If you need any indication of how starved enthusiasts are for another real Jeep, surf the net and check out the postings and news items from the period in which a rugged Wrangler was snapped by a photographer. Turned out to be this, the military J8. It's a watered-down military Jeep, meaning it's not equipped to see hard-core combat (no front-line work). While it was built off the JK Unlimited platform, it does have a few notable differences, including a Dana 60/leaf springs rear, a heavy-duty bumper, and a 158hp, 2.8L, four-cylinder diesel engine hooked to a five-speed transmission. There's also a snorkel and air-intake system designed for fording water and functioning in sandstorms, and it's available as a two-door with a bed.
It's being produced by Chrysler but in Egypt for non-North American markets. Chrysler just announced the J8, which we find weird because it seems they've been selling it for a while. Could Chrysler be gauging interest . . . you know, in a future Jeep pickup? We're going to get our hands on a J8 soon for a testdrive, so wait on the edge of your love seat for more details!
Jan. 4, Tread Lightly! Tread Trainer Clinic #1, hosted by Badlands Off-Road Adventures, Hungry Valley SVRA, Gorman, California; 310/374-8047, www.4x4training.com
Jan. 5, Tread Lightly! Tread Trainer Clinic #2, hosted by Badlands Off-Road Adventures, Hungry Valley SVRA, Gorman, California; 310/374-8047, www.4x4training.com
Jan. 6, Rock Skills Clinic hosted by Badlands Off-Road Adventures, Calico, California; 310/374-8047, www.4x4training.com
Jan. 12, Beginning Off-Road 4x4 Skills Clinic, hosted by Badlands Off-Road Adventures, Hungry Valley SVRA, Gorman, California; 310/374-8047, www.4x4training.com
Jan. 13, 4WD Sand Driving Clinic, hosted by Badlands Off-Road Adventures, Oceano Dunes, Pismo, California; 310/374-8047, www.4x4training.com
Jan. 14-15, Getting Started Off-Road 4x4 Skills Clinic, hosted by Badlands Off-Road Adventures, Hungry Valley SVRA, Gorman, California; 310/374-8047, www.4x4training.com
Jan. 19-20, 10th Annual Superstition Mountain Run, San Diego 4 Wheelers, Superstition Mountain OHRA, California; www.sd4wheel.com
Jan. 19-20, Peach Cobbler Trail, hosted by Badlands Off-Road Adventures, Johnson Valley, Lucerne, California; 310/374-8047, www.4x4training.com
Jan. 21, Ruts & Ridges, hosted by Badlands Off-Road Adventures, Wrightwood, California; 310/374-8047, www.4x4training.com
Jan. 25, Winching Clinic, hosted by Badlands Off-Road Adventures, Ocotillo Wells, Borrego Springs, California; 310/374-8047, www.4x4training.com
Jan. 26-27, Getting Started Off-Road 4x4 Skills Clinic, hosted by Badlands Off-Road Adventures, Ocotillo Wells, Borrego Springs, California; 310/374-8047, www.4x4training.com
Want people to know about your club event? You have to tell them about it-but tell us first. Keep your info simple by following this format (seriously, we don't want or need more than this). Review the calendar listings here for further hand-holding. Feel free to also provide a high-resolution photo related to the event. Maybe we'll run it. Maybe we won't. Make it a minimum of 2 megapixels and in .eps or .tiff, or the maximum-quality jpeg. Just read all that to your camera, and it will know what to do.
* Name of event
* Name of host club
* Date of event
* Location of event (venue/trail, city, state)
* Web site or phone number you wanted listed in print
Keep in mind that if you don't follow this format, we'll list any phone number we find in what you submitted-so enjoy the calls from readers at 3 a.m. Editor Cappa does. You can snail mail info to Jp Magazine, Things to Do with Your Jeep, 6420 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048, or e-mail john.cappa@jpmagazine.com (make the subject line "Things To Do With Your Jeep").
* Here's something you don't see any day-Toyota is recalling floormats!
* The best excuse to spend $48,310 on a Dodge Ram? A free felt cowboy hat! Watch for the Resistol Edition of the 3500 come 2008 and know that "Buy a truck, get a hat" worked on someone. Don't point.
* Seattle's new street car line was supposedly going to be called South Lake Union Trolley. Now it's officially named South Lake Union Streetcar-that's SLUS. Imagine the acronym if they'd gone with the other.
* A new federal program will hand out $109 million to promote and enforce seatbelt use. Jp Magazine says, "Give a hoot-wear a seatbeloot." One million dollars made out to Jp, please! Oh, only states and territories are getting the financial action.
* The Guardian Unlimited reports that Saudi Arabian women are preparing to fight a ban on female drivers.
* Automakers are being required to provide head protection for side-impact crashes. Phase-in starts in 2009.