2014 Jeep Wrangler Sport on 2040-cars

Auto blog

2019 Jeep Cherokee revealed | All-new engine, refreshing new face

When the Jeep Cherokee made a return in late 2013 as a replacement for the boxy Jeep Liberty, reactions were mixed on the crossover's styling. Sure, all the Jeep hallmarks were there — seven-slot grille, squared fenders, etc. — but something seemed different, especially with that face. Well, the course has been corrected and at this week's Detroit Auto Show, the 2019 Jeep Cherokee shows off its much more conventional and conservative styling. This is just a mid-cycle refresh, so it doesn't look all that much different than the current KL Cherokee. Jeep ditched the split lighting on the current model, pushing the driving lights and headlights back together and in a much more traditional position. Unsurprisingly, its very similar to what you'll find on the current Jeep Grand Cherokee and Jeep Compass. In addition to the new LED headlamps, the driving lights and fog lamps get a new design. The rear end, too, gets a heavy redesign. The taillamps now have LED accents, though the overall shape is generally the same. A new tailgate now houses the license plate, making the Cherokee look less bottom heavy. Along the bottom, Overland models get chrome tow hooks while Trailhawk models get the now recognizable bright red hooks. The Trailhawk also gets a resculpted front bumper for a better approach angle on the trails. Other Trailhawk goodies include skid plates, bigger fender flares, an increased ride height and 17-inch wheels with off-road tires. There are five new wheel offerings in total, including a 19-inch design for the Overland trim. In contrast to the outside, the Cherokee's interior carries over nearly unchanged. From behind the wheel, you'd be hard pressed to spot a difference between the old and new. There are some new piano-black trim pieces around the infotainment screen and matte silver trim around the air vents and steering wheel. The center console does get a slight redesign, moving the USB port and 115-volt outlet rearward to create a bit more storage space. The biggest change is in the cargo area where three extra inches of width give the Cherokee 27 cubic feet of cargo space. Underneath the hood, you'll find one of three powertrains, including a new 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four. That engine joins the 271 horsepower 3.2-liter Pentastar V6 and the 180 horsepower 2.4-liter Tigershark inline-four. All three engines are paired with a refreshed nine-speed automatic sending power to either the front or all-four wheels.

Hendrick wants to put Jeep Wranglers back on the battlefield

The Jeep Wrangler could be headed back to the battlefield. According to reports, negotiations are currently under way with the US Army to adapt the iconical American off-roader for military use. The Wranglers would serve as inexpensive, lightweight, unarmored vehicles that could be more easily airlifted into remote locations than costlier, heavier, and bulkier options. The proposal is not being fielded by the Jeep brand itself or its parent company Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, but by Hendrick Dynamics. The Charlotte-based offshoot of NASCAR racing team Hendrick Motorsports calls its modified Wrangler the Hendrick Commando. Instead of the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 found in most US-market Wranglers, the Commando version employs the 2.8-liter diesel four built by VM Motori, modified to run on any type of diesel fuel or on JP-8 jet fuel to maximize its deployment versatility and comply with the Army's Single Fuel mandate of 2012. It would also support a variety of modular attachments for specific jobs, ranging from machine gun mounts and counter-mine rakes to radar arrays and advanced communications equipment. Hendrick says the Commando could also be deployed by helicopter or in cargo planes. And because it's based on a civilian platform, the Commando would also benefit from the latest advancements introduced by its manufacturer, the parts and service network already in place, and the thorough testing that's already gone into developing the Wrangler for civilian use. Hendrick has reportedly built 14 prototypes to date, including the two-door Commando 2 (based on the standard Wrangler), the four-door Commando 4 (based on the Wrangler Unlimited), and even a pickup conversion called the Commando S. It is not, however, the only company adapting Jeep Wranglers for military application. Israel-based Automotive Industries Ltd has been producing successive versions of the Wrangler-based Storm for use by the Israel Defense Forces and other militaries overseas since 1990. If the US Army awards the contract for the Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS) vehicle to Hendrick Dynamics, it would bring the iconic Jeep back to the battlefield where it got its start. The brand and its most prolific model trace their roots back to the Willys MB, launched in 1941 on contract from the US Army for deployment in World War II.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles recalls nearly 750k vehicles in two campaigns

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is recalling a total of 747,817 vehicles in the US in two separate campaigns recently added to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration database.
The first one covers about 434,581 units of the Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger, Challenger, Durango, and Jeep Grand Cherokee from the 2011-2014 model years with electric hydraulic power steering, the 3.6-liter V6 engine and a 160 amp alternator, according to FCA. In the affected vehicles, it's possible for the alternator to fail without warning and possibly cause the car to stall. According to the documentation submitted to NHTSA, the automaker began investigating the problem in August 2014 and has found possible evidence of one crash caused by the failures but no known injuries.
Customers will begin receiving notification about the recall next month, and obviously the repairs will be done at no cost to them.