To be frank, the Chicago auto show has limited importance as a venue for introducing new cars to the world through its press days. However, for regular folks visiting the show, it's probably the best in North America. For one, almost everything introduced at Los Angeles and Detroit is shown here in Chicago (not the NSX Concept, though). Then there's the sheer enormity of McCormick Place's two exhibit halls. This allows for a huge number of cars on the floor, with manufacturers capable of showcasing different trims of the same car.
There's also enough space inside for indoor ride-along events. Jeep usually puts one outside and Detroit is home to an environmentally friendly car ride-and-drive in the basement, but there are at least four opportunities for folks to experience what certain cars are like when actually moving. Toyota had a large area dubbed Toyota Monopoly Hybrid Ride Experience (I'm not sure why), while Chrysler alone had three different exhibits. The Jeep and Ram ones included a number of off-road impediments, while Chrysler, Dodge and Fiat had a stretch of road used to showcase an initial burst of acceleration, then braking. The latter actually looks as if you're going to be part of a crash test.
It all seems like good fun and adds something to the auto show experience. Journalists may be cold on Chicago, but car fans shouldn't be.
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Categories: Chicago Auto Show,Chrysler,Dodge,Fiat,Jeep,Ram,Toyota
There are a number of times when pre-production test mules look completely awesome. The 2014 Jeep Liberty mule we have here is one of those vehicles.
The next-generation Liberty will be a front-drive-based crossover (Dart/Chrysler 100 platform) but will have some off-road ability left in tact. Jeep knows they can't turn the Liberty into a completely on-road vehicle. That's where AWD and this lovely ride-height come into play. One of the test mules was spotted wearing Michigan ORV (off-road vehicle) plates.
Unfortunately, the production version of the 2014 Liberty will ditch this neo AMG Eagle Alfa body and replace it with something that looks "tough." We want it to stay like this. Maybe align the hood and paint the door, but otherwise, this.
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Categories: Alfa Romeo,Crossovers,Future Vehicles,Jeep
Ferrari F1 drivers Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso are the latest victims benefactors of the unholy profitable union of the Fiat and Chrysler empires. The Ferrari ambassadors were gifted the first two 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8s in Europe and they aren't just off-the-line ones, no, these have been tweaked by SRT.
The normal 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 comes with 470 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque 00 so do these. Instead of giving these two obviously unqualified characters (Seriously, race suits fully zipped in a garage? Amateurs...) more power, they gave them more style. First comes a coat of Rosso Corsa paint, a matte black grille, an offset driver's side stripe with white accent, carbon-fiber mirror caps and the Italian flag painted on the bottom of the rear spoiler. The special edition SRT8s are dropped 1.5 inches to give them a better stance on the standard 20-inch wheels. Inside we've got -- shocker -- red leather with yellow dials on the IP.
European delivers start for real in the summer.
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Categories: Celebrities,Ferrari,Jeep,SUVs,Tuners and Modifications
If you're a classic car nut, you've probably heard of Hagerty; the company is a leader in classic-car insurance and hosts the world's largest database of classic cars. Each year, the company publishes its Hagerty Hot List, a list that spotlights 10 new vehicles that its valuations experts see as having the best future collectability.
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Categories: Audi,Buick,Chevrolet,Dodge,Fiat,Ford,Jeep,Nissan,Porsche,Volkswagen
Those of you who are into murdered-out SUVs but aren't keen on aftermarket parts can rest a little easier now that Jeep will be building a Stealth Edition Jeep Grand Cherokee.
The special edition truck features a platinum-chrome grill, black gloss 20-inch wheels, black gloss grille surround, headlamp bezels and lift-gate light bar. It will be available in this lovely all-black scheme, or a slightly less awesome Deep Cherry red.
According to Chrysler, this concept has "production intent" but for that, they'll need a name and that's where you come in. Suggest a name for the new version of the Grand Cherokee over at Jeep's Name My Ride website and you could win one of your very own. Keep in mind, though, that this is a brand that likes names like Nitro, Shock, Avenger and Viper. Surely there are some American Gladiator names they haven't used. Lace? Sunny? Titan? Thunder? Storm? Hawk? Rebel?
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Categories: Concept Vehicles,Jeep,SUVs
Diesel SUV fans (with money to spend) have had some good news this week. First we had the confirmation from Porsche that a diesel Cayenne would come to the states next year and now we have news out of Detroit that soon the Jeep Grand Cherokee will be available in oil-burning trim.
Jeep is furthering its commitment in the US by building the new Jeep at the Jefferson North Assembly Plant in Detroit. This will add another 1,100 workers and help boost production of the Cherokee and the Durango.
Categories: Diesels,Jeep
Yes, everybody knows that the Jeep Wrangler is a wonderful choice if you're hoping to travel where the off-road path takes you. But the Wrangler -- for all its rustic, bare-bones charm -- may not be the most amenable companion during the five days of the week that you spend enduring tedious workday commutes and gridlocked city traffic.
That's where these four picks come in.
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Categories: Jeep,Land Rover,Nissan,Toyota
Got an extra $235,000 sitting around? Looking for a vehicle that will accelerate from 0-60 in about 3.1 seconds? Do you want that vehicle to have seating for more than 4 and weigh a lot?
God news! Hennessey Performance Engineering has the vehicle for you, the 2013 HPE800 Twin Turbo Jeep.
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Categories: Jeep,Tuners and Modifications
Wards auto has released its official list of the 10 Best Engines for 2012. A record seven feature direct injection and five engines feature turbo or supercharging. Wards made the decision after driving 36 different vehicles with 34 new or redesigned motors over 2 months. Scores are based on power, technology (think that slightly skews this towards DI/Turbo motors instead off something like, oh, the LS1?), observed fuel economy, noise, vibration and harshness. Vehicles must be priced below $55,000.
Full list after the jump. (Pretend you didn't see the spoiler photo above.)
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Categories: Audi,BMW,Buick,Car Tech,Chrysler,Ford,Hyundai,Infiniti,Jeep
These official pictures of the 2012 Jeep Wrangler Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 Edition just aren't as cool as the one spotted at the Woodward Dream cruise. There's just something not right about a silver jeep.
Beyond the color (you can order it in black instead of this silver), the 2012 Wrangler COD MW3 edition, which hits dealers in November, is based on the Rubicon and gets the new Pentastar V6. It will be available in two-door and Unlimited trim, and feature semi-gloss black Rubicon wheels with 32-inch tires, power dome hood and COD graphics on the fenders and spare tire. The winch-ready bumper, rock rails and tail lamp guards are optional through Mopar.
I've never been a fan of trendy collaborations, but this one is kind of cool....
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Categories: Jeep,Tuners and Modifications
Last year's Call of Duty Black Ops inspired Jeep threw on a few decals and gun metal wheels and called it a day. But it was a huge hit at auto shows and it looks as though Chrysler sold enough to take the second version a bit more serious. The guys at Sidequesting spotted the 2012 Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 Jeep, at the Woodward Dream Cruise in Detroit.
This special edition Jeep has an updated grille, mesh hood vents, new flat black wheels with a full size spare mounted on the rear and Call of Duty MW3 badges on the fenders. No word yet on pricing or availability, but we may find out more in a few weeks at the Call of Duty XP convention in Los Angeles.
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Categories: Jeep,Video Games
Let's get this straight: What we'll have in 2013 is a Maserati SUV built on a Jeep platform (that's share with / developed by Mercedes), with a Ferrari engine (either a V8 or a V12) that's built in America. (Aside: Now, not that I don't love Ferrari V12s, but part of what makes the Porsche SUV so good is, in part, due to the big, torquey motor. The Turbo does 516 at 2,250 -- The V12 in the FF makes 504 at 6,000.)
This is all still speculation at this point -- as it has the last time we ran this story -- but various news sources are quoting an unnamed source "close to the project" confirming that the contraption will be produced at Chrysler's Jefferson North Assembly Plant.
A concept of the Jeerperati (Jeep GrandTurismo? Jeep Grand Maserokee? What you got?) will be presented at the Frankfurt Auto show. Fingers crossed it looks better than the Kubang....
(Automotive News)
Categories: Jeep,Maserati
Inside Line tests hundreds of vehicles a year, but not every vehicle gets a full write-up. The numbers still tell a story, though, so we present "IL Track Tested." It's a quick rundown of all the data we collected at the track, along with comments direct from the test-drivers. Enjoy.
It doesn't really matter how close the 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 and the 2011 Porsche Cayenne Turbo are in terms of specs or performance. There's something just flat-out wrong with the way "Porsche vs. Jeep" sounds.
While we wrestle with the awkwardness of that statement, let's take a look at the specs. The 2012 Jeep SRT8 comes in with 470 horsepower from a 6.4-liter V8, it's got a five-speed automatic, weighs in at 5,256 pounds and costs $54,470 (base). On the other side of the fence is the 2011 Porsche Cayenne Turbo: 4.8-liter twin-turbo V8, 500 horsepower, eight-speed automatic, 5,112 pounds, $106,000 (base).
Each of these high-performance SUVs makes impressive power but take different routes to get there, and while the Jeep gained nearly 500 pounds in this generation, the Porsche managed to drop 400.
So how does the 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 stack up against the king of the hill?
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Categories: Jeep,Porsche,SUVs
The 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 was just launched to the press this week (read our first drive here) and already someone's managed to trick the computer into letting things like this happen.
In Track mode, the Jeep sends some 65 percent of its power to the rear wheels and, at certain times, 100 percent to just one rear wheel. That means there are computers are work thinking about power and when there are computers involved, there are hackers involved.
Cue Hot Rod Mag Live who snagged this footage from the launch of a 2012 SRT8 with "some very special software loaded into the ECU."
This is more of a must have for the Jeep than a skip shift eliminator is for every car with skip shift.
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Categories: Jeep,Miscellaneous
It seems that since the Jeep CJ-8 went away in the mid-eighties, people have wanted Jeep to come through and build a pickup. After all, Jeep people are outside people and outside people generally have to carry a lot of big, dirty stuff more frequently than they want to shove people into uncomfortable rear seats. Plus, they look awesome.
Well, Chrysler has finally, kind of , relented by providing the populace with a factory conversion kit called JK-8. It's available for the Wrangler Unlimited ($25,545)for an uninstalled price of $5,499. Included in the kit is a steel bed, inner and outer bedsides, sport bar extensions, Freedom panel assemblies, fiberglass hardtop and bulikhead and is shipped in an 82.25-inc by 62.25-inch by 30-inch Mopar stamped wooden crate!
The kit comes with a three-year/36,000 mile warranty that covers kit materials and, if put together at a Chrysler Group dealership, the workmanship.
Categories: Jeep,Trucks,Tuners and Modifications
It was with little fanfare that Jeep unveiled its new 2012 Grand Cherokee SRT8 at today's 2011 New York Auto Show. Not that the company isn't proud of the new high-performance model, which is in fact, the most powerful Jeep ever built. But the go-anywhere brand kept its act indoors this year, with the entire press conference taking place on the Chrysler show stand.
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Categories: Jeep,New York Auto Show,SUVs
Seriously, though. Don't do this. Yes, it's cool that you're racing an SUV worth less than one of this Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8's wheels, no, it's not cool to immediately pit the dude off the line. If someone can explain this, please do.
Ass.
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Categories: Jeep,Motorsports
![1985_porsche_911_r34_lt_310111_1600[1].jpg](http://blogs.insideline.com/straightline/assets_c/2011/04/1985_porsche_911_r34_lt_310111_1600[1]-thumb-717x477-83711.jpg)
http://www.insideline.com/porsche/911/1985-porsche-911-long-term-test.html
Kurt Niebuhr for Edmunds
Inside Line (and the internet come to think of it) runs thousands of photos a week of cool cars. These are our favorites.
If we missed any, let us know...
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Categories: Dodge,Jeep,McLaren,Motorcycles,Motorsports,Porsche
The annual Moab Easter Jeep Safari will be held this year from April 16 - 24 and feature, thanks to Chrysler and Mopar, some fairly awesome customized Jeep products. One of which you can build yourself in a weekend -- if you're fast.
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Categories: Jeep,SUVs,Trucks
The 2011 Chicago Auto Show is over (for the press), but IL's coverage is still trickling out on our Facebook page.
We know how much you love being redirected over to FB, but it's a good repository for items like this Jeep Wrangler Black Ops edition and other random photos (some of our favorites / least favorites) we decided not to devote an entire blog to.
You don't have to like us to view the galleries, though you're more than welcome to. (Do it!)
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Categories: Chicago Auto Show,Jeep,SUVs
![1985_porsche_911_r34_lt_310111_1600[1].jpg](http://blogs.insideline.com/straightline/assets/1985_porsche_911_r34_lt_310111_1600%5B1%5D.jpg)
