01 Grand Cherokee Sport One Owner 4wd Low Reserve on 2040-cars

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The fascinating history of the Popemobile

Pope Francis will be arriving today in the US for a variety of stops, including the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia, PA. While here, the Pontiff won't be riding in the usual Mercedes-Benz Popemobile, but instead will make a more American switch to a modified Jeep Wrangler, according to the Washington Post. It'll feature a protected front, top, and rear, but the sides will be open for His Holiness to see the throngs of people gathering for him. For hundreds of years, Popes were transported in horse-drawn carriages or sometimes carried in an enclosed chair by footmen, but His Holiness finally traded for some real horsepower in 1929. While his ride sometimes varied depending on the country being visited, a Mercedes-Benz was generally the common choice. However, the Pontiffs have ridden in everything from a modified GMC Sierra to a Ferrari Mondial over the past few decades. Pope Francis has definitely preferred more plebeian transportation, though, including a Renault 4 running on biofuel. A trip to South Korea even put him in a Kia Soul, and he opted for an Isuzu D-Max in the Philippines. The Post's whole list is quite a fun read, and it's fascinating to see how the Popemobiles evolve over time. Related Video:

2018 Jeep Wrangler JL spotted playing offroad in the sand dunes

The videos above and below, among other things, highlight some of the reasons why it's so terribly difficult for Jeep to introduce a new Wrangler. Needless to say, the ute has got to work offroad. Not only that, but the engineers need to make sure the vehicle is at least semi-content on the road and in the emissions and safety labs, and they have to make sure it pleases the diehards by keeping vestigial bits like external hood latches. Oh, and it can't be priced out of the reach of the average car buyer. That's a tall order. Nevertheless, we're pleased to see that Jeep is taking its offroad testing seriously. These videos were reportedly shot at the Silver Lake Sand Dunes near Lake Michigan. You'll see some splashing through puddles, some steady-state medium-speed cruising, and even some Hazzard-style fishtailing. And you can rest assured that the Toledoans at Jeep have been busy testing their latest Wrangler in other off-road scenarios, like rock crawling at the Rubicon Trail. These three clips are short, and it's difficult to draw conclusions on the suspension action since we can't really tell how flat or bumpy the terrain may be. Still, they're fun to watch and important to Jeep fans. We expect to see plenty more spy footage of the 2018 Wrangler before its likely debut at the LA Auto Show later this year. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Related Video: News Source: JL Wrangler Forums Spy Photos Jeep SUV Off-Road Vehicles Videos jeep wrangler jl sand dunes

2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT

Jeep's Super 'Ute Is Fun Thrown In The Face Of Conventional Wisdom
Let's talk asses for a moment. What do they have to do with the 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT, you ask?
Well, we're here to tell you that this SRT can haul some. Lots of them, as a matter of fact: Jeep has increased the towing capacity of its most powerful SUV to 7,200 pounds. Assuming the average donkey weighs about 400 pounds, the Grand Cherokee SRT can haul ass to the tune of 18 burros, give or take a covered trailer or so, which is significantly more than it could in previous years. In 2013, the machine could manage 5,000 pounds, while the first generation was rated at just 3,500. The increase is mostly attributable to a new eight-speed automatic transmission and beefier rear axle, and it's a welcome update for those who'd like to use their SUV as, well, an SUV with an emphasis on utility.