The Mopar® Underground design team showcased six customized Jeep® vehicles and Dodge trucks today at the 43rd annual Moab Jeep Safari 2009. Overseen by Mark Allen, Chief Designer-Jeep/Truck Design Studio, Chrysler LLC, the Mopar Underground design team has been customizing production vehicles since its creation in 2002 and has introduced 14 Jeep concept vehicles to enthusiast crowds at Moab Jeep Safari. "These vehicles are built with pride and passion for the Jeep brand by a small group of dedicated engineers, designers and fabricators to explore and demonstrate the many facets of off-roading," Allen said. The Mopar Underground design team creates vehicle concepts, which are meant to develop performance parts, accessories and customization, as well as new vehicle concepts. In fact, the first-generation Dodge SRT4 was born from this team's style initiative. "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," Allen said. "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." The Jeep Wrangler "All-Access" The Jeep "Liberator II" Mopar Underground Jeep Wrangler Overland To increase cargo capacity for hauling gear, the Jeep Wrangler Overland's rear seats were replaced with a large, flat, rubberized utility floor. Mounted to the cargo rack is an all-new ARB two-person Simpson II rooftop-mounted tent and touring awning. The interior of the Jeep Wrangler Overland features water-resistant Mopar front-seat covers, rugged Mopar slush mats and a Daystar dash bin and lower switch panel. Helping to enhance off-road travel is a new Mopar 2.5-inch suspension lift. A full-traction rear sway bar was added, allowing the addition of aggressive 35-inch tires mounted on 17-inch steel Mopar winter/off-road wheels. Additional off-road protection at the front and rear is provided by American Expedition Vehicles' steel bumpers and for added security a Warn 9.5ti winch. In order to prepare the Jeep Wrangler Overland for desert duty, an American Expedition Vehicles (AEV) Jeep Wrangler heat-reduction hood and snorkel kit is fitted to the vehicle. Mopar windshield-mounted off-road lights and Daystar bumper-mounted lights provide additional lighting for nighttime and off-road driving. "J8 Sarge" The platform can be configured as a light-troop carrier, ambulance or cargo truck. Other notable features include the Dana 60 rear axle mounted on leaf springs, larger front-disc brakes and exclusive J8-only 17-inch x 8-inch steel wheels with a larger 5-inch x 5.5-inch bolt pattern. The rear differential is equipped with Trac-Lok limited slip device/differential (the front is open). The powertrain is a VM Motori S.p.A. 2.8-liter 4-cylinder turbo-diesel engine that produces 158 horsepower and 295 lb.-ft. of torque. It's mated to a five-speed automatic transmission. The four-wheel-drive system is the Command-Trac® with both high and low-range gearing. Other features unique to the "J8 Sarge" are heavy-duty steel bumpers each equipped with two forged military-spec 'helicopter hooks' (rated at 1.5 GVWR each), a hood-mounted air-intake snorkel, dual rear-mounted battery boxes and heavy-duty spring hood latches. The "J8 Sarge" has been upgraded with 1.25-inch Superlift front coil spacers, 35-inch tires and custom cargo top. It's painted Olive Drab with military markings. The "J8 Sarge" is manufactured in a Chrysler LLC joint-venture facility in Cairo andpremiered at Moab Jeep Safari 2008. Mopar Underground Jeep "Grand Canyon II" To improve traction for rock crawling, a set of 285/70R17 tires were mounted on a set of Wrangler Rubicon wheels and fitted with a Superlift 4-inch suspension system. Off-road protection was provided with an ARB high-clearance front bumper and Mopar heavy-duty rock rails. The already well-appointed Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland interior was prepped for severe duty with the addition of Mopar accessories front and rear slush mats, cargo liner and stainless-steel sill plates. Mopar Underground Jeep "Lower Forty" Custom front and rear fender flares were made 1-inch wider and 4-inches higher compared with a stock vehicle. A new one-piece-carbon-fiber hood with a Jeep CJ-like power dome and an all-new drop-down tailgate stamped with the "Jeep" logo were added to the vehicle to complete the exterior design. On the interior, an all-new roll cage was neatly integrated into the body tub and tied directly into the frame rails. The spare tire was relocated to the cargo floor and a custom cargo rack, supplied by Poly Performance, was installed. Once all body modifications were completed the exterior received a fresh coat of Red Eye No. 3 paint, a custom color developed by the Mopar Underground team specifically for this project. Custom touches can be seen throughout the interior of the vehicle, including a color-matched center console and instrument panel. The seats were re-covered with Mopar's Katzkin leather package in a two-tone scheme. The carpet was removed and a durable truck-bed liner was sprayed inside to protect the floor. Rugged Mopar floor mats complete the theme. The Mopar Underground team turned to the Mopar catalog for the vehicle's mechanical upgrades. The Jeep "Lower Forty" features an all-new 5.7-liter HEMI® V-8 engine and a Getrag 238 six-speed manual transmission. Powertrain installations were handled by Burnsville Off-Road using an AEV installation kit. Mopar supplied Dana 44 front axles and Dana 60 rear axles equipped with 5:38 gears and Dynatrac prepared ARB air lockers to handle the vehicle's massive tires.
The interior of the Jeep Wrangler "All-Access" has been upgraded with premium materials. To give it 'trail and off-road' credibility, the designers souped this "All-Access" Jeep Wrangler with Mopar Performance Parts, including a Rubicon Express 4-inch long arm suspension lift, front and rear bumpers with tire carrier, rock rails, cold-air intake, front Dana 44 axle, rear Dana 60 axle and a Warn 9500ti winch. Power comes from the 3.8-liter V6 engine. Painted Surf Blue, the "All-Access" Wrangler also features beefy 37-inch BF Goodrich mud-terrain tires. The Jeep Wrangler "All-Access" premiered at the 2007 SEMA show.
The Jeep "Liberator II" features 33-inch BF Goodrich mud-terrain tires and a 2-inch suspension lift from Superlift. Power comes from the 3.7-liter V6 engine under the hood. It features an ARB supplied rear locker with an onboard air-inflation compressor. It also features custom-fabricated rock-rails, a front-fascia skid plate, Mopar brush guard and Borla cat-back exhaust. The Jeep "Liberator II" premiered at Moab Easter Jeep safari in 2008.
The Jeep Wrangler Overland is perfect for those craving travel and adventure. Taking a 2009 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited four-door, the Mopar Underground team turned the vehicle into a mobile "on-the-go" self-contained campsite.
The "J8 Sarge" is a military version of the new Jeep Wrangler platform, built as a non-combat military support vehicle. Built from the 116-inch wheelbase version, the "J8 Sarge" is offered in either two-door or four-door configurations. Special J8-only structural upgrades in the body and chassis combine to increase the GVWR rating to 7,400 pounds.
The Jeep "Grand Canyon II" is the most luxurious off-road vehicle built to date by the Mopar Underground Team. The objective for the team was to take a top-of-the-line 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland and ready it for serious off-road action.
Mopar Underground's Jeep "Lower Forty" takes the new Jeep Wrangler platform to a new extreme. The Jeep "Lower Forty" is equipped with massive 40-inch x 13.5-inch 0R20LT tires mounted on Mopar 20-inch forged aluminum wheels. The Mopar Underground crew added the aggressive wheels and tires to a stock, two-door Wrangler Rubicon without the use of a suspension lift. The team's goal was to achieve added ground clearance without altering the vehicle's center of gravity. To accomplish that feat, the team trimmed copious amounts of the body and fenders to provide the needed tire clearance. Once achieved, the team used a saw to chop out 3-inches of height from the windshield frame and increased the rake by 10 degrees.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
The Mopar® Underground Design Team Tricks Out Six Customized Vehicles at Moab Jeep® Safari 2009
Friday, March 20, 2009
The Rocky Mountain Edition Jeeps
On top of cash-back incentives and employee-pricing programs, Jeep is implementing another value play to lift sales with the introduction of Rocky Mountain Edition versions of the Patriot, the Liberty and the Grand Cherokee. Included in the Rocky Mountain Edition are a sunroof, a 30-gigabyte UConnect stereo interface, a Boston Acoustics sound system, exclusive wheel finishes and Rocky Mountain Edition badges. According to Jeep, that's $2,300 worth of options at the discounted price of $1,595 if you check off the Rocky Mountain package on the order sheet. The Rocky Mountain Edition Jeeps are available for order now and arrive at dealers at the end of March. Base price for the Rocky Mountain models is $19,765 for the Patriot, $25,355 for the Liberty and $32,825 for the Grand Cherokee. To read more visit the AutoWeek New car news, road tests, blogs, pix and expert insight section.
Monday, March 16, 2009
New Rocky Mountain Edition Models Add Excitement and Value to 2009 Jeep(R) Lineup
Offer value option package with $2,300 in popular customer features for only $1,595 -- including a no-charge power sun roof for that "only in a Jeep" open-air driving excitement -- 2009 Jeep Patriot Rocky Mountain Edition includes 17-inch aluminum wheels and monochrome exterior paint theme and adds uconnect tunes, Boston Acoustics premium speakers, power sun roof and leather-wrapped steering wheel with radio controls -- Best-in-class 28 highway miles per gallon (mpg) available on Jeep PatriotRocky Mountain Edition two-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive models -- 2009 Jeep Liberty Rocky Mountain Edition includes 17-inch fully painted tech silver aluminum wheels, uconnect tunes 30 -gigabyte radio, power sun roof, deep-tinted glass and speed control -- The 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee Rocky Mountain Edition features 17-inch machined-faced aluminum wheels with gray painted pockets, power sun roof, Boston Acoustics sound system, uconnect tunes 30-gigabyte stereo, heated front seats and more AUBURN HILLS, Mich., March 16 /PRNewswire/ -- New 2009 Jeep(R) Patriot,Jeep Liberty and Jeep Grand Cherokee Rocky Mountain Edition models expand the fun, freedom, utility and available best-in-class 4x4 capability that Jeep is known for--now with even more customer features at a great value. The 2009 Rocky Mountain Edition models offer approximately $1,000 off popular bundled customer features, including innovative uconnect tunes, power sun roof and aluminum wheels. In total, the 2009 Rocky Mountain Edition package adds more than $2,300 in content for $1,595. "The new 2009 Jeep Patriot, Jeep Liberty and Jeep Grand Cherokee Rocky Mountain Editions add more value and features to our iconic Jeep lineup," said Mike Accavitti, Director--Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge Brands, Chrysler LLC. "And with Jeep's best-in-class legendary 4x4 capability, our new 2009 Jeep Rocky Mountain Editions are ready to make any adventure--from the snow-covered mountain trails to sand dunes at the beach--even more fun." The starting Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) on new 2009 JeepRocky Mountain Editions (including destination) are: The 2009 Jeep Rocky Mountain Edition models are available for ordering now and will arrive at Jeep dealerships in the United States and Canada later this month. 2009 Jeep(R) Patriot Rocky Mountain Edition Based on the 2009 Jeep Patriot Sport model, the new Jeep Patriot Rocky Mountain Edition adds uconnect tunes 30-gigabyte stereo, uconnect studios SIRIUS Satellite Radio, leather-wrapped steering wheel with radio controls, body-color door handles and liftgate applique, 17-inch aluminum wheels with P215/60R17 all-season tires, 'Rocky Mountain' driver and front-passenger door badging, power sun roof with express open/close operation, nine premium Boston Acoustics speakers including subwoofer, two additional articulating liftgate speakers and a 458-watt amplifier. The 2009 Jeep Patriot 4x4 Rocky Mountain Edition features the Freedom Drive I 4x4 system providing best-in-class four-wheel-drive fuel economy and best-in-class capability in the compact sport-utility vehicle (SUV) segment. The Jeep Patriot Rocky Mountain Edition features a 2.4-liter engine, coupled with a five-speed manual transaxle, that produces 172 horsepower (128 kW) and 165 lb.-ft. (222 N*m) of torque, and delivers a best-in-class 23 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway on two-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive models. A Continuously Variable Transaxle (CVT2) with Auto Stick also is available for both models. For Jeep Patriot customers seeking maximum fuel efficiency without a manual shift, an optional 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine is mated to the CVT2 with Auto Stick to provide 158 horsepower (117 kW) and 141 lb.-ft. (191 N*m) of torque. The spirited 2.0-liter delivers an EPA 23 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway and is available on two-wheel-drive equipped 2009 Jeep Patriot Rocky Mountain Edition models. The 2009 Jeep Patriot Rocky Mountain Edition will be available in all-new Optic Green Crystal Pearl, as well as Brilliant Black Crystal Pearl, Inferno Red Crystal Pearl and Bright Silver Metallic paint colors. 2009 Jeep Liberty Rocky Mountain Edition The new Jeep Liberty Rocky Mountain Edition is based on the 2009 Jeep Liberty Sport model and is available in both 4x4 and 4x2 models. Included in the Rocky Mountain Edition package are refreshed 17-inch aluminum wheels with tech silver paint finish, P235/65 R17 A/S tires, uconnect tunes 30-gigabyte radio, power sun roof, deep-tinted glass, speed control and a 'Rocky Mountain' badge. The 2009 Jeep Liberty remains true to its legendary 4x4 heritage by offering two Jeep Trail Rated(R) four-wheel-drive systems - Command-Trac(R) standard with 4x4 models and the optional Selec-Trac(R) II on 4x4 models. A 3.7-liter SOHC V-6 engine is standard on all Jeep Liberty Sport and Limited models sold in the United States. The 3.7-liter SOHC V-6 engine provides the2009 Jeep Liberty with competitive peak power and torque while providing smooth, quiet operation and proven durability. It produces 210 horsepower (157 kW) @ 5,200 rpm and 235 lb.-ft. (319 N*m) of torque @ 4,000 rpm. Fuel economy is estimated at 16 mpg city and 22 mpg on the highway (4x2) and 15 city / 21 Hwy (4x4). Towing capacity on all models is 5,000 lbs. maximum when equipped with the optional Trailer Tow Group. The 2009 Rocky Mountain Edition will be available in Deep Water Blue, Bright Silver Metallic, Inferno Red and Brilliant Black exterior paint colors. 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee Rocky Mountain Edition The new Jeep Grand Cherokee Rocky Mountain Edition is based on the 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo model and is available in 4x4 and 4x2 models. Included in the Rocky Mountain Edition package are 17-inch machined-faced aluminum wheels with gray painted pockets, power sun roof, Boston Acoustics sound system, uconnect tunes 30-gigabyte stereo, heated front seats, 12-volt power outlet, chromed body-side molding and a 'Rocky Mountain' edition badge. Since its introduction in 1992, the Jeep Grand Cherokee has revolutionized the SUV market. With its best-in-class traction capability and power, the Jeep Grand Cherokee is designed, engineered and built to master every imaginable day-to-day driving condition, whether on- or off-road. The 2009 Grand Che{{{Cherokee Laredo model features a standard soft-touch center armrest cover, leather-wrapped park brake handle, floor mats, interior chromed door handles and audio control buttons. The standard 3.7-liter V-6 engine provides the 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee with 210 horsepower (157 kW) @ 5,200 rpm and 235 lb.-ft. (319 N*m) of torque @ 4,000 rpm. A sophisticated Electronic Throttle Control system tailors throttle response to pedal movement based on operating conditions and maintains a consistent vehicle speed on rolling grades when cruise control is active. An exhaust gas recirculation valve helps increase fuel economy. The Jeep Grand Cherokee's available Flexible-fuel Vehicle (FFV) 4.7-liter V-8 engine incorporates electronic throttle control, two spark plugs per cylinder, increased compression ratio, improved cylinder-head port flow and a new combustion system. The result is 305 horsepower (227 kW) @ 5,650 rpm, a 30 percent increase, and 334 lb.-ft. (453 N*m) of torque @ 3,950 rpm, a 10 percent increase compared with the previous generation 4.7-liter V-8 engine. It also delivers more than a 5 percent increase in fuel economy. This FFV engine also gives customers the ability to use up to an 85 percent concentration of ethanol (E85) to fuel their vehicles. Standard Electronic Stability Program (ESP) with Electronic Roll Mitigation maintains vehicle stability in a variety of road surface and weather conditions. Hill Descent Control, Hill Start Assist and Trailer Sway Control deliver off-road and towing capability. The 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee Rocky Mountain Edition will be available in four exterior paint colors: new Inferno Red, Light Graystone, Bright Silver and Brilliant Black. Source: Automotive.com -- Jeep Patriot Rocky Mountain Edition at $19,765 -- Jeep Liberty Rocky Mountain Edition at $25,355 -- Jeep Grand Cherokee Rocky Mountain Edition at $32,825
Monday, March 9, 2009
Jeep Patriot Gets StartTech Accessories from the Dealer (UK)
Available in UK dealerships this June, Jeep is now offering a huge range of accessories from notable Chrysler group tuner, Startech. Such standalone items include a Startech chrome grille and a bodykit in addition to a sports suspension and 20-inch alloy wheels. Additional accessories include illuminated entrance sill panels, aluminium pedal pads, three-piece aluminium design kit for the dashboard and aluminium door locking pins. Two sizes of alloy wheels are also available: 19-inch Monostar IV five-spoke alloys or 20-inch Monostar IV five-spoke alloys. Both options come fitted with Yokohama tyres and a locking wheel nut kit. Jeep has also put together a few exterior and interior packages. The “SE Package” includes a front and rear under-ride bodykit, chrome grille inserts, tailpipe cover and Startech logo for the rear of the vehicle for just £999. For the interior, the “SE Lifestyle” package includes a leather effect centre armrest cover, four chrome loudspeaker rings, a chrome gearshift gate; leather gear knob and leather effect treatments for the top of the door panels and dashboard instrument panel all for £1199. Lastly, as a performance upgrade, Startech's PowerXtra Performance Module is available for the 2.0-liter diesel and adds 40hp, also prices at £999. Notes:
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