1946 Jeep Cj2a Willys on 2040-cars

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What would you drive in 1985?

Bereft of live baseball games to watch, I've turned to the good ship YouTube to watch classic games. While watching the 1985 American League Championship Series last night, several of the broadcast's commercials made its way into the original VHS recording, including those for cars. "Only 8.8% financing on a 1985 Ford Tempo!" What a deal! That got me thinking: what would I drive in 1985?  It sure wouldn't be a Tempo. Or an IROC-Z, for that matter, despite what my Photoshopped 1980s self would indicate in the picture above. I posed this question to my fellow Autobloggists. Only one could actually drive back then, I was only 2 and a few editors weren't even close to being born. Here are our choices, which were simply made with the edict of "Come on, man, be realistic."  West Coast Editor James Riswick: OK, I started this, I'll go first. I like coupes today, so I'm pretty sure I'd drive one back then. I definitely don't see myself driving some badge-engineered GM thing from 1985, and although a Honda Prelude has a certain appeal, I must admit that something European would likely be in order. A BMW maybe? No, I'm too much a contrarian for that. The answer is therefore a 1985 Saab 900 Turbo 3-Door, which is not only a coupe but a hatchback, too. If I could scrounge up enough Reagan-era bucks for the ultra-cool SPG model, that would be rad. The 900 Turbo pictured, which was for auction on Bring a Trailer a few years ago, came with plum-colored Bokhara Red, and you're damn sure I would've had me one of those. Nevermind 1985, I'd probably drive this thing today.   Associate Editor Byron Hurd: I'm going to go with the 1985.5 Ford Mustang SVO, AKA the turbocharged Fox Body that everybody remembers but nobody drives. The mid-year update to the SVO bumped the power up from 175 ponies (yeah, yeah) to 205, making it almost as powerful (on paper, anyway) as the V8-powered GT models offered in the same time frame. I chose this particular car because it's a bit of a time capsule and, simultaneously, a reminder that all things are cyclical. Here we are, 35 years later, and 2.3-liter turbocharged Mustangs are a thing again. Who would have guessed?

Inexperienced Jeep driver buries his Wrangler at sea

There's an old maxim in off-roading that states, "Four-wheel drive doesn't keep you from getting stuck, it just gets you stuck in worse places." The truth of this statement was perfectly illustrated recently in a YouTube video of a Jeep Wrangler digging its own grave at the beach. On May 11, a YouTuber named Dan M uploaded a video he titled, "Drunk guy doesn't know how to off-road and ruins nice Jeep." The video, shot at dusk on a rocky looking beach, shows a blue Wrangler driving out into the surf without a care in the world. Dan, providing commentary along with an unseen female companion, was impressed with the Jeep driver's dash at first. "Wow, he must do that a lot because he ain't scared of getting stuck or anything," said Dan. As the Wrangler got deeper into the water, the Dan's friend expressed her doubts that the Jeep driver would make it out, especially when the Jeep got snagged on a little spit of sand sticking out into the water. Dan wasn't worried, however. "No, he'll manage to get out of there, he'll make it out of there. He'll back out and get out," he said. Dan's confidence in the Jeep driver was sadly misplaced, unfortunately. The driver managed to get the Jeep stuck on the sand bar then made the rookiest of rookie mistakes–he just gunned it. "Oh man, he's done! He's done!" yelled Dan as the Jeep driver proceeded to dig a huge hole in the sand that sunk the Wrangler up to its frame just as the tide started coming in. With that kind of dunking, especially in salt water, that Wrangler was probably a total loss, much like the Grand Cherokee that got washed downriver last week somewhere in Europe. Related Video: News Source: YouTube Weird Car News Jeep SUV Off-Road Vehicles wrangler beach

2018 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Off-road Review | Earning our trail rating the easy way

LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — When all 4,145 pounds of Jeep slams down on the rock, the BANG! cuts the tranquility of California's Sierra Nevada mountains, echoes off the surrounding hillsides, and travels for miles through the thick unmolested forest of ancient pines. The brutality of the impact sends a shutter though the Wrangler's chassis, compresses our spines into its seat padding, and momentarily yanks my hands from its leather wrapped steering wheel. Then comes the high-pitch screeching as the torque of the Jeep's 3.6-liter V6 and the frenetic clawing from its knobby BFGoodrich All-Terrains as it violently drags the steel of the Wrangler's floorpan along the rock's face. There's a groan from the front suspension as it reaches max articulation and the inevitable crunch when the solid mass mangles the thin gauge stainless steel of the JL's tailpipe. With the first obstacle cleared and 16 miles of America's most challenging off-road trail still ahead, I realize the Rubicon Trail Foundation has a lively sense of humor. Flip open the organization's printed map of the "world-famous Rubicon Trail" and the first thing you see is a quick list of tips to help you get from one trailhead to the other safely and responsibly. Right under where it advises you to pack out all trash and use the portable toilets, it states, "High clearance vehicles recommended." LOL. ROTF. LMAO. Bwaaaaahaaaaaaaa. That's a good one. But I guess it takes just one jerk in a Camry to ruin it for the rest of us. Jeep Jamboree USA, an organization famous for its off-road events on the trail, makes the point with a little less comicality, "A minimum of 33-inch tires, front & rear lockers, tow points, skid plates, rocker panel protection and CB Radios are mandatory requirements for the Rubicon Trail Jeep Jamboree," states its website in oversized bold letters. Our 2018 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, the latest ultimate off-road factory Jeep on the new JL chassis, has all of it with the exception of the CB radio, which is unfortunate since black bears are easier to come by on the Rubicon than cell service. Our iPhones are as useless out here as mechanical sympathy for our steed. "Don't even try it," says one of our trail guides as he watches me fish my device from my luggage. "There's no service until we get back to Tahoe." That's a big 10-4. Lake Tahoe's crystal blue waters and charming downtown are about 30 miles from the Rubicon's eastern most trailhead. It's our finish line.