2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee 80th Anniversary 4x4 on 2040-cars

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2015 Jeep Renegade Trailhawk [w/video]

There are two avenues to the world of off-roading. Arguably the more popular is to pick up a second- or third-hand Jeep, Land Rover or pickup truck and go wild with the aftermarket. The opposite approach, though, is to simply buy new, which brings a warranty along with the most up-to-date off-road tech fitted by the factory (despite likely lacking the ultimate capability of an aftermarket-imbued vehicle). That second option has, traditionally, been pricey. Take our long-term Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk, which rings up at just over $38,000. A Ford F-150 SVT Raptor is going to be an even more expensive proposition, while the undisputed kings of luxury off-road performance from the factory – the Range Rover, Toyota Land Cruiser and Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen – will require ownership of a medium-sized oil well. With all due respect to those who take their Trail-Rated Jeep Patriot models off-road, the all-new Renegade Trailhawk is such an exciting proposition because it brings the cost of a warranty-backed off-roader down significantly, while also delivering a degree of trail-rated performance that should easily fulfill the needs of the average enthusiast. Drive Notes Before we get into what it adds, it's worth noting that the Trailhawk trim does have a small impact on the Renegade's on-road abilities. As we said in our original feature, the TH adds a significant amount of weight to the standard CUV, as it tips the scales at nearly 3,600 pounds. That mass, combined with the slightly higher stance, means the off-road model doesn't handle quite as well as a lesser Jeep. It also doesn't feel as fleet of foot, as it retains the same 2.4-liter, 180-horsepower four-cylinder and nine-speed automatic found throughout the Renegade range. Despite the downers, the Trailhawk trim does bring quite a lot to the Renegade package, most notably in the form of a bespoke version of Jeep's Active Drive all-wheel-drive system. The upgraded system features a dedicated 20:1 crawl ratio while the Selec-Terrain system is home to a new Rock setting. Beyond that, Jeep lifted the Renegade's ride height eight-tenths of an inch, increasing overall ground clearance to 8.7 inches and delivering 8.1 inches of wheel articulation. This is complemented by unique front- and rear-fascias, which up the approach and departure angles to 30.5 and 34.3 degrees, respectively, besting the Cherokee Trailhawk's 29.8 degrees and 32.1 degrees.

Chinese automaker Great Wall wants to buy Jeep

As Chinese automakers look to break into the U.S. market, we've been hearing about how companies in China are courting FCA. After GM and Volkswagen each shut the possibility of a merger, an unnamed Chinese company stepped up to the table. Its offer to buy FCA was refused, but the suitors are still knocking. Now, Automotive News reports that Chinese automaker Great Wall is interested in making a deal specifically to purchase the Jeep brand. Great Wall President Wang Fengying told Automotive News in an email that her company is "connecting with FCA" to start the negotiation process. FCA, though, told the publication that it hasn't been approached by Great Wall. Great Wall's offer, if accepted, would separate Jeep Í— FCA's most valuable brand Í— from the rest of the FCA portfolio. It's not unthinkable that FCA would consider selling Jeep on its own. FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne has said he'd consider spinning off Jeep and Ram. The company also said it could see making Maserati and Alfa Romeo into a separate company as well. Jeep, though, might be worth more on its own that the entirety of FCA with Jeep included, according to Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas. This complicates the matter for any potential buyer that owns FCA franchise dealerships, and for FCA, for which Jeep is an attractor for selling the company as a whole. Great Wall, which only generates $14.7 billion in annual revenue (compared to FCA's $131 billion), is confident it could raise the funds to buy Jeep. As Automotive News points out, though, there could be a bidding war brewing if Jeep can be bought separately from the rest of the brands. Still, As Great Wall spokesman Xu Hui said, the company has been following Jeep, and sees it as a key to achieving its goal of becoming "the world's largest SUV maker." Great Wall already has research and development facilities in Detroit and Los Angeles. The Chinese company is also considering building a factory in the U.S. rather than in Mexico. Whether or not Great Wall acquires Jeep, it wants to sell SUVs in the U.S., and having a factory in the States means it wouldn't have to worry about Trump renegotiating NAFTA. Jeep is currently expanding its market presence, and has new vehicles, the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer, on the way in 2019. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Final Toledo Jeep decision may have nothing to do with city's efforts

Toledo, OH is doing all that it can to keep production of the Jeep Wrangler in its boundaries, but the biggest issue facing the plant may be insurmountable, no matter how desperately the city wants to keep the Wrangler local. The Wrangler is built in a rather interesting manner at the Toledo Supplier Park: Fiat Chrysler only handles the very final assembly of each vehicle, while two other companies, Kuka, a German firm, and Hyundai-Mobis, a member of the sprawling Hyundai empire, produce the body and chassis, respectively. The vehicles are then transferred over to the FCA part of the park, where they're painted and completed. This was, as The Detroit News explains, a convenient arrangement back in 2006 when the supplier park opened. Chrysler, which was still owned by Daimler at the time, arranged for Kuka and Mobis to handle production, saving it a huge sum of money. Both suppliers own their own machinery and buildings and employ their own workers. Now that FCA is a relatively healthy entity, though, there's not a lot of need to be sharing profits with two other companies. "What [FCA boss Sergio Marchionne] would like is to have the advantages of high-capacity utilization, owning that capacity and taking advantage of that for himself versus having a supplier doing some of the things his competitors do internally," David Cole, chairman emeritus at the Ann Arbor, MI-based Center for Automotive Research, told The News. "It really adds another level of complexity to the situation." While Sergio Marchionne is a man that generally gets what he wants, it seems unlikely that either Mobis or Kuka would give up their role quietly. According to Jon Zapf, Mobis North America's chairperson for UAW Local 12, the company "definitely wants to maintain their part of this production process." According to The News, Jeep is likely to announce the location of next-generation Wrangler production in June. Expect to hear much more on this one in the coming months.