Rally Fighter Coming In 2010
The Rally Fighter from Local Motors is a high-tech desert buggy you don't just buy-you can also help build it. Local Motors' concept is unique: A group of likeminded enthusiasts came together with ideas for a vehicle, which was then designed by group member Sangho Kim. His Rally Fighter will be built in a microfactory in Phoenix, one of many microfactories Local Motors hopes to set up around the country. Anyone buying a Rally Fighter is invited to help the professionals at the microfactory build the car.inline_mediumwraptextright26925493/features/drivelines/131_0912_december_2009_4x4_truck_auto_news131_0912_01_z+december_2009_4x4_news+2010_rally_fighter.jpgTrue

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JeepSpeed News
JeepSpeed's organizers are happy to report that despite tough economic times the Jeep racing class is going strong in 2009. New teams have joined the series during its first three races, and still more vehicles are under construction. Some of the new race Jeeps include six-cylinder models that compete in the JeepSpeed Challenge, which is open to any six-cylinder Jeep up to 4.0L in displacement. Chuck Harvey (in the No. 1753 Wrangler) is among the top 10 racers in the Challenge points battle.

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Bankruptcy: The Aftermath
History is literally being written daily as America's auto industry tries to survive the current economic crisis. As a monthly magazine, we can't hope to bring you fresh updates on what's happening at Chrysler or GM because of print lead times-you're reading this about three months after we wrote it. However, what we can do is bring you updates from a 4WD-centric point of view, which is often left out of the daily news.

Reader Rant
No Nimrods?
Reader: This is in response to Rob Bukacek's "Questionable Photos" letter in the In Box section of your June '09 issue. (Please read the following letter with humor, as that is the intention!)

2010 Land Rover, Range Rover debut
Bankruptcy filings and division closings may get all the headlines, but it's important to remember that the entire automotive industry is not going down the tubes. Case in point: Land Rover. Now owned by India's Tata Motors, the venerable British brand has revised its Land Rover LR4, Range Rover, and Range Rover Sport for 2010 with new running gear and freshened styling.

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All-New Grand Cherokee
In the past a headline like this would have generated a lot of excitement around our offices. We have been big fans of Jeep's Grand Cherokee, awarding it our 4x4 of the Year trophy just about every time it entered the competition. This time, though, any excitement has been tempered by a healthy dose of skepticism. We're not worried that beleaguered Chrysler may go under before this '11 model is introduced (though there is that terrifying possibility). No, what has us shaking our heads are some of the big changes Jeep is introducing to the Grand.

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New Polaris Limited-Edition Models
Polaris has introduced some limited-edition ATV and side-by-side models for the spring. The new ATVs include a Tequila Gold-colored Sportsman 850 XP that's outfitted with Polaris' electronic power steering, PIAA lights, and a winch. Among the new side-by-sides are a Browning Edition of the Ranger XP with gun scabbards, a Warn winch, and special Browning insignia on the bodywork and upholstery. We'll spare you pictures of the Passion Pink Ranger RZR. And no, we're not making that up. It is for "that special lady in your life," says Polaris.

April Rollovers
Reader: I have one for the "Be Aware" archive. Great rollover articles this month (Apr. '09), but I spotted something on page 32, the Power Tank. I doubt the little handle/rollbar on the tank is designed to protect the valve from the weight of the truck. So "be aware" when mounting them to keep the valve in the rollcage-protected area of the vehicle, just like the passengers. While rapidly venting all the C02 will always be inconvenient, if the tank gets loose it can also cause bodily injury.

2010 HD Rams Revealed
At the Chicago Auto Show, Dodge unveiled the latest arrows in its truck quiver: revised versions of the 2500 and 3500 Ram Heavy Duty pickups. The new HD trucks share some of the styling changes first seen on the light-duties-including the addition of a Crew Cab model to replace the Mega Cab/shortbed-but the HD's bigger grilles and taller hoods set them apart from the half-tons.

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2010 Jeep Cherokee Spied
With all the bad news coming out of Detroit at the start of the new year, it was good to see that Chrysler was still moving ahead with some new Jeep product. According to Brenda Priddy, the SUV her shooter captured in full camo is the '10 Cherokee. Code-named WL, the new Cherokee rides on an all-new platform that will also appear under the next-generation Dodge Durango and Mercedes ML. This platform was intended as the basis for the new Commander, but when that vehicle was killed, it became the new Cherokee.

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You have just emerged unscathed from a roll in your 4x4. Depending on the severity of the rollover, you might have reduced your beloved machine to a crumpled wreck of plastic and metal or it might live to wheel another day. There's nothing more intriguing than a good battle scar, a dramatic tale, and a cool web video of the carnage. But first you have to get back home. Maybe your vehicle lazily flopped on its side and only needs to be righted to finish the trip, or maybe it will require hours of jerry-rigging. Either way, you have to get it off the trail. Driving it off the trail is far better than dragging it.

We've all seen the rollover videos on the Internet. Someone rolls his rig 14 times, and when the vehicle comes to a stop, the driver jumps out and does the moonwalk. While these little snippets of web action are entertaining, they are far from reality. Every year off-road enthusiasts are injured-some fatally-when their trail adventure suddenly turns to disaster.

We've all heard it before: If you have it, you won't need it, but if you don't have it, you'll definitely need it. This is especially true when it comes to recovery gear. There is a wide spectrum of recovery tools available, from straps and jacks to winches and welders. We've seen them all help get 4x4s out of a jam and on down the trail, and every year there are some new products for the market.

We Drive The Electric Jeep
Late last year we spent some time in Jeep's electric vehicle (EV) prototype while it was in Los Angeles for the annual Auto Show. To be honest, the drive was something of a letdown-no dirt, just around cones in a parking lot.

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Elsewhere in this issue, Fred Williams will tell you about the hottest new 4x4 accessories he found at the annual SEMA Show in Las Vegas. Drivelines was at SEMA, too, and here are some of the cool trucks and other stuff we spotted there.

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The phrase "they don't make 'em like they used to" is all too true. Maybe it's the bold and simplistic styling or the bulletproof factory drivetrain, but there's just something about the '70s Ford trucks that makes them timeless marvels. Piloting this '73 Ford F-350 is Rob Espinoza, an off-road technician from Randy's Off Road in Azusa, California. With the truck built for powering through endless mud pits, this classic bogger has played double duty as his weekend wheeler and daily driver since his high school days. Though high gas prices and the perpetual evolution of the build have convinced Rob that a more mild-mannered daily driver would be a good investment, he continues to hold strong and keep this big brute trailer-free. Though it's basic by today's high-zoot standards, we really dig the simplicity. Having everything you need and nothing you don't. Sometimes just taking a look back at the classic iron that once ruled the road can give you that bit of old-school inspiration you've been looking for.

Electric Jeep?
It looks like Chrysler is jumping into the electric vehicle (EV) market with both feet. Late in the fall the company unveiled three EV prototypes-a minivan, a sports car, and a Jeep-and said one of the three would go into production for North America in 2010. No hints were given as to which vehicle would get the nod. Chrysler will also put a fleet of 100 EVs on the road next year to test the powertrains.