2002 Jeep Wrangler Sahara on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Jeep Wrangler by Vilner takes extreme luxury off-road

Vilner turned its customary and intensely luxurious attentions to a two-door Jeep Wrangler Sahara Unlimited back in 2012, following that up this year with its take on the four-door version. A coat of lustrous black paint outside is brightened up LED headlights, foglights and taillights and layers of chrome laid on the grille, mirrors, door handles and fuel filler cap.
Stance gets an injection of brawn from the 20-inch wheels, and they'll roll faster thanks to the power upgrade from 197 horsepower and 339 pound-feet of torque in the 2.8-liter diesel to 257 hp and 412 lb-ft.
Inside is furious red, with cross-stitched crimson leather and Alcantara demanding your focus. When you can look away from that, you'll find the raw metal parts painted black and again ornamented in minor applications of chrome. Feel free to feast on it in the high-res gallery above.

Fiesta-sized Jeep coming in 2014

We've heard rumors before about a new, baby Jeep to slot below the new-for-2014 Cherokee (pictured) in the automaker's lineup. Now, Edmunds is reporting that the new crossover will arrive sometime in 2014, and will be about the same size as the Ford Fiesta. This currently unnamed vehicle will effectively replace both the Compass and Patriot in the Jeep lineup.
Speaking to Edmunds, Jeep CEO Mike Manley said that the new, small Jeep will be assembled in Italy and marketed globally beginning sometime next year. Manley did not provide many details on the new model, but did say that it will be 4.2-meters (165 inches) long. The Cherokee, by comparison, is 4.6-meters long (181 inches). Furthermore, Edmunds reports that while the new small Jeep will offer diesel power in other markets, there are no plans for an oil-burning version here in the US.
Many other automakers are exploring this smaller crossover segment here in the US. General Motors recently launched the Buick Encore, which is loosely based on the Chevrolet Sonic subcompact's platform. Ford has already launched its Fiesta-based EcoSport in other markets, and has reportedly been pondering the idea of offering it in the US, as well.

Auto critic calls out Corvette, Mustang and Cherokee faithful

Most automotive purists fear change, but not without reason. Change, after all, did kill big-block V8s, along with most station wagons and manual transmissions. But change has also brought with it far more performance, safety and fuel economy - not to mention ridding the world of shag carpet interiors, bias-ply tires and those horrible motorized seatbelts of the early '90s.
By this time next year, the Chevy Corvette, Jeep Cherokee and next-generation Ford Mustang will all be on sale and will all, in some way, have angered or offended purists. To those critics, Mark Phelan of the Detroit Free Press is preemptively telling them to stop complaining - at least until they've all been driven. From the Corvette's square taillights and the Cherokee's radical nose to whatever pony car purists will harp on the 2015 Mustang for, Phelan's column points out the positives of automotive evolution and the negatives of staying the course for too long. That's fair enough, but do you think Phelan is on point, or all wet? Head on over to the Detroit Free Press to read his words, then have your say in Comments.