2008 Jeep Wrangler X on 2040-cars

Auto blog

2014 Jeep Cherokee gets official in a hurry

Automakers work very, very hard to keep their new vehicles under wraps until they can present them in exactly the way they want it - typically choreographed under the bright lights of an auto show, or perhaps with photos or video in an idyllic location. Spy shooters and leaks, in other words, keep executives and public-relations types up at night.
This is likely to be one of the most polarizing designs to come out in 2014.
Take today, for instance, when the team over at Jalopnik got a big scoop - the first undisguised shots of the 2014 Jeep Cherokee, a model whose name wasn't even officially confirmed yet. The clandestine images taken inside of a factory were blurry and didn't exactly show off the crossover's radical new contours in the same sort of flattering light that Jeep probably would've wished for its product reveal. So the Auburn Hills automaker has wisely reacted by spilling at least some of the beans on the new model, giving us these four photos and confirming the Liberty replacement's name, Cherokee.

Jeep Wrangler Scrambler pickup spied in tough-looking off-road trim

More Jeep Wrangler Scrambler spy shots have surfaced. This time we're looking at a pair of Scramblers that are far closer to production. The shot of the interior through the window is the first time a Scrambler has been caught with the new Wrangler JL interior — not the JK. This one has the black seats with red trim combo currently offered on the JL Rubicon. In addition to that, one of the trucks was sporting some knobby Falken off-road tires sized at 285/70R17. This plus the interior means we're most likely looking at a Scrambler Rubicon. The other Scrambler has normal road tires fitted, indicating a Sport trim. Off-roaders can rejoice even more too. Rock rails on both trims are new additions to the prototype vehicles — not even the broken up Scrambler we saw on the Rubicon trail a few weeks ago had rails. As a reminder, the Wrangler Scrambler pickup is expected to be based on a long wheelbase version of the JL Wrangler Unlimited. Engines choices will include the 3.6-liter V6, a diesel option and possibly even a hybrid eventually. It's no surprise the Scrambler keeps popping up in spy shots, as it's expected to be revealed later this year, then on sale in 2019. We'll be watching closely until then for more details as they leak, so stay tuned. Related Video:

Watch this 9-year-old drive Jeep Wrangler off-road [w/poll]

This nine-year-old girl might be better at rock crawling than some people twice her age. But is it worth putting her in danger to do it? According to her father on the Jeep Experience Facebook page, her name is Faith, and she has been offroading with her family since she was two. At nine years old, she's now driving her dad's Jeep over the rocks by herself.
As you can see she's belted in and under her father's direct supervision and guidance. She shows immense confidence for someone her age and follows her dad's instructions on exactly what to do. Although, this could still be a very dangerous situation if something went wrong.
Previously, we saw a similar video with a six-year-old on a motorcycle driving on public roads through the desert. Voters decided by only a six-point margin that the adult should be in trouble for letting the kid ride the bike. Here, we have a slightly older child driving a vehicle off road. Where do you fall in this case? Is it still wrong to hand over control to a child? Let us know in the poll below and scroll down to watch the video.