Jeep Commander: Dunzo?
It really comes as no surprise that there's hot-and-heavy talk claiming the '09 model year will be the swan song of the Commander. It's had more sales incentives behind it than actual customers. And, for the last time, no, Jeep management, it's not appealing to Cherokee fans.
Auto Graphs
* Save the ball? We're talking about Union 76's easily recognizable logo; after the chain was bought by Conoco, the balls were dumped (we hate when that happens). But due to outcry, many are returning. For details and the petition, visit www.savethe76ball.com.
*According to legwork done by the Free Press, U.S. car and truck recalls were down 38 percent in 2006 (a total of 10.6 million vehicles were recalled). Those who hated 2006? Chrysler, Nissan, and Volkswagen.
* We've forgotten-what's the purpose of driving again? That's right, to be multitasking. New to make that feat easier is iLane, an eyes- and hands-free system (wait, that's what we thought driving now is) for checking e-mail while you're behind the wheel. It's from Intelligent Mechatronic Systems and should run about $700. Voice-based, it interacts with Bluetooth-enabled devices or smart phones.
* Los Angeles and San Francisco have the worst traffic jams of any American city. Duh.
Did You Know?
The U.S. Census Bureau coined the term "extreme commuting" back in 2003 for anyone who has a drive that's more than 90 minutes each way. That's what Tech Editor Hazel calls "the halfway mark."
Camp Jeep 2007
The annual party is down to just one event now: July 26-28, at the Oak Ridge Estate in Nelson County, Virginia (that's near Charlottesville). Camp Jeep is returning with endless four-wheeling, engineering roundtables, food, music, and all the Jeeps you can stomach. Tech tip: Not only is there just one stop on this tour but tix have been reduced by $100 from last year. Through March 31, it's $245 per vehicle; after, it's $295. Go to www.jeep.com/campjeep to register or whatever.