2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited on 2040-cars

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Jeep delivers basketful of concepts for the Moab Easter Jeep Safari

It's Easter time, and that means it's time for the 52nd Annual Moab Easter Jeep Safari, held March 24 through April 1, where thousands of off-roaders crawl, scrape and scramble over the rugged trails of Moab, Utah. And that brings us to this year's colorful collection of Jeep concepts, custom-built by FCA for the occasion. Jeep Wagoneer Roadtrip View 7 Photos This year there are seven Easter treats — including one called Wagoneer and one called Jeepster. All are decked out in Mopar parts. (Mopar already has 200-plus parts and counting for the all-new 2018 Jeep Wrangler.) Here then, is this year's Easter pageant of Jeeps: Jeep 4SPEED This year's lightweight concept is meant to bolster off-road performance through extensive weight savings. It's powered by the all-new 2.0-liter turbocharged I-4 engine with an eight-speed automatic. Carbon fiber abounds — the stuff is used for the hood, fender flares and the rear tub, which also features aluminum perforated panels. It gets an "aggressively swept back" look via raked windshield, longer door openings and a custom cage. It's also 22 inches shorter with improved approach and departure angles, though the wheelbase remains unchanged. And it gets Dana 44 front and rear axles with a 4.10 gear ratio and 18-inch lightweight monoblock wheels with 35-inch tires. Inside, there's a custom instrument panel, custom seats and deleted back seats. Footwells are perforated aluminum. The 4SPEED is so much lighter than stock, it rides two inches higher. Jeep Sandstorm This one's inspired by Baja desert racers but can still be used as a daily driver. It gets an extreme-duty suspension system capable of both tasks. The front axle has been moved forward four inches and takes a heavy-duty longarm four-link suspension and track bar. The rear axle has been moved back two inches and gets a triangulated trailing arm four-link suspension. The longer wheelbase provides better high-speed stability. The front wheels — 39.5-inch tires on 17-inch beadlock wheels — get custom coilovers and bypass shocks that allow 14 inches of travel in front and 18 in back. It gets Baja styling cues such as a vented carbon fiber hood, vented high-clearance fender flares and a cage with lay-down spare tire carrier. There are no exterior door handles, and the rear doors have been chopped.

Chrysler set to make $266M-investment into 8-speed transmission production

Chrysler will shortly make a significant $266-million investment into its Kokomo, IN transmission factory in a bid to expand production of its eight-speed automatic transmissions. The gearboxes, which are built under license from Germany's ZF Friedrichshafen, have been well received by customers and critics, and according to an SEC filing obtained by Automotive News, the transmissions will eventually find their way to all of Chrysler's rear-drive offerings (Viper and heavy-duty Ram models, aside). According to AN, a Chrysler spokesman says the investment has not been confirmed, but once it is, it'll mark the company's latest in a growing line of investments at the facility. Chrysler has poured $1.5 billion into Kokomo since 2009.

The Grand Wagoneer is ambitious, but luxury comes naturally for Jeep

The good life is coming easy for Jeep, or perhaps I should say, naturally. The rough-and-tough off-road brand that can credibly claim it helped win World War II is offering a level of luxury that borders on decadent in its latest line of SUVs. After a weekend in the 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer, I can reiterate that Jeep’s status as a luxury good producer is legit. Really, JeepÂ’s upward mobility is nothing new. Anyone who has driven a Grand Cherokee in a top trim in the last decade will tell you the materials and layout rival premium brands of all stripes. But jumping up into the Wagoneer/Grand Wagoneer (here's our First Drive Review) territory means a different kind of fight for Jeep. ItÂ’s facing off against vehicles like the GMC Yukon, Cadillac Escalade and Lincoln Navigator. The Grand Wagoneer Series III like I tested starts at $104,000, and mine had plenty of options. At this point, Jeep is also taking aim at Mercedes, BMW and frankly anyone who makes a six-figure SUV. ItÂ’s not a Bentley Bentayga rival, but with huge touchscreens, soft saddle brown leather, rear infotainment, massaging seats, and silky McIntosh speakers, the Grand Wagoneer is one of the most well-appointed vehicles IÂ’ve tested. Will consumers pay six figures for a Jeep? Is it a luxury good? My sense is yes to both. Built just north of Detroit, the Grand Wagoneer offers an authentic Team USA vibe that works for things like Shinola and L.L. Bean. Jeep has been named the “most patriotic” brand in the U.S. for 19 straight years, and the Grand Wagoneer and Grand Cherokee L have small flags on their flanks, so thereÂ’s substance to support the marketing and mythology. The Grand WagoneerÂ’s only obvious downside is its fuel economy, which seems woefully behind the times, even for a hulking SUV. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Interior Review | Autoblog Short Cuts Other News and Views: The Lamborghini Countach LP 500 is back Well, sort of. An ‘important collectorÂ’ commissioned Lamborghini to recreate a one-off replica of the original 1971 prototype that presaged the Countach. While the actual car was destroyed in crash testing in 1974 — things were different back then — Lambo painstakingly recreated the car that debuted at the '71 Geneva Motor Show using archival documents and original spare parts. It created new bodywork with modern tactics to get the details spot-on.