Gator



As some of you know, I've long wanted to see Subaru offer something to compete with head-to-head with the Jeep Wrangler. My thinking is the 2.5 boxer engine, turbo or non-turbo would be perfect for such a vehicle. Unfortunately Subaru doesn't seem to agree. Fortunately there are others out there who do see other uses for Subaru boxer engines.

One of those is a company called WaterCar. They make the nifty Gator, which is an amphibious car—that even looks like a Wrangler! How cool is that! The makers claim that the 2.5L Gator can do 125 mph on land and 25 mph on the water.

Here's Inside Line's take: Yet Another Amphibi-Auto

You can get more info here at the WaterCar site. Also, Subie engines have long been used in light aircraft.

More Gator images after the jump, including one of a Racetech light airplane using a 2.2L Subaru boxer engine.

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May 8, 2007

Will Jeep build the Wrangler JT pickup?



DaimlerChrysler organized a concept car drive today that included some of its most notable cars and trucks from this year's auto show circuit. Sliding behind the wheel of cars like the Chrysler Nassau and Dodge Demon concepts had its moments, but the vehicle that really got our attention was the Jeep Wrangler JT.

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April 4, 2007

2007 New York Auto Show: 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee Interior -- Sort of Better Inside

2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee interior - Eric de los Prados

After today's Jeep press conference, we got a couple minutes in the '08 Grand Cherokee's upgraded interior. It definitely looks better than last year's model, thanks to the padded vinyl on the center armrest and the smoother plastic on the console. But the dash is still hard plastic of questionable stock. Overall, an average interior for the midsize SUV class...

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2007 New York Auto Show: 2008 Jeep Liberty, Come Hell or Highwater

2008 Jeep Liberty press conference - Eric de los Prados

A cold, heavy rain was falling in New York when it was time for the Jeep press conference. However, seeing as how the 2008 Jeep Liberty is "trail-rated," this was no cause to move the festivities inside. Especially, since the only projected casualties were a couple hundred wet, whiny journalists.

2008 Jeep Liberty press conference - Eric de los Prados

In between bouts of whining, we were lucky enough to witness a volcanic eruption, likely the first ever recorded in midtown Manhattan. Needless to say, an '08 Liberty Limited was spewed forth during the explosion.

As we noted in our full article, the Sky Slider roof option is the most interesting feature on the redesigned Liberty. And Jeep went ahead with its demo of this scrolling canvas top -- a wacky Jeep staffer popped up with an umbrella once the roof was fully open.

2008 Jeep Liberty press conference - Eric de los Prados

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April 2, 2007

2007 New York Auto Show: 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee



Jeep will use the New York Auto Show to introduce the 2008 Grand Cherokee. The new GC gets a more Jeep-like looking facelift, which in my opinion, it needed. You can also order self-leveling HID headlamps as well as the 20 GB MyGIG entertainment system. Probably the biggest news is that that the 4.7L V8 is all new, as it now comes with two spark plugs per cylinder...

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March 29, 2007

Chrysler to offer satellite TV on several 2008 models

DCX (the Chrysler Group) to offer satellite TV in several 2008 models. The next generation of minivans, as well as the 2008 Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger, Dodge Magnum, Jeep Commander and Jeep Grand Cherokee will all offer this feature.

It costs $470 and will be packaged with Chrysler’s rear seat entertainment system and Sirius Satellite Radio. The cost includes the first year of service, after which the TV channels will cost $7 per month, plus the satellite radio fee of $12.95 per month...

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March 20, 2007

Wrangler Unlimited sales backlogged

There have been some concerns about possible problems with the Jeep Unlimited equipped with the MyGIG™ system and the Freedom Top™, as they are hard to come by. It turns out that the only problem is not with those features, but in cranking out Jeeps, as their sales are smokin.'

D.W. Bodene, Dodge Ram/Dakota/Durango/Jeep Wrangler/Chrysler AspenProduct Communications head stated: "There are no production delays for the Wrangler Unlimited; they are being built with both the MyGIG™ system and the Freedom Top™. We're building the new Wranglers as fast as we can, but it's a vehicle whose popularity exceeded our expectations (Wrangler sales up 63% in February, and 124% in January)...

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March 13, 2007

Jeep 4-door Wrangler a sales success

While other Chrysler products may be languishing at dealers, that can't be said of the new Jeep 4-door Wrangler. Most new vehicles sit on dealer lots for an average of 60 days; for the 4-door Wrangler, it's 20 days.

The other anti-CUV-SUV, the Toyota FJ Cruiser, is also selling at a very brisk pace. So while these vehicles don't score very highly with Consumer Reports or practical-minder buyers, they're clearly a hit with the public...

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March 1, 2007

Jeep may stay with Mercedes if the Chrysler group is sold

The latest rumor to hit the street is that, if the Chrysler group is sold, Jeep may remain with Mercedes-Benz. Of all the Chrysler products, Jeep is the only one in which MB could benefit, as they really don't offer such a range of vehicles. Besides, in the eyes of many, the Jeep name is pure gold.

Now that may work out nicely for Mercedes, but I think the value of the Chrysler group just went down a notch or two with this news...

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February 26, 2007

Toyota championing blind spots



I and others here on Edmunds.com have complained too many times to count on the horrid outwa