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Jeeps could soon be built in India
Filed under: SUVs, Plants/Manufacturing, Jeep, India 
No other brand is as patriotic as Jeep, boasting the WWII-era General Purpose military vehicle that helped win the war for the Allies. As it stands, current Jeeps are all U.S. made, with the Grand Cherokee and Commander hailing from the Detroit area, the Wrangler and Liberty being assembled in Toledo, Ohio and the Patriot and Compass coming from Illinois. That all seems set to change, though, as rumors swirl regarding India's Argentum Motors being tapped to build some of the SUVs abroad. Before everyone gets too upset, consider that Jeeps have been built in many other countries in the past, with even the classic Wrangler coming from Canada for a time. What this means for American jobs, though, we don't know. Colonel Bhagwati Prasad Suman from Argentum Motors suggests that any automaker building vehicles in India will save at least 15-percent in costs as compared to the United States. This being the case, we wouldn't be at all shocked if the rumors were true and if more such announcements were made in the future.
[Source: Carscoop]Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Chinese clone wars: "Jeepzter" Hurricane replica
Filed under: Concept Cars, SUVs, China, Etc., Jeep 
Click above for high-res gallery of the Chinese Jeep Hurricane clone
We've seen before how companies in China can take a radical concept design never meant for mass production, modify it a bit and offer it for sale. The latest evidence of such activity can be seen in the Jeepzter. Ostensibly a replica of the Jeep Hurricane concept from 2005, the Chinese replica does away with the dual 5.7L HEMI V8 engines for a single 650cc unit. That lone powerplant sits up front and powers the rear wheels, not all four like the concept. Of course, it goes without saying that the ridiculous turning ratio of the Hurricane has been lost in transformation, as well.
In reality, what we have here is a normal run-of-the-mill off-road utility vehicle with a plastic body cribbed from the classic Jeep concept. We're a bit fuzzy on how this sucker is "street legal" as claimed in the Craigslist ad, so we'd definitely check with your local authorities before actually making a purchase. If you just want to have a Jeep Hurricane-looking thing sitting in your garage, though, now is your chance. Thanks for the tip, toddo!
[Source: Craigslist]Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Jeep CJ-7 turned General Lee violates natural order of things
Filed under: Time Warp, Auction Action, Etc., Jeep, Celebrities 
There are fantastic combinations, like bacon and, well, just about anything, and then there are things that should never be combined. Jeep CJ-7s are super iconic, and they represent the pinnacle of AMC's stewardship of the brand. Though the Dukes of Hazzard itself was no Citizen Kane, every kid of that era has indelible images of an orange Charger flying through the air etched in their memories. Again, General Lee: cool. Put them together; ignoring the fact that a proper "Dukes"-themed CJ would mirror the Golden Eagle edition that appeared in the show; and you have created that which should never be. The "01" treatment has been applied to some very odd vehicles the world over, though, so we suppose that a General Lee-themed CJ isn't so bad in the long run. At least both elements appeared in the original show...
[Source: Hemmings]Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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When is a Ram not a Dodge? When it's a Pink Jeep
Filed under: Trucks/Pickups, Etc., Dodge, Jeep 
Click above for high-res gallery of the Pink Jeeps Ram 3500
To anyone who's spent any time in the vast desert stretches of the southwestern United States, lifted and stretched Pink Jeeps are likely a familiar sight. The company has been around for nearly 50 years taking passengers across very rough stretches of land where pavement is but a distant memory. Ask anybody what it's like to ride for a few hours in a highly-modified Jeep Wrangler and you could hear a few shocking expletives. So, when Pink Jeep Tours needed another vehicle that was capable of moving lots of people and gear over great distances, a Jeep didn't quite seem to fit.
So, how do you out-Jeep a Jeep? You don't, but you can always try a Dodge Ram 3500 with its 6.7-liter Cummins turbo-diesel engine. To make it resemble one of its Jeeps, Pink Jeeps hired Prefix Corporation to add a classic seven-slot grille -- completely approved and licensed by Chrysler no less -- along with the requisite Pepto-like hue. A lift-kit, air suspension, 35-inch tires and a luxurious (by Wrangler standards anyway) interior with reclining leather captains chairs, 15-inch LCD screens with DVD players, and foam insulated side walls to keep the cool air inside completed the transformation. Jeep purists need not worry, there's still no better way to explore the outdoors than in an open-air Wrangler, but when a bit more comfort is needed, you can always slap a slotted-grille on a Ram.
[Source: The Detroit News]Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Paris Preview: Chrysler to unveil 25th Anniversary minivan, Jeep Compass Overland
Filed under: Minivans/MPVs, Paris Motor Show, Crossovers/CUVs, Chrysler, LLC., Jeep 
Click above for more high-res shots of the Jeep Compass Overland
We already took a look at MOPAR's first concept due to be displayed at the Paris Motor Show next week, and it turns out that it has a twin. This one is based on the unloved Compass mini 'ute and reuses the Overland moniker that's been popular with the Jeep brand, once owned by Willys-Overland. It's painted in a classically-Jeep dark green color that covers almost the entire exterior, minus some silver accent panels on the sides (why?) and a mesh grille that's actually kind of cool. On the inside, it's been tarted-up with new sill plates and seats with stitched-in Overland logos.
The last (and least?) vehicle Chrysler is set to show off in Paris is a 25th Anniversary Chrysler Grand Voyager, which has French-stitched leather seating surfaces and "Blackwood accents." Outside are 17-inch rims, chrome trim and special badges. All in all, pretty mundane stuff. Oddly, nobody ever asks us for our opinions. If they did, we'd tell them they could leave these two at home. Chrysler has issued a press release detailing everything it's bringing to Paris, see it after the break.
[Source: Chrysler]Continue reading Paris Preview: Chrysler to unveil 25th Anniversary minivan, Jeep Compass Overland Permalink | Email this | Comments
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