Auto Graphs
* You'll soon be seeing cell phones that can start vehicles remotely with one phone call. And it's not 911.
* A one-of-two Auto Union D-Type car will hit the auction block early 2007. It'll probably be the most expensive car sold at auction-and Hitler helped design it!
* Revengeisyellow.com offers fake parking tickets, such as "Well done. It must of taken years of practice to be that bad. Maybe if you let your guide dog park next time, you might only take up one space, or at least get it straight."
* GM Advanced Design has envisioned the Hummer 02, a vehicle that would produce oxygen.
* A guy in New Mexico bought a used car-and then found $28,000 worth of marijuana under the back seat.
* Easycar.com's World Driving Report 2006 claims the United States, Australia, and Canada are the favorite places to drive. South Africa, Portugal, and Italy are not.
Wrangler SRT6
Here's what we know: It'll have a supercharged version of the 4.0L V-6 from the Dodge Nitro R/T that will make 415 hp and 410 lb-ft of torque with 7.5 psi of boost. Underneath will be a Dana 44 frontend and a hybrid Dana 60 rearend (rumor has it Jeep has been working with Dynatrac to develop it). The suspension will be lowered to make it more racy for the street.
Industry News
* Superlift has put its latest three seasons of "Superlift's Off-Road Adventures" on DVD. Each box set has four discs (13 episodes each box, aka the entire season) and includes four-wheeling action, project builds, tech tips, and other stuff you'll probably want to see. Each season/box is $25. To buy or to read about the episodes, head to www.superlift.tv or call 800/551-4955. We're sure they'll enjoy going over each 13-episode season with you in full detail over the phone.
* Mopar Performance is working on a seven-speed automatic transmission that could first appear in the next Grand Cherokee redesign.
* Pull my finger? YES Essentials, the fabric used in Chrysler Group vehicles that's said to be resistant to everything from mildew to vomit, is taking yuck-removal to the next level. It's developing NO Essentials, which would be an air-filtration system of sorts. It would sense exterior or interior odors and automatically pump air freshener through the vehicle. Choices would be unscented, fir, or cherry vanilla.
Jeep News & Rumors
* Jeep will introduce a new color for the Wrangler in late 2007, Mud Bog. Think of it as dirt that's been Armor-All'd.
* We couldn't make this stuff up if we tried: Engineers at Jeep seem to be sticking with this whole "Trail Rated" thing. They're experimenting with giving MyGIG, the voice-activated nav and stereo system, some off-road features, such as allowing it to verbally shift into 4-Lo or engage lockers. MyDRIVE would be standard on Wranglers.
* The final Harry Potter book will include a character named Jeep, who will live in the mountains and terrorize the students at Hogwarts. He'll have giant round eyes and an oversized mouth like a grille. It's said that he'll be a nemesis of Lord Voldemort.
* Shhh...want employee pricing next time you're buying a Jeep? Before you sign anything, tell the salesman "Fords suck," then say "58692." It's inside info that you didn't hear here.
* The hills are alive with chatter. Gladiator. Hemi. 2009.