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Jeep Renegade to show off new Mopar gear in Detroit

Jeep's adorable new Renegade is arriving in the US market soon (we're looking forward to driving it in a couple weeks), and to highlight that fact, the American off-road brand is trotting out a pair of Mopar-modified compact CUVs for the 2015 North American International Auto Show. Rather simply, Jeep has modified one Renegade to show off its prowess in the city, and another that plays up the crossover's off-road abilities. Despite their different purposes, both vehicles show off Mopar's parts catalog and Jeep's Authentic Accessories lineup for the new baby Jeep. The Urban Renegade borrows uses a Renegade Limited with Anvil paint as its base and draws from the Accessories catalog, adding a number of Omaha orange accents and satin black wheels. Mopar donated a bike-hauling trailer hitch to the rear of the Renegade, while its cabin features Katzkin leather-lined seats. Once again, Omaha orange accents brighten up the Limited's cabin. As for the off-road model, Mopar got a bit more involved, starting with the Renegade Trailhawk and adding satin black wheels with Colorado red trim and X-shaped graphics, borrowed from military jerry cans, to the Commando Green exterior. A number of prototype and one-off body mods were fitted to the Trailhawk, including a concept skid plate, rock rails and a new rear valence. Inside, Katzkin leather was applied to the Renegade's seats while the Omaha orange accents from the Urban Renegade have been replaced with Commando Green bits and bobs in the off-road model. Look for more on these new Renegade twins come Monday, when we hit the floor of the 2015 Detroit Auto Show. Until then, check out the official press release from Mopar. Mopar to Showcase Trio of Customized Vehicles at NAIAS 2015 - Mopar display at 2015 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit to spotlight how Mopar parts help customers personalize their rides - Off-road Mopar-equipped Jeep® Renegade makes Trailhawk model of Jeep brand's all-new small SUV even more trail tough using Jeep Performance Parts - Urban Mopar-equipped Jeep Renegade enhances city-sized proportions and versatility of the all-new 2015 Renegade with selections from Jeep Authentic Accessories catalog - Dodge Challenger T/A Concept blends vintage design cues with cutting-edge Mopar performance mods January 9, 2015 , Auburn Hills, Mich.

Stepping on the Cherokee's toes | 2017 Jeep Compass First Drive

The only thing the 2017 Jeep Compass has in common with the model it replaces is its nameplate. And, considering that the old Compass was never competitive in the hotly contested compact crossover segment, that's a very good thing. Even better, after spending a solid day driving the reborn Compass over the rivers, through the woods, and everywhere in between, we're more than happy to forget the ill-conceived first-gen Compass entirely. Put simply, to say that the new Compass is better than the old one is an understatement of Rubicon-size proportions. Whereas the old Compass was saddled with Chrysler's old MK platform (a crossover-spec version of the unloved Dodge Caliber chassis), the 2017 Compass shares its basic underpinnings with the smaller Jeep Renegade, with the main difference being a 2.6-inch wheelbase stretch. That doesn't sound like a lot, but in person the Compass feels much larger than the Renegade, partly because its bodywork bulges out in a more muscular way than its more playfully styled, smaller sibling. "Mini Grand Cherokee" is a phrase that's been bandied about quite a bit, but only because it's true. The most notable styling flourish of the Compass is the D-pillar that's shaped sort of like a shark's dorsal fin. We think it's pretty cool from the outside, but it results in a huge expanse of plastic interior molding with tiny little windows barely able to let in any light. If we were buying a Compass, we'd definitely want the big panoramic sunroof to keep the cabin feeling open and airy. An optional gloss-black-painted roof makes those rear pillars stand out even more. There's a familial resemblance between the Renegade, Compass, and Cherokee inside, due in part to the overall curvature of the dash and the location of the air vents. Directly in front of the driver are two clear gauges, which flank a digital cluster that, depending on trim level, is available in either 3.5-inch or 7.0-inch sizes. The Compass is clean and tidy inside, and while FCA's Uconnect system – available with 7.0- and 8.4-inch center screens – is getting a bit old, it still works well and offers all the infotainment options buyers expect in 2017, including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. We're also pleased to see Jeep stick with round dials for radio volume and tuning, and simple switches for climate control settings in the center stack. There's an unexpectedly meaty steering wheel for the driver to grab hold of.

Dodge, Jeep and Ram could soon be owned by Chinese automakers

For the past several years, Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne has made it widely known that the automaker he helms is up for grabs. First, he sent an email to GM CEO Mary Barra, who immediately refused to even discuss a merger. Later, Marchionne set his sights on Volkswagen. That too was swiftly rebuffed. It seemed like no global automaker was remotely interested in a partnership. Now, Automotive News reports that several Chinese automakers have come calling, only FCA isn't ready to answer. At least not yet. The news broke this morning that a major Chinese automaker had made an offer to purchase FCA for slightly above market value. FCA refused, saying the offer wasn't quite generous enough. It's unclear which automaker made the offer, but Automotive News says there's more than one interested party. FCA representatives have recently traveled to China to meet with Great Wall Motors, while Chinese representatives were seen at FCA corporate headquarters in Auburn Hills, Mich. The Chinese government has a lot of money invested in local automakers. It's putting pressure on these automakers to expand globally, including to the United States. As it stands, it's a matter of when a Chinese automaker will start selling cars here, not if. Purchasing an established automaker with a wide range of products and a huge dealer network would do wonders in giving the Chinese a foothold here. Sure, Geely owns Volvo, but a luxury automaker doesn't have nearly as much reach as a more mainstream company like FCA. This seems like the best case scenario for both a Chinese automaker looking to move into the U.S. and for FCA, at least from a business standpoint. The latter doesn't seem to have any other interested parties. It will be interesting to see how FCA would sell a deal like this to the public. We're not sure everyone will be happy with Dodge, Jeep and Ram falling under Chinese ownership. FCA didn't turn down the Chinese because they didn't like the idea. It turned down the offer because there wasn't enough money on the table. Related Video: News Source: Automotive News Earnings/Financials Alfa Romeo Chrysler Dodge Fiat Jeep RAM