Lifted Wrangler on 2040-cars

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Jeep Wrangler Polar Edition coming to America

Jeep originally took the wraps off its Polar Edition Wrangler at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, and at the time, we figured this would be a Europe-only affair. (Perfectly fine, since we US customers haven't exactly been lacking special edition Wrangler models over the years.) But now, and as Jeep says, just in time for winter, the automaker has announced that the ice cold Wrangler will be hitting North American showrooms in November.
Based on the Wrangler Sahara model, the Polar Edition can be had in either two- or four-door body styles, with a unique Hydro Blue paint job as the featured color. (Buyers can also opt for less-special Billet Silver and Bright White hues.) Other exterior enhancements include a body-colored hardtop, 18-inch gloss black wheels, the Powerdome (power bulge) hood, and unique decals all around the body.
But the Polar Edition isn't just about some paint and stickers. Jeep has fitted this Wrangler with a Dana 30 front axle and Dan 44 rear axle, as well as the Trac-Lok anti-spin electronic rear differential. Like all US-spec Wranglers, the Polar Edition uses Jeep's 3.6-liter Pentastar V6, producing 285 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. Both a six-speed manual and five-speed automatic transmission are available.

Jeep pickup truck apparently will be named Jeep Gladiator

For months we — we, meaning the automotive world in general — have been operating under the assumption that the Jeep pickup truck would be named Scrambler. For those of us who always thought that sounded like a breakfast at Denny's, vindication: According to Jeep Scrambler Forum — yes, they were so sure, they named themselves that — the truck will carry a different name: Jeep Gladiator. Gladiator, we salute you. Jeep Scrambler Forum says it'll roll with the changes: "Stay tuned as we'll be making the switch to JeepGladiatorForum.com in the coming days (smiley face, thumbs up)." The discovery came when a forum "longtime trusted source" found a web page with the new name that went up momentarily on FCA's media site. No sense looking for it, it's not there now. But here's the screen grab: Gladiator is not new. It was the name, way back in 2005, for the Jeep pickup concept: View 5 Photos Could this still be a mistake, and Scrambler will stick? It seems more likely that this is it. One thing's for sure: We're so close to finding out, we can almost taste it. The truck has been testing everywhere, from the Rubicon Trail to the streets of Detroit and Auburn Hills, where it's pretty easy to see a camouflaged example on most any morning commute. The wait is almost over: The wraps will come off later this month at the L.A. Auto Show. So what do you think of Gladiator? Let the movie quotes fly ... Related Video:

Dodge and Jeep recalling 895k SUVs for possibility of headliner fires

Dodge and Jeep are announcing recalls of a total of 895,000 Durango and Grand Cherokee models worldwide from the 2011 through 2014 model years. There's a possibility that the wiring in the sun visor can short circuit and cause a fire. It specifically affects vehicles built between January 5, 2010, and December 11, 2013, and there are approximately 651,000 of them in the US, 45,700 in Canada, 23,000 in Mexico and 175,000 outside of North America.
Screws that fasten the sunvisor to the headliner may pierce wires in the visor, if the part has been removed or serviced, potentially causing a fire risk. If the wires short circuit, they could overheat and potentially combust. The automakers report three injuries caused by this defect, and according to the investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, "there may be a total of 52 unique fire incidents."
To fix the problem, Dodge and Jeep will inspect the vehicles for suspect wiring, and all of the models, whether damaged or not, will get a new sun visor spacer with a wire guide to stop the possibility of short circuits. According to the automakers' announcement, "this condition is not present in vehicles which have not had the headliner or vanity mirror serviced." They will notify affected owners, and repairs will begin in August.