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Abandoned Jeep found under twenty feet of snow in Donner Pass

You guys have heard of Donner Pass, right? The dreaded mountain pass in the northern Sierra Nevadas out in California where an ill-fated group of mid-19th century pioneers got lost and fell to cannibalism to survive? Of course you have. Well, it seems that the pass has claimed another victim. It's not a pack of overly-optimistic farmers from Illinois this time, but a sad and lonely Jeep Cherokee. Last Thursday, the California Highway Patrol base at Truckee, California, posted a picture of the rear end of a forlorn-looking XJ with a mangled rear end buried under a veritable mountain of snow and ice. Discovered by a CalTrans truck-mounted snowblower around Serene Lakes near Donner Summit, a CHP representative told Jalopnik they believe the old white XJ has been sitting there since the beginning of winter. More than twenty feet of snow and ice are piled atop the Jeep, a winter's worth of snowplow leavings. Thankfully, the CHP found no bodies or anything else untoward in the XJ when they were arrived. CHP Truckee suggested that the Jeep's owner left it there, perhaps after a breakdown, and left it when successive layers of snow and ice entombed it. Since it's not blocking traffic and doesn't pose a safety hazard, CalTrans decided to leave the Jeep where they found it. The XJ's owner hasn't been identified yet. Hopefully they're not in too much of a hurry to get their Jeep back, because that thing isn't moving until late spring at the earliest. Related Video: News Source: CHP - Truckee, Jalopnik Auto News Weird Car News Jeep SUV snow

Video charts evolution of Jeep from military vehicle to SUV powerhouse

Here's a fun new video from our car-obsessed friends at Donut Media. It shows the evolution of the iconic Jeep from its World War II roots to the forthcoming 2019 Scrambler pickup in a little over two minutes. Using illustrations and audio of Jeep engines and broadcast advertising spots, it's a fascinating look at the common traits that have persisted over more than 75 years and changing consumer preferences. Three companies originally responded to the U.S. Army's request in 1940 for proposals to make a quarter-ton "light reconnaissance vehicle" tailored to its specs — Bantam, Ford and Willys. The video starts by showing all three early contenders — the Bantam Reconnaissance Car, Ford Pygmy and Willys MB, which was based on the Willys-Overland "Quad" prototype, named for the 4x4 system it utilized. Willys eventually won the contract in 1941 to build 16,000 revised MB models for American and Allied forces. Willys would trademark the Jeep name in 1945 with its CJ-2A, a Civilian Jeep geared toward farmers. As the video shows, Jeep really started to diversify its body styles and colors in the 1970s and '80s under the ownership of American Motors Corp., which purchased the money-losing Jeep brand in 1970 from Kaiser-Jeep, which itself had acquired the brand from Willys in 1953. The '70s brought models like the CJ-5 Renegade and CJ-5 Laredo, and the video includes updates including the second-generation Wrangler Unlimited in 2004 and the Wrangler-based Scrambler pickup. Chrysler purchased Jeep from American Motors in 1987, shortly after the debut of the Jeep Wrangler, and has managed to hold onto the brand and ride it to success despite its own bumpy ownership trials and tribulations since then. Despite the many owners over time, Jeep has maintained its headquarters all along in Toledo, Ohio.

2016 Jeep Wrangler to ditch solid axles to save weight?

Hey, Jeep fans. If you think the idea of a funky-looking, car-based Cherokee revival is offensive, have a listen to what might be in store for the next-gen Jeep Wrangler. Automotive News is reporting that as Jeep develops the 2016 Wrangler, weight reduction is a crucial target, and the Wrangler's rugged solid axles could be sacrificed in the name of better fuel economy.
We've already heard the next Wrangler will go on a serious diet using aluminum body panels and an air suspension system, so the idea of a four-wheel independent suspension setup for this OG SUV isn't all that surprising. Besides, it's not like an independent suspension would limit the Wrangler's off-road abilities - just check out the Hummer H1. In fact, it might be the aftermarket parts companies - not Wrangler enthusiasts - who would be most disappointed by such a drastic suspension change, as the article states that the Wrangler's solid axles and coil-link suspension make it the most popular SUV for customization.
There are probably still a couple years before we'll start hearing any concrete details about the 2016 Wrangler, at which time it will be interesting to see how stricter fuel economy and crash safety regulations have been balanced with traditional Wrangler cues like its removable doors and roof and folding windshield. Let us know in the comments below if a Wrangler sans solid axles is any less of a Wrangler.