photographer: Brenda Priddy & Co.
Sketched! New Jeep Patriot & Compass RallyeWe've been updating you periodically on the "car-based" Jeeps that will be coming out in the next year or so. Now DaimlerChrysler has released two concept vehicles (as in "thinly disguised production models"), the Patriot and Compass Rallye. DCX describes these vehicles as "compact Jeep 4x4s that would deliver fun, freedom, utility, capability, as well as the potential for exceptional fuel economy and interior flexibility-all at a great value."
Of the two, the Patriot (code-named MK74 according to Automotive News) is the rough-and-tumble one. It bears a close resemblance to the Grand Cherokee and other Jeep SUVs, plus the factory claims "all-new Jeep off-road technology would ensure Patriot could be a Jeep Trail Rated 4x4." That "could be" has us a bit worried. It sounds like Jeep isn't too sure that a front-wheel-drive next-generation-Neon-based AWD traction system would cut it on the Rubicon.
With its hunkered-down stance, the Compass (MK49) looks destined for pavement performance. The press release seems to reinforce that, using such phrases as "targets new buyers who might not have previously considered the brand."
Both vehicles made their debut at the Frankfurt International Motor Show in September (about a month before our press deadline). We'll have actual photos of these concepts and some concrete info about engines, drivelines, and such next month.
Spied! Wrangler four-DoorRumor has it the Wrangler will be restyled for the '07 model year, and a four-door model will be added as part of the revamp. Here's a sneak peek at that four-door Wrangler, captured during rigorous drive-thru restaurant testing in the Midwest. The spies who caught the Jeep said it will be "loosely" based on the Jeep Rescue concept, though not quite as big. It's certainly possible-the shape of the greenhouse and the general proportions do look similar.
Jeep execs quoted in trade publications have indicated that the Wrangler will remain a body-on-frame, off-road-oriented vehicle, to differentiate the new four-door model from the more carlike Liberty. We aren't as happy to hear, though, that the 4.0L inline six may be replaced with the Liberty's 3.7L V-6. Yes, on paper it's more powerful, but it just doesn't have the grunt of the 'liner. Now, if only Jeep were to put the Liberty's diesel in the Wrangler. Can you say, "295 lb-ft of torque at 1,800 rpm"?
Rumored! Other Jeep PlansIn addition to everything else we've told you about, we can expect these changes and additions to the Jeep lineup in the coming years, according to a new-product roundup in Automotive News:
Gladiator: A decision to build a pickup is coming by year's end. Should a production-based Gladiator (or some other design) get the green light, expect it by '08 or '09.
Grand Cherokee: A diesel engine is likely; it will be restyled (again) in '08 or '09.
Liberty: Gets a full reworking for '08. Don't hold your breath hoping for more off-road capability, but anything's possible.
Choreographed! Jeep Owners Make FlagWhat you're looking at are 140 Jeeps forming Old Glory at Camp Jeep in the Pocono Mountains, to promote the National Anthem Project, a national effort (of which Jeep is a sponsor) to reteach Americans the words to "The Star-Spangled Banner."
We were shocked to read that two out of three Americans do not know the words to the national anthem, according to a Harris Poll survey. We know four out of five celebrities can't sing the thing worth a damn, but we had no idea so few other Americans knew the words. OK, pop quiz time. Do you know how the song goes? We've printed some of the lyrics on page 28.
Rocked! Authentic Jeep AccessoriesThe Mopar accessories line now includes an authentic (as in "from the factory") Off-Road Enthusiast Package for the Wrangler that includes Off-Road front and rear bumpers, rock rails, corner guards, skidplates, and winches. The bumpers, skidplates, and rails feature an electrocoat and powdercoat black finish to meet Jeep's corrosion standards. The front bumper has been tested to work with the factory airbag system, while the rear bumper will clear the factory tow hook and all Mopar tow hitches. The rails are designed to mount at the same points as the Rubicon's rails, making installation a simple bolt-on. Skidplates are available to cover the engine and transmission oil pans, and there's one for the steering box too. Regarding the winches, Mopar already offered the Warn 9000i; a 9,500-pound-capacity Warn winch is being added to the line, with low-profile winches to follow. For more info, log on to www.mopar.com.
Former Magazine Guy Now Cool TV StarIt doesn't seem all that long ago when Trent McGee was a young pup hired as a staff writer for our now-defunct sister magazine 4x4 Power. McGee's still a young pup, but now he's also the host of cable TV's hit show Superlift's Off-Road Adventures, which is in its fifth season on The Outdoor Channel. The show mixes 4x4 adventures with how-tos on performance parts installations. A new feature, called Weekend Warrior, offers a free set of shocks to viewers who submit the wildest home videos of off-road action. Check the Web site (www.superlifttv.com) for episode summaries and more show info.
New West Coast Land Rover SchoolLand Rover has opened another one of its luxe driving schools, this time in a location that's easier for left-coast owners to reach. The latest Land Rover Experience Driving School is at the Quail Lodge in Carmel Valley, near Monterey, California. As with LR's other schools (at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina and the Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello, near Montreal, Canada), participants take part in driving instruction around the grounds of the hotel (using LR3s, Range Rover Sports, and Range Rovers) and then enjoy the first-class accommodations at the resort. Classes range from one-hour sessions designed to introduce off-road driving techniques to half- and full-day programs with instruction "by a cadre of the most knowledgeable and experienced Land Rover-trained off-road driving instructors," according to LR. Ready to book your reservation? Log on to www.landroverusa.com/drivingschools, or call 800.239.0533.
Off-Road Hall of Fame Adds SixSix pioneers of desert racing and off-road recreation were recently inducted into the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame in Reno, Nevada. This year's honorees include (from left in the photo on page 28):
Larry Minor, sand-drag-racing legend and codriver with Rod Hall when the pair won the first NORRA Mexican 1000 in 1967
Rodney Hall, the winningest driver in off-road racing and the only racer to have competed in every Baja 1000 since its start in 1967
Roy Spuhler, an early advocate of safety in the sand, credited with the idea of mounting flags on vehicles so they could be seen in the dunes
Akton "Ak" Miller, pioneering hot rodder, land-speed record holder, and desert racer
Edward Waldheim, motorcycle racer, CORVA president and tireless land-use advocate for OHVers
Scott McKenzie (not pictured), who pioneered such now-common sand-sport fixtures as the VW-powered buggy, the single-seat buggy, and turning brakes on a buggy
Honda Tackles BajaHoping to quash talk that its Ridgeline pickup is not a "real" truck, Honda has commissioned a team of desert-racing experts to build and race one in the upcoming Baja 1000. It won't be a Trophy Truck; that would defeat the purpose of the exercise. No, Honda wants to run-and finish-the 1000 in SCORE's Stock Mini class, to show that the Ridgeline has the goods right off the showroom floor.
Leading the effort is Gavin Skilton (son of Jeepspeed founder Clive Skilton) and his California Race & Rally team.
Because the Stock Mini class rules are so restrictive, the Ridgeline will race with much of its stock equipment intact. The cockpit will be modified for safety equipment, the chassis and suspension beefed for durability, the ride height altered to clear 32-inch BFGs, and that's about it. The driveline remains essentially stock, as do the brakes and most of the sheetmetal. Skilton characterizes the modifications as "enhancing an already good vehicle," to help it survive Baja punishment. We'll keep you posted.
The Star-Spangled Banner (first verse)O say, can you see, by the dawn's early light,What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight's last gleaming?Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro' the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watch'd, were so gallantly streaming?And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,Gave proof thro' the night that our flag was still there.
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?-Francis Scott Key, 1814Lyrics courtesy Information Please Database
This Just InnMore Plans: Industry trade magazine Automotive News recently published a series of articles about upcoming products from domestic and import manufacturers. Along with the future Jeep info we've already shared with you, here are a few more tidbits. Dodge: Expect a Liberty-based compact SUV in '07 and a freshened Durango in '08. A hybrid powertrain is also in the offing for Durango. Ford: A redesigned Expedition, including the stretched, Suburban-fighting Expedition Max, is due in '07, along with a revamp of Super Duty trucks. The next F-150 revision is planned for '09, but it won't be until '10 before we see a new Ranger. Nissan: A heavy-duty version of the Titan pickup is on the way, scheduled to arrive in '07 or '08. Toyota: Tundra will be redesigned for '07 to be a "true competitor" to the F-150, says the magazine. A heavy-duty version, possibly assembled by Hino, is due in '09. Lexus: The same platform that will underpin the new Tundra will also provide the basis for a body-on-frame Lexus SUV, code named the JX. It will replace the current LX.
"Take rate" is auto industry jargon for how many customers choose a particular trim level or option for a given vehicle. Chrysler is reporting that the take rate for the Hemi engine is highest among Durango buyers (52 percent), closely followed by the Ram 1500 buyers at 49 percent. Buyers of heavy-duty Rams and Grand Cherokees aren't as enthralled by the Hemi; take rates for those are at 14 and 19 percent, respectively.
Environmental & Political WatchA U.S. Forest Service report (passed on to us by SEMA) recently confirmed what a lot of you already know: Off-highway vehicle (OHV) recreation is on the rise. According to the report, estimated OHV ridership has increased from 36 million in 1999-2000 to 51 million users in 2003-2004. According to the latest figures, 23.8 percent of Americans age 16 and older had participated one or more times in OHV recreation in 2004. Why is this important? The Service is currently finalizing plans to manage OHV use on its land, and SEMA has recommended that the department recognize and designate uninventoried routes or "user-created" trails that came into existence during "open" management of these areas, noting that these routes serve a legitimate need and do not pose an environmental threat. In some cases, these uninventoried routes may even be more environmentally friendly and provide a better overall access solution than their inventoried counterparts.
The United States Senate passed two bills to create wilderness areas (banning OHV use within them) in Washington State and Northern California, SEMA reports. For the third time in three years, the Senate voted to create the 106,000-acre Wild Sky Wilderness (S. 152) in Washington's Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. The bill has previously died in the House. The Senate also passed legislation (S. 128) to designate as wilderness 300,000 acres in Northern California's Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, and Napa counties. Under guidelines established last year, any legislation to create federal wilderness areas must have broad local support before it will be considered. A House Resources subcommittee recently heard conflicting testimony from local residents about the merits of the Northern California bill, along with calls for the compromise backcountry designation. It is unclear when or if the House Resources Committee will take up the two Senate bills.
coolest reading places in UniformI love reading your mag every month. I just purchased an '84 Blazer sight-unseen from one of my buddies over here, and was reading your article about installing a 205 with the 203 gear reduction box. I think I will try it out when I finally get out of here. Anyhow, I thought I would send you a pic of me and a friend taking our UH-60 and a Hummer and doing a little off-roading back in Alaska, training for our deployment to Iraq.Thanks,Chief Warrant OfficerNyle HarrisonU.S. Army
Thanks for the cool photo. Can we ask, though, why the heck they trained you in Alaska for a deployment in the desert?