1998 Jeep Cherokee Sport on 2040-cars

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Jeep Wrangler's shift to aluminum could see production leave Toledo

The Jeep Wrangler may be a timeless design, but sooner or later, time will run out and Chrysler will have to replace it with a newer model more friendly towards the earth it's designed to traverse. That will, it seems, mean a shift to aluminum construction (whether just for the body or for the entire structure) - but what will that mean for the Wrangler's long-time home of Toledo, OH?
According to the latest pronouncements from Fiat Chrysler chief Sergio Marchionne, the shift to an aluminum Wrangler would likely mean moving production out of Toledo. "If the solution is aluminum," Marchionne told Automotive News, "then I think unfortunately Toledo is the wrong place, the wrong setup to try and build a Wrangler, because it requires a complete reconfiguring of the assets that would be cost-prohibitive."
Marchionne also indicated that, were Wrangler production to move elsewhere, it would find another line to take its place in Ohio. "One of the thing that we are dealing with now is what else we do with Toledo that fulfills our commitment to the city and to Ohio. I don't have a doubt that there will be zero impact on head count and employment levels and anything else." Jeep has built the Wrangler in Toledo since World War II, with the exception of six years starting in 1986 when it was built in Brampton, Ontario. The complex dates back to 1910 and currently produces the Wrangler and Cherokee. Past products have included the Wagoneer and Commanche as well as the Dodge Dakota and Nitro.

Steve McQueen's U.S. Army Willys Jeep is up for auction

It's not a Bullitt Mustang, but this World War II Willys Jeep up for auction was still owned and driven by the famous Steve McQueen, and it could now be yours. Heading to the block with Silverstone Auctions, this 1945 Willys was bought directly from the U.S. Army by McQueen himself. The Willys was sold in 1984 as part of the Steve McQueen Estate Auction for a whopping $6,000, and then sold to its current owner some undisclosed amount of time after that. Currently, the Willys resides in the U.K. where it was completely restored to the state it would have been in during McQueen's ownership. The restoration process was completed by the Jeep experts at Jeeparts. It comes with a certificate of authenticity from the Steve McQueen Estate Sale to ensure its legitimacy. Silverstone Auctions is predicting a final hammer price of $105,00 - $131,000. That's pretty exorbitant for an old Willys, but there's certainly been a bit of excitement around the late actor here recently. Bonhams just auctioned off some old motorcycles owned by McQueen, and Ford has finally brought the Bullitt Mustang back to the market. If you're a fan with a little (or a lot of) extra change in your back pocket, this looks like a perfect way to have some off-road fun in a car with some seriously special history. The auction is taking place Nov 10-11 near Birmingham in the U.K. Related Video:

2016 Jeep Wrangler recalled over impact sensor wiring

Fiat Chrysler just announced a pair of recalls totaling nearly 311,000 units. The bigger recall affects certain 2016 and 2017 model year Jeep Wranglers. Although, since FCA claims all of the affected 2017s are in the company's hands, really, only 2016 owners should pay attention here. The affected Wranglers suffer from an issue where wiring disconnects from impact sensors in certain types of crashes, potentially preventing the airbags and pretensioners from activating. FCA uncovered the problem in what its press release calls "a routine, in-house crash test" and claims "service availability is imminent." The affected Jeeps require a simple rewiring. The other recall, announced Tuesday, is more of a fleet issue, affecting 2007 to 2013 model-year Ram 2500 and 3500 pickups and 3500, 4500, and 5500 chassis cabs and 2011 to 2014 Dodge Charger Pursuit police vehicles. There's a problem with "premature diode wear" in alternators that are subject to "frequent load cycling, at or near maximum amperage, [or] in hot ambient temperatures." Affected alternators could short out, causing a vehicle to stall or potentially catch fire. FCA lists 182,743 affected Wranglers in the US, 18,011 in Canada, 3,087 in Mexico, and 20,948 in global markets. The Ram/ Charger Pursuit recall lists 74,833 vehicles in the US, 10,077 in Canada, 1,088 in Mexico, and 134 outside the NAFTA region. Of all those vehicles, the Jeep recall hasn't caused any injuries or fatalities, while FCA says it's aware of one "potentially related injury" and no accidents due to its fleet vehicle recall. FCA says it will notify owners/operators of affected vehicles when service appointments are available. As per usual, all the work is free of charge. Related Video: