2007 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara on 2040-cars

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2020 Jeep Gladiator withstands the pressure in pre-Super Bowl commercial

With hype comes expectation, and with expectation comes pressure. The 2020 Jeep Gladiator has a lot to live up to as one of the most built-up debuts of 2018, but a new commercial promises it's ready to shoulder the burden, quite literally. The Jeep ad is set in a junkyard and opens to the jaws of a scrap crusher. A freight loader is seen putting a beautiful 1963 Jeep Gladiator into the scrapper before it begins to close on the piece of classic metal. Before it's fully demolished, the Gladiator fights back. It finds its inner strength when it transforms into one of the new 2020 models and emerges triumphant against the steel jaws of death. "Gladiator is back" ends the one-minute spot For those worried about the disappointing scene of a '63 getting destroyed, there's bad news and good news. Yes, that was a real car, not CGI, so it did indeed get smashed. But, Jeep says it was sourced from an online scrap site and was "inoperable." Why it couldn't have been restored, though, is beyond us. The Gladiator made its debut at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show as a mid-sized Wrangler-based pickup, complete with removable doors and a folding windshield. It has two Dana 44 solid front and rear axles, and is powered by a 285-horsepower V6, with a turbodiesel V6 on the way. Look to see the Gladiator in plenty of prime-time commercial slots all week leading up to the Super Bowl. Related Video:

Best places to get your car maintained and repaired

In this era of rampant inflation and high interest rates, the challenges of acquiring a car or SUV have been well documented. And so it has never been more important to protect that expensive investment by maintaining it. In recent months, Autoblog has shared Consumer Reports' evaluation of the least and most expensive car brands to keep running, as well as tips to prolong a car’s useful life. Especially since the pandemic, a number of factors have impacted these costs: more complex vehicles, new materials and manufacturing methods, a shortage of qualified technicians and replacement parts. Since 2022, repairs costs have jumped each year by about 10 percent. This month, Consumer Reports is offering a useful primer on keeping your ride in great shape, suggesting what might be the best options for searching out a repair shop, depending, as CR says, “on your car and your situation.” Author Ben Preston identifies three basic types of repair facilities: dealership service departments, independently owned repair shops, and chain repair shops. Building up trust with a specific shop and feeling comfortable going there is important. Preston quotes John Ibbotson, chief mechanic at Consumer ReportsÂ’ Auto Test Center: "You might be able to save a few bucks by going to whichever shop offers the cheapest prices, but if you want consistent, reliable service, itÂ’s best to find a repair shop you trust and stick with it,” Ibbotson says. The story goes on to evaluate each type of service facility. HereÂ’s a breakdown of CRÂ’s findings: Dealerships These work well for owners of newer cars, especially for covered warranty work. But the disadvantage is the high labor rates common to dealer service. Satisfaction ratings for dealer service departments range from very good (Acura, Lexus, Mazda, and Volvo) to not-so-good (Jeep and Kia). Dealers are best for: Fixing infotainment system glitches: "If the screen in the center of your dash has a habit of freezing up, or the touchscreen-activated climate controls arenÂ’t working, the dealership is the most likely place to find someone with the know-how to fix problems that maybe only a factory-authorized technician can access," Ibbotson says. Safety system recalibration: "Anything from a crack in your windshield to a minor fender dent can upset the calibration of the sensors that make features like automatic emergency braking and adaptive cruise control work," says Ibbotson.

Chrysler earns $1.7B in 2012, revises product plans for US

Hot on the heels of Ford's earnings announcement for the year that was, Chrysler today reported a 2012 net income of $1.7 billion, up substantially from the comparatively minuscule $183 million profit earned in 2011 when it repaid its US government loans.
Chrysler's good year ended with an excellent fourth quarter that saw net income rise 68 percent from $225 million in 2011 to $378 million. Where are all those extra earnings coming from? Market share, which Chrysler saw increase to 11.4% last year on sales of 1.65 million vehicles. In fact, the Auburn Hills, MI-based automaker out-paced the industry's market growth of 13 percent last year with sales up 21 percent for the year.
The company also revealed an updated product plan for its Chrysler Group and Fiat brands that looks all the way out to 2016. It's an updated version of the plan introduced in 2009 shortly after Fiat took control of the American automaker, and includes such new additions as an Alfa Romeo model, likely the 4C, to be introduced in the US this year, as well five more Alfa models by 2016. Likewise, Fiat will be growing by an additional seven models in the coming few years.