New Jeeps On The WayReports out of Detroit say Jeep will be adding two new models to its lineup within the next year or so. At the recent National Auto Dealers Association (NADA) convention, there was a Scrambler-style Wrangler on display, sitting a long wheelbase and sporting a 4-foot bed behind its two seats. It looked something like the American Expedition Wrangler Scrambler "Brute" (seen here) that was shown at last year's SEMA show, though the bed was an integral part of the body and not a separate box. The Scrambler at NADA also wasn't outfitted with the snorkel, winch, lights, and other accessories that American Expedition put on its Brute. Word has it that this new Scrambler will be on sale by summer 2004.
Also, Automotive News is reporting that there's an entry-level Jeep in the works, based on the Compass concept vehicle that was shown at the '01 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The magazine says the Compass will ride on a Liberty-based platform and will retail in the $15,000 range. So far there's no on-sale date known.
And The Winner Is...Volvo XC90As we mentioned last month, the Volvo XC90 was named North American Truck of the Year by a panel of American automotive journalists. The panel considered 15 new trucks before narrowing their list down to four finalists, which included the Honda Pilot, Hummer H2, Nissan Murano, and the winning XC90.
Panelists reacted favorably to Volvo's passenger-based, all-wheel-drive SUV in part because it presented new safety solutions for rollover accidents and compatibility on the road with smaller cars. These advantages are created by use of a steel reinforced roof structure and inflatable side curtains for all three rows of seats.
The XC90 is designed more as a secure, all-weather transporter that does not focus on off-road driving. However, the vehicle does offer 8.6 inches of ground clearance and a rear multilink suspension that assists in keeping driving wheels on the ground in uneven terrain.
A recent testdrive session allowed us to seamlessly transition from graded dirt roads, in some cases wet or eroded, to broken pavement and back to highway speeds without any need to consider operating mode. The XC90 has an extremely wide track for a vehicle of its size, and is very much in its element on curving, twisting, uneven roads.
This Just In...*A friend of ours out in the desert sent us a clipping that announced the Pentagon is sponsoring a Los Angeles-to-Las Vegas off-road race in February 2004, with a $1 million prize. The catch? It's for robots. "No manned, remote-controlled, or flying machines allowed."
*Ah-nold may drive Hummers, but the Terminator's taste is different. Toyota has struck a deal to provide vehicles for Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines. In next summer's blockbuster movie, Schwarzenegger will be wheeling a Tundra pickup, while his female nemesis pilots a Lexus SC 430.
*Concerned about the future availability of gasoline or potential changes in fuel economy regulations? Nissan is looking into alternate powerplants for its fullsize Titan pickup. An item in Automotive News reported that although the Japanese manufacturer is going ahead with its original plan to produce the Titan with a 5.6L V-8, a diesel and V-6 are being looked at as potential options.
*A big reason SUVs are getting such bad press lately is because their super-size dimensions and weight are blamed for killing other drivers and gulping too much fuel. Well, Ford has written a feasibility study that says a 40 percent weight reduction is achievable for an aluminum truck frame, one that will perform just like a steel frame. The study was presented to the SAE World Congress in Detroit.