Just as the Jeeps of the Seventies lit up my imagination, the 2008 Wrangler Unlimited caught the attention of our boys and all of their friends. The big, chunky, mud terrain tires and the removable hard top were enough to get them going. The 3 piece hard top is wonderfully simple in design. The front panels can be removed or installed in under 3 minutes by one person, which is perfect for a spring afternoon drive home in Ontario. As The Garage is full of flotsam at the moment, we left the main section in place during our time with the Jeep but with the front sections off and all the windows open we felt at one with the outdoors.
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Popularity: 5%

Time machine:
A device for conveying a person or object into the past or the future.

As a kid, like many other boys I was drawn to the Jeep CJ. There was a guy down the street with a denim edition and it was just beyond cool. I mean, the roof & doors came off and it had a roll bar and big tires. If that wasn’t cool, what was?

That is what the Jeep brand was all about, was cool. The Jeep lifestyle was carefree and fun and so were the people who drove them. Over the years, the marketing folks at Jeep have been very careful to always have the core CJ/YJ/TJ that kept the brand true to the concept, even if some of the companion models weren’t quite so freedom inspiring. On the technical side, they always made sure that these core vehicles were off road worthy right from the showroom floor.
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Popularity: 8%

With vehicles, like many other things in life, one either gets it, or one doesn’t. JEEP is one of those polarizing brands that people either don’t understand or they love the brand concept so much that they are willing to look past a few flaws interesting character traits.

The first time I drove the full length Wrangler in the Rubicon flavor was at last year’s IMPA test days, when it flat out outperformed every other product on offer in the Pocono Mountains. Sure, Land Rover brought some pretty capable rides, but much of their prowess came by means of high tech trickery while the Rubicon did it all without electronic aids. That means there is less to let you down on the trail should you push things a bit too far.

Over the next week, we’ll be seeing how the Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon manages in the urban jungle. Are the BFG Mud Terrain tires livable? Is the ride rock crawler ride acceptable for a daily commute?

Of course, here in Ontario we had a hellish winter and were lucky to have warmth and sunshine over the last two weekends. Now that I have a vehicle with a removable roof, it is pouring rain! No matter though, we’ll be getting the Rubi out on the trails tomorrow to dirty it up a bit. All in the name of a great photo or two of course!

Popularity: 6%

Prior to picking up our 08 Jeep Liberty tester, I had spent 2 weeks driving a pair of Mopars that each boasted over 300 horsepower. In other words, I was on a bit of a horsepower high. As a result, my initial impression was that the Liberty was woefully under powered.

That really wasn’t a fair assessment, as the Liberty is a well appointed family hauler that is a capable off roader, not a luxo speed wagon. Once I got over my initial power shock, I quickly fell in love with the Liberty. With 210 horsepower, the 3.7 liter V6 pushes the Liberty along at an acceptable rate for most drivers. The V6 muscles out 235 ft/lbs of torque, which combines with the off road suspension to allow for a 5000 pound tow rating. This should be more than enough for most the weekend warrior who wants to tow a couple of snowmobiles or a light race car.
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Popularity: 6%

A few months back I had the opportunity to off road the new Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, the modern version of the Jeep icon. I was impressed not only with the Wrangler’s off road prowess, but with the way designers have incorporated the Jeep DNA into the package to give the truck an authentic look & feel. With the launch of the all new 2008 Jeep Liberty, the Jeep team has once again brought that evolutionary feel to the vehicle in a way that ensures this vehicle can’t be mistaken for anything but a Jeep.
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Popularity: 7%

With Hummer sales plunging into the abyss, showing a 22 percent decline this year, I guess GM figures that the only way to proceed is to downsize.
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Popularity: 13%

The previous generation Jeep Liberty didn’t really do much to stir this soul. It was Jeep’s baby and it looked the part, yet somehow it just didn’t seem to fit the bill. For 2008, Jeep needed to do something with the aging mommy wagon so they gave it a full redesign.
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Popularity: 5%

When the Detroit Auto Show rolls around in January, Chrysler hopes that three eco-concepts will warm up those cold visitors and journalists attending the show.

Jeep has a radical looking concept called the Renegade which will be featured at the show. This concept looks cool! As you can see just sketches, no photo’s yet.
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Popularity: 5%

Ah, to be a new car buyer in November! Scanning my virtual rolodex of industry info I see that now is an excellent time to purchase a car as many dealers start the process to move their leftovers off the shelves.

Edmonds.com says that some 2007 models are being sold for a generous 30% off their sticker price. The biggest discounts currently available are on the obvious gas guzzling SUV’S and pick-ups as buyers are staring at a possible $4 per gallon hit at the pumps in the near future. AutoData is reporting an 8% drop in domestic pick-ups for the year while the curve is even steeper in midsize SUV sales which have stumbled a double digit 14% in the same time period. Another segment collecting dust on dealer lots are large domestic sedans with petrol concerns also on buyer’s minds. Some of the best deals are currently on Chrysler products. For the second consecutive year a large amount of dust is accumulating on many models. Good deals can be had on the Chrysler Aspen and Jeep Commander. Out of the Chrysler realm the Isuzu Ascender is showing heavy discounts. European models seem to be moving. Only Saab has come forward to offer deep discounts.

Popularity: 5%

You don’t lose billions of dollars without putting a lot of thought behind it. Chrysler seemed to have had a solid plan in effect over the last few years that consist of manufacturing overlapping body doubles. Bob Nardelli is getting out one of his old Home Depot hammers to take another swing at the production line. The most likely candidates to enter the Cerberus crusher will come out of these twofers. Who shall live and who shall die?

One new crossover seems to already be DOA. The mysterious code named JZ49, Chrysler brand’s proposed version of the forthcoming Dodge Journey crossover may have already been cut. I guess the camouflage is really a body bag.

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Popularity: 8%