Euro Camp Jeep Biggest Ever
Some 800 European 4x4 enthusiasts driving more than 300 Jeeps converged on the Italian mountain town of La Thuile for a continental version of Camp Jeep. Like the Camps held here in the States, the Euro Camp offered a number of off-road and Jeep-themed events, ranging from trail driving and GPS navigation trials to roundtable presentations on topics including the latest developments in Jeep technology and off-road driving techniques. There was also a display of classic Jeep vehicles, a Jeep clothing and merchandise shop, sponsors' exhibitions, and live concerts.
In keeping with the Tread Lightly program, which Jeep actively promotes in Europe as well as in the U.S., 150 trees were planted by the Jeep owners to enhance the health and beauty of the area around La Thuile and to replace those that were destroyed in a recent avalanche.
Jeep owners were also able to view some of the make's latest models, including the restyled Grand Cherokee, the Wrangler Rubicon, and the Red River edition of the Cherokee (which is the name Jeep gave the Liberty outside of the U.S.).
This Just In...
*File this under "Duh." A report by Kelley Blue Book shows that half of minivan owners would rather be driving something else, primarily an SUV. Conversely, only 1 percent of SUV owners would rather own a minivan. Surprised?
*Toyota's first V-8 engines manufactured outside of Japan were produced at the company's Huntsville, Alabama, plant earlier this year. The facility will produce up to 120,000 engines for the Tundra pickup made in Indiana.
*GMC has set pricing for its new Envoy XUV (the one with the Midgate and sliding roof panel). Prices start at $31,890 for the SLE 4x2 model and run up to $38,715 for the uplevel Envoy XUV SLT 4x4. Those numbers don't include destination charges or options.
*In the wake of the recent Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) side-impact tests, in which the Jeep Wrangler earned a "marginal" rating, DaimlerChrysler's Chrysler Group responded by saying the Jeep "scored well in the majority of test categories" in the IIHS test. "While no one single test can determine a vehicle's overall safety performance, Chrysler Group looks forward to working with IIHS to better understand how this new test and rating scheme will relate to real-life accident scenarios," read the statement. "Our priority continues to be designing vehicles that perform safely for our customers and their families in everyday driving conditions."
*Just what we need-another high-line European carmaker jumping on the SUV bandwagon. This time it's Saab, which will offer a Chevy TrailBlazer- based SUV for 2005, reports Automotive News.
*Nissan is planning a major revamp of the Pathfinder compact sport/ute for 2005, says Automotive News. The next version of the truck will be based on the same platform that carries the Frontier pickup and Xterra SUV, and it will be assembled in Smyrna, Georgia, along with those other two trucks. The current Pathfinder is built in Japan.
*Land Rover will put four diesel-powered SUVs-two Range Rovers and two Freelanders-in its U.S. test fleet to demonstrate (for politicians, Ford employees, and the media) how well common-rail diesels work. This does not mean, says a Rover spokesman in Automotive News, that LR plans to offer diesels in U.S. models. OK, then why the demos, we ask?
*Though traditionalists still squawk about it, the Cayenne is doing what the factory wanted it to: sell Porsches. While sales of the 911 and Boxster sports cars have flagged, overall Porsche sales for the first three quarters of 2003 were up 13 percent because of the SUV.
*The Associated Press is reporting that Toyota's Land Cruiser has earned an unusual nickname in Iraq: the Monica, after the infamous White House intern. "They are a very tempting car," said dealer Marwan Shaban. "Just as Monica tempted Clinton, they will tempt you."