2012 Jeep Wrangler Sahara on 2040-cars

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Drive like a prince: Join us for a walk through Monaco's car collection

Small, crowded, and a royal pain in the trunk lid to drive into during rush hour, Monaco sounds like an improbable location for a huge car museum. And yet, this tiny city-state has been closely linked to car culture for over a century. It hosts two major racing events every year, many of its residents would qualify for a frequent shopper card if Rolls-Royce issued one, and Prince Rainier III began assembling a collection of cars in the late 1950s. He opened his collection to the public in 1993 and the museum quickly turned into a popular tourist attraction. The collection continued to grow after his death in April 2005; it moved to a new facility located right on Hercules Port in July 2022. Monaco being Monaco, you'd expect to walk into a room full of the latest, shiniest, and most powerful supercars ever to shred a tire. That's not the case: while there is no shortage of high-horsepower machines, the first cars you see after paying ˆ10 (approximately $11) to get in are pre-war models. In that era, the template for the car as we know it in 2023 hadn't been created, so an eclectic assortment of expensive and dauntingly experimental machines roamed whatever roads were available to them. One is the Leyat Helica, which was built in France in 1921 with a 1.2-liter air-cooled flat-twin sourced from the world of aviation. Fittingly, the two-cylinder spun a massive, plane-like propeller. Government vehicles get a special spot in the museum. They range from a Cadillac Series 6700 with an amusing blend of period-correct French-market yellow headlights and massive fins to a 2011 Lexus LS 600h with a custom-made transparent roof panel that was built by Belgian coachbuilder Carat Duchatelet for Prince Albert II's wedding. Here's where it all gets a little weird: you've got a 1952 Austin FX3, a Ghia-bodied 1959 Fiat 500 Jolly, a 1960 BMW Isetta, and a 1971 Lotus Seven. That has to be someone's idea of a perfect four-car garage.  One of the most significant cars in the collection lurks in the far corner of the main hall, which is located a level below the entrance. At first glance, it's a kitted-out Renault 4CV with auxiliary lights, a racing number on the front end, and a period-correct registration number issued in the Bouches-du-Rhone department of France. It doesn't look all that different than the later, unmodified 4CV parked right next to it. Here's what's special about it: this is one of the small handful of Type 1063 models built by Renault for competition.

2018 Jeep Wrangler spied looking more aerodynamic

We're getting an early look at one of the most anticipated vehicles from Jeep: the next-generation Wrangler. We expect it to arrive for the 2018 model year and be aluminum-intensive for purposes of weight savings, which will improve fuel economy. The platform is expected to remain a traditional body-on-frame setup, and manufacturing will remain at its longtime Toledo, OH, factory. The design appears true to the Wrangler's heritage, though the windshield is raked back more to make it less brick-like when cutting through the air. From some angles, the front end appears longer if you squint properly, and the front fenders seem wider and squatter than the current model's. There's probably more in store for the new Jeep, but this prototype is under such heavy cladding it's impossible to tell what. Kudos to the folks who make those vinyl coverings. Look for the powertrain to again include a Pentastar V6, this time paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission – again for fuel economy, but also to improve the powertrain's flexibility. A V6 turbo diesel and a mild- hybrid variant are also expected. Even with all these departures from the long-running Wrangler playbook, the off-road capability will remain the vehicle's calling card. The current Wrangler will also be built concurrently with this next-gen model for a time in Toledo, Automotive News reports, giving enthusiasts and traditionalists the best of both worlds. Jeep will also add a pickup based on the Wrangler's underpinnings to its portfolio in a move to capitalize on the resurgence of smaller trucks. The Wrangler is both the halo and centerpiece of the remade Jeep lineup, which quickly is becoming one of Fiat Chrysler's pillars for sales and prestige around the world. Jeep hopes to sell 2 million vehicles globally by 2018. Related Video:

FCA recalling 400k Jeep Wranglers, 40k Fiat 500s

The Basics: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has issued two recall. The first is for 392,464 Jeep Wranglers in the US from the 2007-2010 model years for the steering wheel airbags. The second covers 39,217 examples of the naturally aspirated 2012-2016 Fiat 500 in connection with the clutch release mechanism. The Problem: In the Wranglers' steering wheel, excessive accumulation of dust and dirt from open-air driving off-road could compromise the clockspring in the steering-wheel assembly and prevent the airbag from deploying in the event of a crash. In the case of the Fiats, the clutch travel in a small percentage of vehicles equipped with manual transmissions "may exceed design parameters" and eventually damage components. Injuries/Deaths: No injuries or accidents been reported to result from either issue. The fix: Dealers will install new back covers and column shrouds in the Jeeps and upgrade the clutch release systems in the 500s. If you own one: Expect to hear from the manufacturer to arrange service. In the case of the Fiat recall particularly, FCA "urges customers to heed the instructions on their recall notices." Related Video: Statement: Clockspring May 18, 2016 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - FCA US LLC is voluntarily recalling an estimated 392,464 older-model SUVs in the U.S. to replace their clockspring assemblies and related components. Located in a vehicle's steering wheel, a clockspring forms part of the circuit that helps control airbag function. An investigation by FCA US determined excessive exposure to dust and dirt – consistent with extensive off-road driving or driving with a vehicle's top and/or doors removed – may compromise the clockspring and eventually prevent driver-side airbag deployment in a crash. If this condition is present, the airbag warning-lamp will be illuminated. If such an event occurs, customers are advised to contact their dealers. The Company is unaware any potentially related injuries or accidents. Affected by this campaign are model-year 2007-2010 Jeep Wrangler SUVs. An additional 7,435 model-year 2011-2016 vehicles equipped with right-hand drive for special duty also are affected in the U.S. Vehicles affected outside the U.S. comprise an estimated 35,412 in Canada; 8,529 in Mexico and 62,580 outside the NAFTA region. Customers will be advised when they may schedule service, which includes installation of a new steering-wheel back cover and a steering-column shroud.