2003 Jeep Wrangler Sport Utility 2-door 4.0l on 2040-cars

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Fiat Chrysler to test automatically switching hybrid cars to electric mode in Turin

MILAN — Fiat Chrysler is piloting a project in its historic Italian home of Turin to allow its hybrid plug-in cars to automatically switch to electric-only mode when entering congested city centers. The project, which aims to maximize the environmental benefits of hybrid cars, comes as Fiat Chrysler (FCA) rolls out its first alternative-engine models, trying to make up ground on rivals which already offer a range of full electric and hybrid vehicles in Europe. The project, named 'Turin Geofencing Lab' and involving the city authorities and public transport agency GTT, is based on a prototype system with fully integrated on-board sensors allowing a car to recognize when it is entering a restricted traffic zone, FCA said on Wednesday. The sensors will then automatically turn off the combustion engine and switch to electric mode. This would allow hybrid cars to enjoy dispensations for electric vehicles in the city center, including dedicated parking spaces. The system has been initially tested on the new Jeep Renegade 4xe hybrid plug-in model. The tests could be extended to the group's other hybrid models from next year. The COVID-19 crisis has not significantly delayed FCA's plans to launch its first full-electric and hybrid models. An electric version of the Fiat 500 small car and plug-in hybrid versions of Jeep's Renegade and Compass models are due to hit the market this summer. A similar project was launched last year by German carmaker BMW and Rotterdam, with a smart-phone reminder to switch-off combustion engines when passing a virtual boundary into the Dutch city's "electric-only zone." But that did not entail such a direct link between the vehicle and the city's access platform and gates to restricted traffic zones, as in Turin's case. Roberto Di Stefano, FCA's Head of EMEA e-Mobility, said that once the Turin project was completed, it would be gradually offered to other cities, in Italy and abroad.   Green Chrysler Fiat Jeep

Jeep Renegade and Fiat 500X finally on the way to dealers

After a brief pause, the Jeep Renegade and Fiat 500X are on their way to dealers again. While initially reported as a software bug, the issue had nothing to do with the models themselves. According to a statement from FCA US to Autoblog, the "vehicles were built with an atypical Vehicle Identification Number that may not be recognized as valid by some computer systems." That problem has now been fixed. FCA US held the compact crossovers back from dealers until the company could rectify the bug. If the CUVs had been delivered, there would have been difficulty registering the vehicles, according to Automotive News. Before discovering the situation, about 20 of these Renegades were sold to customers. FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne originally discussed the predicament in late May. "I'm having a very bad engineering day," he said. "It's a combination of attributes of that vehicle that is making my life horrible." While the boss predicted the problem would be fixed as late as mid-June, the company apparently got things working much quicker than that. Related Video: FCA US Statement A limited number of 2015 Jeep Renegade and 2016 Fiat 500X vehicles were built with an atypical Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) that may not be recognized as valid by some computer systems. This VIN issue has been resolved. FCA US has been working with governmental agencies, insurers and financial institutions with whom customers may interact to ensure successful registration, financing and insurance coverage. Renegade and 500X vehicles are being shipped and are in stock at dealerships for purchase. The VIN issue is entirely separate from the operation of the vehicle.

Jeep pickup truck apparently will be named Jeep Gladiator

For months we — we, meaning the automotive world in general — have been operating under the assumption that the Jeep pickup truck would be named Scrambler. For those of us who always thought that sounded like a breakfast at Denny's, vindication: According to Jeep Scrambler Forum — yes, they were so sure, they named themselves that — the truck will carry a different name: Jeep Gladiator. Gladiator, we salute you. Jeep Scrambler Forum says it'll roll with the changes: "Stay tuned as we'll be making the switch to JeepGladiatorForum.com in the coming days (smiley face, thumbs up)." The discovery came when a forum "longtime trusted source" found a web page with the new name that went up momentarily on FCA's media site. No sense looking for it, it's not there now. But here's the screen grab: Gladiator is not new. It was the name, way back in 2005, for the Jeep pickup concept: View 5 Photos Could this still be a mistake, and Scrambler will stick? It seems more likely that this is it. One thing's for sure: We're so close to finding out, we can almost taste it. The truck has been testing everywhere, from the Rubicon Trail to the streets of Detroit and Auburn Hills, where it's pretty easy to see a camouflaged example on most any morning commute. The wait is almost over: The wraps will come off later this month at the L.A. Auto Show. So what do you think of Gladiator? Let the movie quotes fly ... Related Video: