Coolest Display Of Gratitude
Specialist (Spc.) Michael Gallagher from Fort Lewis, Washington, currently serving in Iraq, found quite a surprise in the package he received from Operation Gratitude earlier this year. The nonprofit organization that sends care packages and letters of support to troops deployed overseas personally delivered its 300,000th package, containing keys to an '08 Jeep Liberty, to a surprised Spc. Gallagher at Forward Operating Base Warhorse in Iraq.
Jeep donated the vehicle as an expression of gratitude to all the men and women currently serving with the U.S. military overseas. In addition to the Liberty keys, the package contained a letter from John Plecha, Director, Jeep Marketing and Global Communications, and other gifts from U.S. citizens and companies that generously support the operation.
Gallagher's name was chosen at random to receive the Operation Gratitude package. He'll take delivery of the Liberty when he returns to the U.S.
Chrysler To Build Trucks For Nissan
Is it possible that Nissan will turn to Chrysler for help in building a heavy-duty, diesel-powered pickup? It is if you read between the lines of a recent announcement from the two companies. Chrysler and Nissan have entered into an agreement in which each company will supply a vehicle for the other. Chrysler gets a small, fuel-efficient car based on the Nissan Versa platform to sell in South America, and in exchange Nissan will get a truck built at the Saltillo (Mexico) manufacturing facility for sale in North America.
No details about the truck were offered, other than that it will be "based on a Nissan unique design" and will go on sale in 2011. In the meantime, Chrysler will shift some of its pickup production volume to U.S. facilities to make room for the joint venture. This news broke just as we were going to press, so we hope to have more details next month.
Maximum Adventure Network Launched
Subscribers of DirecTV can now tune into the Maximum Adventure Network (MAN) for 24/7 "outdoors adventure-focused television," says the network. MAN targets viewers interested in hunting, fishing, ATVs, four-wheeling, boating, and other outdoor recreational activities, including extreme sports. After its DirecTV debut, MAN plans to announce further distribution later in the year.
This Just In
* Chrysler has confirmed it will sell a gas/electric hybrid version of the Dodge Ram pickup for the '10 model year. The truck will share the two-mode hybrid system that will appear in Dodge Durango SUVs next year.
* Hopefully Dodge will have better luck with its hybrid trucks than GM, whose hybrid SUVs aren't exactly setting the world on fire saleswise. Automotive News reports sales of just 655 Chevy Tahoe and GMC Yukon two-mode SUVs in the first quarter of 2008. Despite the sluggish start, GM is still hoping to sell between 8,000 and 12,000 of the hybrid SUVs during the model year. Price may be a factor in the slow sales start; the $50,000-plus starting price for the hybrid is $15,000 more than the conventional Tahoe's $35,000 base sticker.
* Toyota is offering to repair or even buy back '95-'00 Tacoma pickups with frames damaged by rust. Apparently the undercoating used on these trucks wasn't sufficient to protect the frames from snow and road salt. Toyota believes the number of affected trucks is small, but it will either repair frames with light damage or buy back the truck (if the damage is more severe) for 150 percent of Kelley Blue Book "excellent" value.
* Hummer's '09 H2 SUT will be the brand's first model with ethanol (E85) capability, the company announced recently. By the '10 model year, it will offer biofuel capability on all of its models.
Earth Watch
* Is Johnson Valley at risk of closure? Apparently, the Marine Corps is eyeing the popular Southern California OHV area as a means of expanding its Air Ground Combat Center located in nearby Twenty-Nine Palms. At least, it appeared that was the case when an "unofficial" copy of the Marines' proposal was posted on the AMA's District 37 Web site. However, the BLM, which owns and operates the area, has not seen any formal plans for the expansion; and ORBA, the Off-Road Business Association, was not able to reach a Marine official to confirm the plan. A subsequent town hall meeting at a local college was attended by politicians and BLM officials who told the more than 200 OHV enthusiasts in the audience that "the military was now acutely aware that Johnson Valley is an internationally recognized and world-class OHV recreation area." Congressman Duncan Hunter promised the group that he would meet with the Marine Corps to discuss this issue and see if a solution can be found, according to the BlueRibbon Coalition.