Jeep Wrangler News

When even the toughest standard Jeeps just aren't hardcore enough, there's only one thing to do. Get Starwood Motors on the blower from Dallas and have them build you something that can conquer not only the worst this planet can throw at you, but likely turn alien terrain into toast as well. Starwood is famed for building some of the most extreme Jeep Wranglers around, and this was our pick for toughest vehicle of 2013: the Full Metal Jacket JK Wrangler Unlimited. It's powered by Chrysler's Pentastar 3.6-litre V6 engine that pushes out 213kW of power and 259Nm of torque -- getting the Full Metal Jacket Jeep to 100km/h in an admirable 8.4 seconds. Watch the Full Metal Jacket Jeep video But that's the start of the heavily modded Wrangler, which also sports a special 4700PSI tensile strength kevlar coating -- letting it shrug off even the worst of dirt, sand, water or salt -- plus an uprated suspension system that Starwood says makes it ride like a luxury car. Also watch: Jeep Wrangler Call Of Duty Edition The parts lists includes special coil over shocks, axles, gears, fenders, bumpers and winch, plus removable roof and doors -- in case you want to go from full metal to full monty. Also watch: Jeep Cherokee torture test video But creature comforts haven't been forgotten. The interior gets Procar leather and alcantara seats, kevlar-lined floors, and a Kenwood touchscreen nav system and DVD player, iPod and USB integration and satellite radio for the outer limits of civilisation. This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott  

Jeep has released a new dragon-themed special edition of its Wrangler Unlimited Overland off-roader, wearing the apt label of Wrangler Dragon. Following on from the Wrangler Rubicon 10th Anniversary limited edition from earlier this year, the Wrangler Dragon brings a raft of unique styling details inside and out that reflect the mythical reptile.  Finished exclusively in gloss black, the Wrangler Dragon’s most distinctive feature is a large dragon decal that runs from the bonnet and along the passenger side of the body, with colour-matched bronze detailing to the headlights and grille, badging, fuel filler door, 18 inch alloys, and a further dragon decal on the spare wheel cover on the rear. Like all Wrangler Overlands, the Dragon comes with body colour wheelarches and removable hard top, plus a sunrider soft-top, Bluetooth phone connectivity, satnav and a reversing camera.  The dragon theme continues on the inside, with flying reptiles embroidered and embossed on the Nappa leather seat facings in the front and the carpet boot mat in the rear, with the motif repeated on the instruments and front passenger grab handle. The interior also features bronze detailing to the steering wheel spokes, door grab handles, and trim stitching. The result is reminiscent of the black and gold Pontiac Trans Am made famous by the classic Smokey and the Bandit films, with hints of the gold badging fad of the 1990s. Or perhaps Jeep is hoping to cash in on the dragon hype surrounding the next instalment of The Hobbit film series - The Desolation of Smaug – which opens next week. Either way, the Wrangler Dragon is available exclusively with the regular Overland’s 209kW/347Nm 3.6L V6 petrol, five-speed automatic drivetrain, with solid axles front and rear and four-wheel drive low-range gearing for proper off-road work. The Wrangler Dragon sits atop the rest of the Wrangler lineup, with its  $51,000 price tag representing a $5000 premium over the regular Overland Unlimited model. This reporter is on Twitter: @Mal_Flynn    

I borrowed a Jeep. Yes, a Jeep. And I'm about to learn how to drive it. Moreton Island's pristine white beach shimmers in the heat haze and sunlight bounces off the vehicles behind me. Every one of them is being driven by a woman. We are on a Dirty Girls 4x4 Weekend and there is not a husband or boyfriend in sight.Soon these trips will be run by female instructors but for now the trail masters are guys. One of them walks up to my window, eyeing off the track in front of us. It is steep and narrow and piled high with deep, soft sand. He recommends a longer run up. I reverse then grip the steering wheel with steely determination and something close to terror."Drive it like you stole it!" he says.Whoops fill the air as I floor the accelerator and hit the track at speed. Sand sprays high into the sky. I am slipping and sliding in all directions but there is nothing to be scared of. I am in control and it feels fantastic.The Dirty Girls 4x4 convoy is ready to roll. Picture: Ryan LennonI still find it hard to believe that I didn't get stuck on that track but even if I had it wouldn't have mattered. When you are on a 4WD group tour there is always someone to help you out.Organiser Bob Muller says the ladies-only Dirty Girls 4x4 Weekends came about when a group of women on a regular 4WD trip were enjoying each other's company so much they suggested a "girls only" getaway. Like most great ideas, you can't help but wonder why someone didn't think of it sooner.Some of my fellow Dirty Girls are here for a fun weekend with their friends. Others want to learn how to 4WD without a male back seat driver. For most of us it is a bit of both.I am a complete novice when it comes to driving a 4x4 so it is a relief when an instructor offers to jump in the passenger seat. The 30 minute trip from the car ferry to our Bulwer campsite gives me some much needed experience and is filled with useful hints and tips. We also stop to help the girls who get bogged. Getting stuck is treated as a learning opportunity and no one is made to feel embarrassed.It’s not called a dirty weekend for nothing. The Pink Wrangler enters the mud bath.Dirty Girls 4x4 Weekends are run by the Leo Muller Group but you don't need to be a customer to join the fun. Or the owner of a fancy 4WD. Along with Jeeps in every colour of the rainbow there are sturdy 4x4s which have seen better days and even a flat-bed ute on our trip.Age is no barrier either. Our group includes women of all ages, from a teen who is still on her Ps to a lively group of over sixties. They missed out on the last Dirty Girls trip because it booked out in two hours. This time they put their names down early.Our "glamping" accommodation is ideal for ladies after a relaxing overnight stay. Each tent sleeps from 2 to 4 people and has a toilet, shower, proper beds and an attractive wooden deck. We have time to settle in before enjoying a barbecue lunch. This is followed by a drive along the beach and a guided snorkel tour around the Tangalooma wrecks.All the crew on the Dirty Girls 4x4 Weekend at Moreton Island Lighthouse. Picture: Ryan LennonEverything from vehicle permits to champagne is included in the trip. We enjoy a glass of bubbly then pile into a 4WD bus and let someone else do the driving to North Point. The setting sun sparkles on the water and the drinks flow freely as we share tales of our adventures and wriggle our toes in the sand. An impressive selection of biscuits, gourmet cheeses and dips ensures no one goes hungry.After a raucous trip back to the campsite with the stereo cranked up loud we sit down to a three course dinner and live music from internationally acclaimed band Sons of Midnight. The next morning we hone our 4x4 driving skills in preparation for the speed run up the narrow track.Before the trip my biggest fear was getting bogged but it only happens once when we are parking on the beach near Honeymoon Bay. Once again the instructor has good advice. Should I start digging or go for a swim? He smiles and throws me a towel.Need to knowDirty Girls 4x4 Weekends start at $220 and include one night in a glamping tent, all meals plus sunset canapes and dinner with champagne, wine and soft drinks, a guided snorkelling tour of the Tangalooma wrecks, vehicle transfers and permits and a Survival Kit with a T-shirt, cap, lip balm and snacks. Boys Only and Family Friendly Jamborees are also available.The stunning scenery over Honeymoon Bay. Picture: Tiana TemplemanSee full story at Adelaide Now

A car dealership in the Adelaide suburb of Frewville will be forced to take down its latest marketing after complaints were raised with Burnside Council. Belcar Chrysler Jeep Dodge dealership, on Glen Osmond Rd, erected a bright orange jeep that rotates atop a 12m pole last month. Burnside Council received two complaints about the jeep last month. The council's communications adviser, Jenny Barrett, said the dealership did not apply for approval. The dealership has been given until February 28 to take it down, otherwise council would take legal action. Belcar Chrysler Jeep Dodge general manager Grant Jasper said the dealership did not apply for approval as it believed it was unnecessary for a temporary structure. He said Belcar offered to submit a retrospective application and lower the pole's height. "We spoke to the council and we were just shut down," Mr Jasper said. "We were flatly told if we made an application it would be denied." Belcar staff were disappointed the "Jeep on a stick", which would have been on display for six months, would be removed.  

This new variant offers increased levels of comfort and convenience, with standard features including Uconnect Media Centre and navigation, reversing camera, leather upholstery and automatic headlights. Outside, premium refinements such as new 18 inch polished sparkle silver alloys with Bridgestone Dueler tyres and body-coloured flares and hard top will appeal to the urban traveller and off-road adventurer alike. The Jeep Wrangler Overland will be equipped with the 3.6-litre Pentastar V6 petrol engine and five-speed automatic transmission. This package delivers 209kW at 6350 revs and 347Nm of torque at 4300 revs, with an impressive 90 per cent of maximum torque available between 1800 revs. Fuel consumption is rated at 11.7 litres/100km. Prices start at $42,500 for the two-door and $47,000 for the Unlimited Overland four-door model, both of which include an auto.  

Demostrating just how quickly a Jeep can be repaired out in the field, these eight officers disassemble a CJ-5 and rebuild it in under four minutes.

To be eligible for 4WD Of The Year, a vehicle has to be completely new that year, or significantly revised. By 'significantly revised' we mean a major mechanical change like a new engine or drivetrain, or a new body. Styling, equipment or interior facelifts don't cut the mustard.To be eligible, the vehicle in question also has to have a full-size spare wheel either as standard, or available as an option. No full-size spare equals no start. On this count, the Peugeot 4007, Volvo XC60, Audi Q5 and Mitsubishi Outlander were all eliminated automatically.That left a number of other soft-roaders that do come with a full-size spare to consider. These included the Kia Sorento, Hyundai Santa Fe, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX400h and the Nissan Murano. The fact that so many new soft roaders didn't go down the space-saver route is good news but at the end of the day they are still soft roaders and with so many strong candidates among the ranks of the serious 4WDs, we couldn't warrant their inclusion.The new 'serious' 4WDs included the Prado 150 Series, the Land Rover Discovery 4, the Range Rover Sport and Vogue, the new Land Rover Defender variants, the ML Series Triton, and the revised Jeep Wrangler.   Further culling of the numbers saw the Wrangler and the Defender eliminated on the grounds that they are both variations on well-known themes while the Range Rover Vogue, with its new petrol 5.0-litre V8, was deemed to be too expensive in relation to the new Range Rover Sport with its new 3.0-litre TDV6.In the end it came down to the Discovery 4 with its new TDV6 engine (in SE spec), the Range Rover Sport with the same engine (only one spec level), the top-spec ML Triton as this is the only model with all the new features as standard, and the Prado in both petrol and diesel guise. To us, these five vehicles represented an extremely strong field … a classic Land Rover verses Toyota battle with the wildcard Triton thrown in.Find out which vehicle won in Australia’s leading offroad magazine, Overlander, on sale Wednesday Jan 27.

Up to nine Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge models could be axed or redesigned by 2012, according to details leaked of a new Chrysler-Fiat business plan.  However, Chrysler Australia is taking a wait-and-see approach to changes proposed this week by new Chrysler-Fiat CEO, Sergio Marchionne.Marchionne is heading up one of the biggest product shakeouts in Chrysler's history to resurrect the embattled US carmaker.  But Chrysler Australia's general manager marketing and product strategy, Craig Bradshaw, says it is too early to assess the local fallout any proposed changes.  Chrysler Australia is taking a "wait and see" approach, he says."We have to wait to assess the impact on our local market," he says.  Bradshaw says the company has no advance information of Marchionne's proposed changes.  Some of the proposed changes have been already leaked by the Wall Street Journal in North America.  It says that Chrysler's North American model lineup will be slashed to make way for more Fiat-based cars.Some new Chrysler models will share Fiat platforms in an effort to cut costs and harmonise production processes.  The cars expected to die are the Chrysler Sebring, PT Cruiser, Dodge Nitro, Dodge Grand Caravan, Dodge Caliber, Dodge Avenger as well as three Jeep off-roaders, the Compass, Patriot and Commander.The survivors are said to be the Chrysler 300C sedan, Chrysler Town and Country, Dodge Challenger, Dodge Journey, Jeep Grand Cherokee and Wrangler.  Although the list of Chrysler's facing the chop is long, some like the Sebring and Avenger, are expected to morph into new Fiat-based cars.Under the new Chrysler-Fiat regime, known as Chrysler Group LLC, Alfa Romeo and Fiat are expected to return to America as soon as 2012.  Fiat was phased out in North America in the 1980s because of poor quality and reliability problems. Alfa Romeo discon tinued marketing cars there in 1995.Chrysler will continue to build its performance cars and pickup trucks while Fiat is expected to build a range of smaller fuel-efficient European-style models for the US market.  Locally Chrysler Australia is a factory owned distributor but still shares some backroom operations with Daimler.Daimler severed its ties with Chrysler in 2007 and the US carmaker was subsequently purchased by private equity group Cerberus Capital Management before Fiat stepped in last year.Chrysler's Asia-Pacific business, including Australia, is one of the few bright spots, despite Chrysler and Jeep sales being down 30 per cent this year.  Australia is Chrysler's largest right-hand-drive market and the No.1 Jeep Wrangler market outside North America.

But don't think these are just pie-in-the-sky concepts with little connection to reality - much of the gear on these concepts is likely to appear in a future Mopar catalogue.The Mopar Underground design team has shown off some of its tweaked Jeep machines, as well as the Grand Cherokee, to the faithful at the recent 43rd annual Moab Jeep Safari, in Utah.The team, in existence since 2002, has delivered more than a dozen on-the-edge Jeep vehicles and go-better bits, and chief designer Mark Allen says the skunkworks has a passion for off-road machines equal to the enthusiastic crowds at the Moab Jeep Safari."Moab Jeep Safari provides a great venue and works as a proving ground to test Jeep vehicle concepts driven alongside Jeep brand enthusiasts, who can provide immediate feedback at the event."As a result, we use knowledge gained at this off-road event to explore new directions for Jeep platforms and to develop Mopar Performance Parts and Accessories to suit these vehicles," he says.Local Jeep spokesman Jerry Stamoulis says the Mopar team is utilising some Australian aftermarket equipment in the concept cars."A couple of the cars are using ARB accessories … the Wrangler Overland has an ARB roof-mounted tent and a rear-locker; the Grand Cherokee has an ARB bumper as well,” Stamoulis says."It's good to see the Australian stuff getting recognition in the US and being used by Mopar for these vehicles.”Stamoulis says new Grand Cherokee was also shown to the Moab faithful ahead of its 2010 U.S. launch."We don't have a date yet, the U.S. will start selling it mid next year, right-hand drive and diesel have been confirmed but we don't have an exact date, hopefully it will be near the end of 2010, eaarly 2011," he says.Three key Jeep models have been given the Mopar treatment.The Jeep Wrangler Overland - based on a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited four-door - sits on 17in wheels (with chunky off-road rubber) and a 2.5 inch Mopar lift kit and is what the company calls "a mobile self-contained campsite."The cabin is trimmed in water-resistant materials, the rear seats have been replaced with a rear cargo area with a rubber floor, with the roof rack fitted with a ARB two-person Simpson II rooftop-mounted tent and awning.The current Grand Cherokee has been given the Mopar treatment to be re-named Grand Canyon II.The most luxurious Mopar off-roader yet has been given more off-road ability with 285/70R17 tyres and a Superlift 4-inch suspension system. The approach angle has been improved with an ARB high-clearance front bumper and Mopar heavy-duty rock rails.But the hotrod of the Mopar trio is the Jeep Lower Forty, based on the Wrangler platform but with 40in x 13.5in tyres on Mopar 20in forged aluminium wheels.The Mopar team aimed to maintain the Wrangler's centre of gravity with extra ground clearance with the wheel/tyre package without a lift kit, so the body and guards were cut and customised, as was the windscreen, which lost three inches in height and gained 10 degrees of rake.The bonnet is now a one-piece-carbon-fibre panel, the rear has an all-new tailgate and there's also an all-new roll cage, but the best bit lies beneath the new bonnet.The Lower Forty is powered by an all-new 5.7-litre HEMI V8 engine and a Getrag 238 six-speed manual transmission, driving all four wheels via Dana axles and ARB air-locker diffs. 

A purpose-built 4x4 track at the Australian International Motor Show offers visitors the chance to evaluate a range of different vehicles.Show-goers are able to experience as close to a real-life off-roading situation as you can get in the city.Exhibiting 4WD brands are:Hyundai - Santa FeJeep - WranglerKia - Sportage, SorentoLexus - LX 570Mitsubishi - Triton GLX-R, PajeroNissan - X-TRAIL Turbo DieselRenault - KoleosToyota - Landcruiser 200Volkswagen - TouaregVisitors to the show interested in a particular 4x4 will receive a VIP pass to the 4x4 track to experience the vehicle’s performance and are driven around the track by a professional driver.Track is built to demonstrate the abilities of each vehicle and obstacles are designed to demonstrate the vehicles’ increasingly advanced technology and abilities.The see-saw gives an indication of vehicle balance, the hill structure tests traction and control, the moguls and rocks show-off ground clearance and the new addition of the u-turn at the end of the track demonstrates the tightness of the turning circleThe vehicles navigate the track in slow motion; just as experienced four-wheel-drivers would approach such obstacles in real-life situations.