2013 Jeep Wrangler Sahara Unlimited on 2040-cars

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Jeep teases its Easter Safari Wrangler concepts

Every year ahead of the Easter Jeep Safari in Moab, Jeep shows off some wild concepts based on Jeep products. They usually don't make it to production, but they do get the fans very, very excited. If you'll remember last year, the company showed off a Hellcat-powered Wrangler concept called the Trailcat and some retro-inspired pickups, like a neo-Forward Control and one resembling the classic military Kaiser M715. This year, we're getting a sneak preview of two of the concepts Jeep will be showing off. Details are sketchy and the images aren't very revealing, but such is the way of teasers. Let's start with the Switchback, which appears to be a Wrangler Unlimited that features metal doors with large cutaways in them. They look like a cross between factory metal half-doors and the tubular trail doors that are a popular aftermarket add-on. It also appears to feature a bumper-mounted winch and a special top with a roof basket. The second concept is the Quicksand, which appears to be a two-door Wrangler with cut-down fenders, a roll cage, and no B-pillar aft of the door. Could it be a dune buggy of sorts, a Jeep analogue to the Baja Bugs or Meyers Manxs so popular in the 1960s and 1970s? It's hard to tell, but all will be revealed soon. Related Video:

Jeep does Renegade Chinese-style with Zi You Xia design concept

As we mentioned, Jeep is bringing a quartet of concepts to the Beijing Motor Show this year. Its largest model, the Grand Cherokee, is nowhere to be found, but its smallest is. That, of course, would be the new Renegade, which has been done up as the Zi You Xia design concept.
Taking its name from the Mandarin word (or words) for "rebel," the Zi You Xia takes its inspiration from the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing, with a Warm Chocolate Gray paintjob with contrasting dark bronze trim. The roof, grille and mirror caps are color-keyed to match the rest of the exterior, riding on 20-inch alloys in the same dark bronze finish.
Inside it's all Piano Black, Anodized Copper and brown leather with plaid fabric inserts. Scope it out in the high-res image gallery above and the press release below.

Total auto recalls already on record pace in 2014

If you've noticed that there have been more recalls than usual this year, you may be on to something. According to a report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the US market is on pace to break a record for recalls. In 2013, 22 million cars were recalled. We're only a third of the way through 2014, though, and we've already halved that figure, with 11 million units recalled. That's wild.
Considering the past few months, it shouldn't be a surprise that General Motors is leading the charge, with six million of the 11 million units recalled coming from one of the General's four brands. Between truck recalls, CUV recalls and the ignition switch recall, 2014 hasn't been a great year for GM.
Other recall leaders include Nissan (one million Sentra and Altima sedans), Honda (900,000 Odyssey minivans), Toyota (over one million units in a few recalls), Volkswagen (150,000 Passat sedans), Chrysler (644,000 Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee SUVs) and most recently, Ford (434,000 units, the bulk of which were early Ford Escape CUVs). So while it's been a bad year for GM so far, its competitors aren't doing too well, either.