2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo X on 2040-cars

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Chrysler recalling hundreds of thousands of Jeep Grand Cherokee and Commander SUVs

The public might associated ignition switch recalls with General Motors - and with good cause - but that's not the only automaker calling its vehicles back in to fix that sort of issue.
Last month we reported that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration was investigating an array of Chrysler Group vehicles for electrical-related safety issues. The administration and Chrysler subsequently issued a recall for 700,000 Dodge Journey crossovers, Dodge Grand Caravan minivans and Chrysler Town & Country minivans. But while the Jeeps that were also under investigation were not covered in that recall, they are being addressed in a separate one now.
Although Chrysler reports that it is only aware of a single accident stemming from this issue, it is "committing now to conduct a recall out of an abundance of caution." The recall affects the 2006-2007 Jeep Commander and 2005-2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee, of which it reports there are 792,300 on the road: 649,900 in the United States, 28,800 in Canada, 12,800 in Mexico and a further 100,800 outside of North America.

We drive the cars of Furious 7... in Forza Horizon 2 [w/video]

On March 27, Turn 10 Studios, the folks behind the Forza Motorsport series, and Universal Pictures, the studio responsible for the Fast and Furious franchise, gave us a match made in heaven, announcing a "standalone expansion" featuring the two franchises. Called Forza Horizon 2 Presents Fast and Furious, it features the cars from the latest film installment, unique missions and the voice-acting of Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, who plays tech guru Tej Parker on camera. A Fast and Furious video game? Seems like a no brainer. It gets better. Rather than limiting the Fast and Furious Edition cars to the expansion game, Turn 10 made them available through one of their (some may say notorious) downloadable content packages. Eight of the expansion's 11 cars were made available for just $4.99 (the only cars that weren't included were the Fast and Furious Edition Nissan GT-R, while the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport and McLaren P1 are already available in-game). What's cool ais that the cars featured in both games are visually identical to the vehicles driven by the stars of Furious 7. Each in-game car has an on-screen parallel that plays a role in advancing the film's story. Considering that we're unlikely to score seat time in Dominic Toretto's real Dodge Charger, then, we figured we'd take to the game and test the car in the digital realm. We've got nine little cluster reviews, covering the cars both in the game and how they appear in the movies. And don't worry, there are no major spoilers here. Click on for the cars of Forza Horizon 2 Presents Fast and Furious. 1970 Dodge Charger R/T Fast and Furious Edition Supercharged 7.2L V8 / 900 HP / 663 LB-FT The one vehicle that is mandatory in a Fast and Furious video game, Dom's hot-rodded 1970 Dodge Charger, is as much a character in the films as its driver. Furious 7 marks the fourth appearance of this Mopar beast in the series. Not surprisingly it's a handful to drive, wildly quick and with a four-speed transmission packed full of very tall gears. But beyond that, it's arguably the coolest of the FF Edition cars. This black beauty is exactly as it appears in the latest installment of the film, with the video game version featuring intricate little details, like the moving parts on the BDS supercharger. It's an iconic car, and it's treated as such in the game.

A hybrid Jeep Wrangler could be in the cards for new generation

Jeep could make a hybrid version of its iconic off-roader, the Wrangler, the head of the Jeep brand suggested in an interview with Autoblog. Speaking this week on the floor of the Detroit Auto Show, Jeep's global chief Mike Manley said "the hybridization could actually help Wrangler," noting it could improve torque distribution, a critical element for four-wheel drive vehicles. Manley added, "Electrification, absolutely. I could see Wrangler being a form of electric." The Jeep boss didn't offer further details, though a hybrid Wrangler has been rumored for years. The next-generation off-roader is due for the 2018 model year, which means a reveal is imminent. Hybrid technology would likely be used to assist the Wrangler's performance and efficiency, rather than as a total fuel-economy play. The next-gen Wrangler is expected to have LED lights, updated and more aerodynamic design, and greater use of aluminum. A turbo four-cylinder gasoline engine, a diesel engine, and an eight-speed automatic transmission are also among the powertrain rumors, though the diesel may be in jeopardy after the EPA accused FCA US of installing emission-control software on its EcoDiesels. Despite the changes, this new Jeep will be instantly recognizable as a Wrangler, Manley told us. "It's the icon of our brand." View 30 Photos Also heartening for enthusiasts, the Wrangler is getting a pickup variant built alongside the utility vehicle in Toledo, OH. Manley wouldn't speculate on a name, though it has a long list of historic choices. Jeep used "Comanche" on a Cherokee-based pickup from 1986-92 and had the Gladiator/J-Series for a larger truck from 1963-87. "Of course we could go back to one of the record books [for a name]," Manley said. Meanwhile, Jeep also confirmed that the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer models will return to its lineup in 2020, slotting above the Grand Cherokee and giving Jeep an entry in the upper luxury SUV segment. Manley said the Wagoneers will compete in the $60,000-to-$100,000 price range. They will be based on a body-on-frame platform sourced from the Ram and built in Warren, MI. "Ever since I've been associated with Jeep, in my mind, they needed to come back to the portfolio," Manley said. Jeep's other spotlight vehicle, the Grand Cherokee, will get a new generation launching in 2019, Manley said. Though the current line has been on sale since 2010, Jeep has added interior updates and special variants to keep it fresh.