2003 Jeep Wrangler Sahara 4x4 on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Jeep Gladiator was designed as an outdoor lifestyle tour de force

LOS ANGELES — It's been more than 30 years since the last Jeep Wrangler-based pickup went out of production. And it's been more than a dozen years since a modern Jeep Wrangler-based pickup concept first taunted us with its chunky bed-shaped behind. But today, America's signature off-road brand has finally unveiled the production version of a Jeep Wrangler-based pickup. And it looks, rather predictably, like a four-door Jeep Wrangler with an open box in the back. (From some angles, it also looks like a Jeep that is towing itself.) "There were some key drivers that the designers had to work around," says Timothy Kuniskis, head of Jeep North America. "We wanted to not just go after Wrangler buyers, but after truck buyers. So this vehicle had to have four doors, four real doors. But the big thing was the bed. We know our consumer, the one who will be interested in this truck, and for them, it had to be the width of an ATV and the depth of two dirt bikes, so that dictated the size of the bed." This new trucklet is called the Gladiator, which is a departure from the name of the previous Wrangler-based pickup, the Scrambler. The Gladiator name does have Jeep heritage, having been the moniker of the full-size truck the brand sold from the mid-1960s to the early '70s. Since nomenclature is key in defining product and perception, we would be remiss if we did not note the key semantic differences between the names. A Scrambler is a go-getter (or resolutely confusing.) A Scrambler is nimble and scrappy. A Gladiator, on the other hand, is about vanquishing and conquest, and is typically gigantic. A Gladiator is domineering. Having only seen the photos, it was difficult to tell how big this thing is. Luckily, we've now seen it in person, and it is indeed big, but not huge. "It's a midsize pickup, a segment that is exploding now. Tacoma is and has been the dominant player in the category, but with GM coming back in and the Ranger joining soon, and now us, we're going to see this category get to 500,000 units a year very soon," says Kuniskis. "Everything that psychologically drives a consumer to a Wrangler, there's a sub-segment of those buyers whose needs push them toward a pickup. These aren't people who are going to fill the bed with mulch and boulders. It's not a work truck. It's absolutely a lifestyle choice. These are people who are into surfing, mountain biking, dirt bikes, side-by-sides." Jeep is in an interesting position from a design perspective.

Fiat Chrysler and Peugeot boards meet to finalize merger

MILAN/PARIS — The boards of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Peugeot will meet separately on Tuesday to discuss finalizing an initial agreement for a $50 billion merger to create the world's number four carmaker, sources said. A source close to FCA said the two companies could announce the signing of a binding memorandum early on Wednesday, followed by a conference call to explain further details later in the day. The two mid-sized carmakers announced plans six weeks ago for a tie-up to help them deal with big challenges in the industry, including a global demand downturn and the need to develop costly cleaner cars to meet looming anti-pollution rules. Ahead of the meetings, entities representing the Peugeot family, Etablissements Peugeot Freres (EPF) and FFP, unanimously approved a proposed memorandum of understanding for the planned merger, a source familiar with the situation said. FCA and PSA have said they would seek to finalize a deal by year-end to create a group with 8.7 million in annual vehicle sales. That would put it fourth globally behind Volkswagen, Toyota and the Renault-Nissan alliance. PSA's Carlos Tavares will be chief executive and FCA's John Elkann — the scion of Italy's Agnelli family, which controls FCA through their holding company Exor — chairman of the combined company. The group will include the Fiat, Jeep, Dodge, Ram, Chrysler, Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Peugeot, DS, Opel and Vauxhall brands, allowing it to serve mass and premium passenger car markets as well as those for trucks and light commercial vehicles. Related Video:       Chrysler Dodge Fiat Jeep RAM Citroen Peugeot

Car Club USA: Louisiana Mudfest

There's nothing quite like mudding. Big tires, huge power, and crazy-wild gearheads that like to throw down on a mud pit almost as much as a thirty rack of Coors. In the latest, and some might argue greatest yet episode of Car Club USA, we head to Louisiana to throw some dirt at Mudfest. As Louisiana's one and only Mouth of the South puts it, "If you don't mud ride... go to Texas I guess." Joining The Mouth and friendly rivals The Most Hated Mud Sluts, we dive in. Beyond the obvious V8 blasting and tractor-tire spinning, those who know best describe Mudfest as, "Good cooking, good friends, good fun, and a lot of partying." It's a motorsport spectacle unlike any you're likely to find up North or out West, though no less impressive to behold. Follow along with the fun, the impromptu drag racing, the trash talking, and the mechanical madness. And find out why, at Mudfest, "if we don't tear it up, we ain't done it right." Each Car Club USA episode features a different car club or event from across the US, where passionate owner communities gather to share automotive experiences and embark on incredible adventures. From Main Street cruises to off-road trails, catch all the latest car club activity on Autoblog. Chevrolet Ford Jeep RAM Truck Off-Road Vehicles Car Club USA Videos autoblog black