Jeep News & Rumors
*Is the electric Wrangler a go? Obama is big on electric vehicles, so if Chrysler's plans get approved--and Chrysler survives--we could be looking at one in 2014.
*Yes, Grand fans, there could be a hybrid-electric of that in 2013.
*Who knows, Patriot EV fans.
*Rocky Mountain editions of the Patriot, Liberty, and Grand are now available. Among the features shared will be 17-inch wheels, power sunroof, Uconnect 30-gig stereo, and freakish amounts of badging. The Grand Laredo and Patriot and Liberty Sport models got the treatment. Pricing is: Patriot, $19,765; Liberty, $25,355; and Grand, $32,825. There was a Rocky Mountain Wrangler in 2005.
*While GM has been restructuring the whereabouts of its high-performance division's employees, Chrysler is rumored to be leaving the SRT as is.
*A new roof-strength rating system has been created by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, and 12 small SUVs were the first to be subjected to it, including the Patriot. IIHS says for this test a metal plate is pushed against one side of the roof at a constant speed, and if the roof can withstand a force four times the vehicle's weight before reaching 5 inches of crush, it scores good (Jp translation: you still have your head intact). To be deemed acceptable (still recognizable mostly as your head), there's a minimum required strength-to-weight ratio of 3.25, while marginal (people think they remember your head from high school or somewhere) is 2.5. Below that equals poor (witness-protection head). So how'd the Patriot do? Head intact. There were two poors, in case you're curious: Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson.
*"Americans Still Buying Safe, Familiar Cars" was the title of the Forbes.com article, and the Wrangler got a shout-out: "A gain in Jeep Wrangler sales over the last year--a surprising 28.2 percent, given Chrysler's collapse--is also due to the strength of the Jeep brand."
Industry News
*June 1-11, Tread Lightly! will hold its second-annual charity auction on eBay, and there will be more than 175 products up for grabs, including stuff from BFGoodrich, Skyjacker, Hi-Lift, and Zone Offroad Products. A custom '07 Wrangler built by BDS Suspension will also be available for bidding.
*The liquidation of Crane Cams assets has begun.
*Sounds like the Duramax 4.5L V-8 diesel for GM's light-duty trucks is a done deal. As in, done--not gonna happen.
*Bought a Ford/Mercury/Lincoln but then got canned? The automaker that did not receive bailout cash will cover monthly payments up to $700 for a year. It runs until June 1. GM and Hyundai have offered similar so-you-lost-your-job-don't-panic programs.
*Speaking of lost jobs, GM's Rick Wagoner has said, "On [Friday, March 27] I was in Washington for a meeting with [Obama] Administration officials. In the course of that meeting, they requested that I `step aside' as CEO of GM, and so I have."
*According to CTV Toronto, Chrysler may not be able to continue operating in Canada without a bailout from Ottawa.
*Poison Spyder Customs has new owners: Larry and Cheri McRae. Former owners Clifton and AJ Slay will launch American Rock Rods and still offer Spyderlock beadlock wheels.
*A study by A.T. Kearney is predicting that more than half of the country's Tier 1 auto suppliers could file for bankruptcy in 2009.
*United Four Wheel Drive Associations (ufwda.org) has created the Million Voices campaign to drive new club membership, with discounted rates through June 30.
Auto Graphs
*Oregonlive.com is reporting that a Bellevue, Washington, man mailed in the payment for a speeding ticket...in small change...in a plastic bag...filled with urine.
*The Cash for Clunkers bill might be reborn. And vouchers worth $5,000 on new-vehicle purchases are being considered by Congress.
*Will the death of the Commander kill Chrysler for good? R.L. Polk & Co. has issued a report that says automakers pondering dumping a brand or model during a restructure could affect future decisions made by consumers--brand loyalty is at stake.
*Will Chicago use its redlight and surveillance cameras to find uninsured drivers? The city could bring in at least $200 mil per year if it decided to hunt via these methods, says the Chicago Sun-Times.
*Pothole repair, KFC style: KFC (the chicken artist formerly known as Kentucky Fried Chicken) is going to sponsor newly repaired potholes in up to five major cities in the U.S.; mayors have been asked to nominate cities. The Colonel and a road-repair crew started the project in Louisville; the four other cities will be chosen at random. The secret recipe? Nonpermanent street chalk.