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Jeep Wrangler Dragon Edition coming to North America

If 2012 was the year of the dragon in China, perhaps the US can claim 2014. After showing the Jeep Wrangler Dragon Design Concept at the 2012 Beijing Motor Show, and apparently receiving "tremendously positive feedback" from Jeep enthusiasts across the globe, the automaker has decided to introduce a production version that will hit US showrooms this fall with a price of $36,095.
"The dragon symbolizes strength and power and is an aspirational character normally associated with royalty and good fortune," says Jeep, and that apparently equates to a blacked-out Wrangler Unlimited with bronze satin gloss highlights inside and out, along with big dragon decals that start on the hood and run down the fenders. There are 18-inch matte black wheels with a bronze outer edges, and a dragon-emblazoned spare tire cover completes the look.
We suggest you peruse the high-res image gallery above to see all the black and bronze detailing yourself, and make special note of the interior. In related news, all 2014 Jeep Wrangler models get an optional Trail Kit and clear park lamps to replace the previous amber units. New colors include Amp'd, Anvil, Copperhead, Flame Red, Granite Crystal and Hydro Blue (Freedom edition only), which join carryover colors Billet Silver, Bright White, Black and Dune.

Jeep planning on a Grand Wagoneer Hellcat?

Twitter guy and Finder of Things Hidden Bozi Tatarevic scored another gem: an internal ZF document referencing a Jeep Grand Wagoneer Trackhawk. Dating from at least early 2017, the German auto supplier paperwork pairs what would be a 6.2-liter V8-powered three-row Jeep with ZF's 8HP95X transmission. The Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk uses the 8HP95 gearbox, a version of the 8HP90 transmission used in the Dodge Charger and Challenger Hellcats, but built for all-wheel-drive applications and with a choice of gear ratio sets. This doesn't mean we'll ever see a Grand Wagoneer Trackhawk, but it looks like Jeep's been thinking about it. Not only that, but the brand was thinking about it with the just-launched-for-2019 Hellcat engine. The ZF document lists 729 PS for the engine in the Jeep, or a hair shy of 718 horsepower — just one off the figure for the 2019 Charger and Challenger Hellcats. The listed production dates mean ZF planned for a build run of April 2017 to May 2017. The document also mentions the Rolls-Royce Cullinan with two sets of build dates: from January 2016 to February 2016, and from December 2017 to January 2018. That sounds like a run of prototypes, which could be how the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk got included in the paperwork. The document didn't reference any other Wagoneer versions. A Hellcat-powered Grand Wagoneer would make sense. The new luxo-Jeep will be built on a modified Ram platform at the Warren Truck Assembly Plant, and we know Ram's working on a Hellcat-bound Ram 1500 TRX. And the now-iconic engine in an SUV that hopes to become a new icon would be a treat for dealers who wonder if the Grand Wagoneer will arrive too late to succeed. Again, this doesn't mean we'll see anything of the kind. Chrysler also evaluated a 300 Hellcat, but nothing's come of it. And with the standard Wagoneer still several years away — the renovations at the Warren plant aren't due for completion until 2020 — any hi-po version could wait another year after launch, were such a thing to happen. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Jeep three-row Chinese SUV will be called Grand Commander

China is still very much a Jeep country, and the boxy XJ generation Cherokee lived and prospered there far longer than it did in the United States — until 2014. There have also been China-built Grand Cherokees, but the biggest Chinese Jeep has been previewed in the form of the Yuntu concept seen at the Shanghai Auto Show in April. Now, leaked shots of the Yuntu's production version have emerged a couple weeks after the SUV was spotted testing still in camouflage, and it appears to wear the nameplate Grand Commander. While a name like Grand Wagoneer would have been a stronger memento of Jeeps gone by, at least it's not called Grand Compass or Grand Nitro. The official reveal of the Grand Commander is expected to be held at the Beijing Auto Show in April, where more information will be available. Car News China says the big, nearly 16-foot-long SUV is a seven-seater, and the engine is the same 2-liter turbo unit also seen in the freshly updated Wrangler. There will be two power levels, 234 hp and 265 hp. The Grand Commander will most likely remain China-only, where it will be priced at $38,000. That sees it competing with Volkswagen's large Teramont SUV, which starts at nearly $45,000. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.