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2018 Jeep Wrangler will keep classic hood style

One of our spy photographers caught some FCA employees poking around under the hood of a 2018 Jeep Wrangler prototype. They had the hood open wide, and because of that, we can catch a couple little details that tell us a bit more about the exterior styling of the Wrangler. Mainly that some of the Wrangler's signature hood details will remain for the new generation. The first details we caught were the bolt holes in the hood at the base near the hinges. These show that, as with the previous model of Wrangler, the 2018 model will feature chunky, rugged-looking external hood hinges. We can also infer that if these hinges remain, the doors will likely have matching ones, and those will hopefully still be removable. The second details we spotted were a bit more subtle. On the sides of the hood towards the leading edge, there are some indentations. Based on the positioning, and their small size, we believe these are the indentations for external tie-down latches for the hood, just like the old model. Actually, just like pretty much every Wrangler-style Jeep back to the military models used in World War II. Based on a report last week from JL Wrangler Forums, we are expecting to see the fully revealed 2018 Jeep Wrangler and its classic hood details at this year's LA auto show. It is then expected to arrive at dealers in December with both V6 and four-cylinder engine offerings. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2018 Jeep Wrangler Hood Spy Shots Image Credit: KGP Photography Spy Photos Jeep SUV Off-Road Vehicles

Jeep mixed a CJ, a TJ, and a JK to make this sweet retro CJ66

What do you get when you mash-up a CJ and two Wranglers? Jeep calls it the CJ66, its concept for the 2016 SEMA show. It's a Frankensteined machine done right, another in a long line of fantasies from the back rooms at Jeep. A lot of donor vehicles were sacrificed for this one. The body came from a 1966 Jeep CJ – hence the name – and then was modified to fit on a Jeep Wrangler TJ chassis. The finishing touches, such as the bumpers and lights, come from the current Wrangler JK, and the hood was modeled after a JK's, too. The CJ66 has plenty of other neat details throughout as well, such as the vintage-style V8 badges on the fenders, the chains on the dropdown tailgate, and the custom hood latches. Also, like several other FCA SEMA concepts this year, it gets a pair of Dodge Viper seats. We're suckers for Viper seats. View 17 Photos The custom body also hides some impressive off-roading gear. There's a Warn winch tucked behind the front bumper, as well as an on-board tire inflation system, which makes it easy to deflate and inflate tires as the terrain requires. The truck also has 35-inch off-road tires on readily available wheels, front and rear differential lockers, and a custom roll cage and rock sliders. As you may have guessed from the V8 badges, this CJ66 also packs an octet of pistons. The 5.7-liter Hemi engine (or 345 cu. in. for traditionalists) makes 383 horsepower, and was installed using Mopar's new engine swap kit. The engine is hooked up to a six-speed manual transmission that sends power to Dana 44 axles front and rear. We have a feeling it will handle just fine on the trails. Related Video: Image Credit: FCA and Joel Stocksdale SEMA Show Jeep SUV Concept Cars Off-Road Vehicles SEMA 2016

2015 Ford F-150 named Truck of Texas, Lincoln and Jeep also awarded at Truck Rodeo

The Ford Motor Company has a lot of reasons to celebrate after winning eight categories in this year's Texas Auto Writers Association's annual Truck Rodeo. Most important among them, the Blue Oval's latest 2015 Ford F-150 earned the prestigious Truck of Texas award, ending the Ram 1500's two-year winning streak. The 2015 Lincoln MKC also grabbed the honor as the CUV of Texas, and Ford was named Truck Line of Texas.
FoMoCo even took trophies for best technology with its extensive use of aluminum on its latest F-Series and best commercial vehicle for the new Transit 250. It wasn't a total sweep, though, because the Jeep Grand Cherokee grabbed the title of the SUV of Texas for the fifth straight time.
This year's event put 60 auto writers in 75 pickups, SUVs and crossovers and challenged them to find the best in a plethora of categories. All of the winners are listed below, and scroll down to read the full announcements from the Texas Auto Writers Association and Ford.