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Jeep rocks the Wrangler Red Rock concept in Vegas [w/video]

The SEMA show may have once been all about dropping rides to the floor, but these days it's at least as much about jacking them up on lifted suspensions. And few show cars – or trucks, we should say – managed to embody that spirit at this year's tuner exposition quite as well as the Jeep Wrangler Red Rock you see here. The concept started out life as a Wrangler Unlimited, but instead of four doors, it has none. Or any roof, for that matter. Just a roll cage and a windscreen. What it does have are 17-inch wheels wearing 35-inch BF Goodrich tires and fitted to a suspension lifted by two inches. It also has a reinforced tailgate, power winch, tow hooks... everything, in short, that you could want or need for off-roading, and little more. As you can see, it also looks the business, with a custom hood, body-color grille, matte-finish bumpers, and a brown leather interior. Handsome as it is, though, its rugged beauty runs more than skin deep: lift off the sheetmetal and you'd find electronic locking differentials, a transfer case, and solid axles fore and aft. A more extreme take on the existing Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon Hard Rock edition, the Red Rock show truck was done up to honor the organization behind the Easter Jeep Safari that's a favorite among the legions of the Jeep faithful. And while it remains a concept only for the time being, a production version is slated to follow in time to celebrate the event's 50th anniversary next year. Related Video:

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.

Ford reveals the Mustang Cobra Jet, we drive the Chevy Silverado | Autoblog Podcast #550

On this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski and Associate Editor Joel Stocksdale. We discuss the just revealed 2018 Ford Mustang Cobra Jet drag car, along with our driving impressions of the 2019 Chevy Silverado and the 2018 Subaru BRZ tS. We also have a long discussion about the Jeep Wrangler Scrambler, Ford Ranger and small trucks in general.Autoblog Podcast #550 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown 2018 Ford Mustang Cobra Jet reveal 2019 Chevy Silverado first drive 2018 Subaru BRZ tS drive impressions Jeep Wrangler Scrambler off-road spy shots 2019 Ford Ranger configurations and small truck discussion Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video: Podcasts Chevrolet Ford Jeep Subaru jeep wrangler pickup jeep scrambler subaru brz ts jeep wrangler scrambler