Jeep News & Rumors
* The Internet is buzzing (Interbuzz?) that the first electric vehicle to come from Chrysler will be the Wrangler version we profiled in the Jan. '09 issue ("2010 Electric Jeep"). But we're hearing it won't be the Jeep.
* There's Interbuzzing that the redesigned Grand Cherokee will take styling cues from the '07 Trailhawk concept.
*There are hundreds of scenarios floating around about auto manufacturers' fate, including which one will merge with/buy which one. If GM absorbs Chrysler, are the Hemi and Cummins dead?
* The J8 Wrangler has gone into production at Arab American Vehicles' Cairo assembly plant. It'll be used for military and civilian government.
* Some parts of the Philippines are making the leap from diesel to electric jeepneys.
* Chrysler and ZF Friedrichshafen AG are partnering on an axle alliance, with three families of axles to be built at a new Michigan plant. The future Grand is rumored to be a recipient.
* Kelley Blue Book has given the '09 Wrangler a Best Resale Value Award in the SUV segment.
* Yahoo! Autos and Forbes.com ran a story reporting that Patriot sales are up 62 percent.
Quote Without Story
"Pretty girls are like cars that need a lot of oil."
From the dating-advice book How to Talk to Girls, written by nine-year-old Alec Greven
Employee Quote Without Story
"I like peas."Editor Cappa
Industry News
* Chrysler was named by G.I. Jobs as one of the Top 50 Military-Friendly Employers-the only automotive company to make the cut.
* Weld Racing is back in the wheel business after having its assets acquired from American Racing Equipment as part of a management buyout.
* Getrag Transmission had to put a double-clutch manufacturing plant that was near completion into bankruptcy due to Chrysler terminating a contract. This follows a suit filed by Chrysler in October that claimed Getrag misrepresented its ability to secure financing of the plant.
* Reader Mike Reid told us he works in a mine and that his crew received a shipment of custom-built Jeep clones, with a diesel engine, automatic transmission, and aluminum body. Turns out they are the Minecat UT99 from Industrial Fabrication and are built just for mining.
* Superlift won a Chrysler Design Excellence award for the Wounded Warrior Jeep. With $80,000 in modifications, it is a sweepstakes prize benefiting Wounded Warrior Project, which provides assistance to severely injured U.S. service people.
* Airwerksboosted.com is a site for getting the inside scoop on BorgWarner's AirWerks program, which is all about turbos
Auto Graphs
* Amosu Luxury is selling a diamond-encrusted key fob for the Lamborghini-about 2 carats' worth of crustation. It joins the Bentley version, which has less crust.
* Have a hanky? The Highway Trust Fund saw an eleven-month decline in U.S. driving-to the tune of $3 billion less in fiscal year 2008, because we drove 90 billion miles less than they wanted us to. This fund is the fed government's main source for financing highway, bridge, and transit projects, and gets most of its cash through federal gas tax receipts.
* Expect more than three million jobs to go poof if the automakers in the U.S. go bankrupt, with Michigan alone losing 400,000 jobs, according to the Economic Policy Institute. We're talking about people, not robots.
The State of the Auto Industry in Quotes
"The Jeep helped us win World War II. What has Wall Street actually done for you? Saving the Jeep-and Chrysler, GM and Ford-would be a symbol that America understands manufacturing is key to a strong economy and financially brawny workers."-Leo Gerard in an op-ed piece on Ourfuture.org
"I appreciate the opportunity to represent the one million people who depend on Chrysler for their livelihoods. Before I answer your questions regarding our loan request, let me state clearly why we're here: Chrysler requests a $7 billion loan to bridge the current financial crisis."
Chairman and CEO of Chrysler,Bob Nardelli, in front of the Senate Banking Committee
"If General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler get the bailout that their chief executives asked for yesterday, you can kiss the American automotive industry goodbye. It won't go overnight, but its demise will be virtually guaranteed. Without that bailout, Detroit will need to drastically restructure itself."former presidential candidate Mitt Romney in an op-ed piece in the New York Times
"While we take no satisfaction in loaning taxpayer money to these companies, we know it must be done. This is no blank check or blind hope."Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.
Hey, Guess What?
Volkswagen is the builder of the 2.0L four-cylinder turbodiesel found in the Patriot and Compass outside of North America.
Things to Do With Your Jeep
March 12-14, Stillwaters Ranch St. Patrick's Day Run, (all-vehicles event) hosted by Austin Jeep Exclusive, Stillwaters Ranch, Llano, TX, austinjeepexclusive.com
March 19-22, 10th Annual Desert Run hosted by Sidewinders 4 Wheelers, Lake Havasu, AZ, sidewinders4wheelers.comMarch 21, Election Run hosted by Lone Star Jeep Club, Barnwell Mountain Recreation Area, Gilmer, TX
April 17-19, 32nd Annual 4x4 Jamboree hosted by Arizona State Association of 4WD Clubs, Florence, AZ, az4wdjamboree.com
April 26, 19th Annual Pacific Coast Dream Machines Show hosted by Miramar Events, Half-Moon Bay, CA, miramareevnets.co
June 18-20, Stillwaters Ranch -Father's Day Weekend run (all-vehicles event) hosted by Austin Jeep Exclusive, Stillwaters Ranch, Llano, TX, austinjeepexclusive.com
June 19-21, 12th Annual Big Bear Forest Fest hosted by Inland Empire 4 Wheelers, San Bernardino National Forest, CA, ie4w.com
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