Jeep Wrangler Islander and Mountain Limited Edition Specials to Debut at Detroit Show

A pair of limited edition Jeep Wrangler models named Islander and Mountain will make their premiere at next week's Detroit Auto Show. Starting from the Islander special, which is available on the Wrangler and Wrangler Unlimited 4x4 models, buyers have the choice of four different exterior colors including the unique Surf Blue Pearl Coat, Stone White Clear Coat, Bright Sliver Metallic Clear Coat and Brilliant Black Crystal Clear Coat.
Exterior highlights include an Islander "Tiki Bob" decal on the hood, blackside steps and Moab 17-inch wheels wrapped in 32-inch tires.
Inside, the Wrangler Islanders get seats in dark gray with Surf Blue inserts, blue stitching and an embroidered Islander "Tiki Bob" logo. Blue stitching has also been added to the leather-wrapped steering wheel while the Mopar rubber floor mats complete the list of upgrades.
The Wrangler Islander option package is priced at $1,120.
Moving on to the Mountain edition, it is based on the Wrangler Sport S package, and is offered on both the Wrangler and Wrangler Unlimited 4x4 models.
On the outside, special features include a unique "Mountain" decal on the hood, painted high-gloss Mineral Gray 17-inch Moab wheels, grille and bumper appliqués; tubular side steps; 32-inch tires; black tail lamp guards; and a Mopar fuel-filler door.
Interior upgrades are limited to the embossed seat inserts and anodized graphite heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) rings.
Available exterior colors include Rescue Green Metallic Clear Coat, Brilliant Black Crystal Pearl Coat and Deep Water Blue Pearl Coat with the Mountain package priced at $1,820.

SEMA '09: Mopar Jeep Wrangler Lower Forty "BigFoot" with Massive 40-inch Tires and HEMI V8

Taking the latest generation Jeep Wrangler to a new extreme, Mopar has designed the uber-impressive "Lower Forty" concept for this year's SEMA Show in Las Vegas. The crazy Wrangler Lower Forty rides on massive 40 x 13.5-inch tires mounted on Mopar's 20-inch forged-aluminum wheels while power comes from a 5.7-liter HEMI V8 engine coupled to a Getrag 238 six-speed manual gearbox. The Mopar-supplied Dana 44 front axle and a Dana 60 rear axle, fitted with 5.38 gears and ARB air lockers complete the mechanical upgrades.
In order to fit the massive wheels on the Wrangler Rubicon without using a suspension air lift, Mopar's team created custom front and rear fender flares that are 1-inch wider and are located 4 inches higher than on the stock model.
Other exterior modifications include the chopped windshield frame that gets a 10-degree rake, a one-piece carbon-fiber hood with a Jeep CJ-like power dome and an all-new drop-down tailgate stamped with the "Jeep" logo.
The Lower Forty also gets a roll cage that is tied directly into the frame rails, a color-matched center console and instrument panel and two-tone Katzkin leather seats while the carpet has been replaced with spray-in truck-bed liner.

Fiat Panda 4x4: The new JEEP MINI...

The Fiat Panda has been mentioned as one of the cars coming to the US. The interesting thing is the name of the Panda was listed as the Jeep Panda in a deposition filed in a US Bankruptcy Court. Could this be the next Jeep Mini?

Below is some information on the current Panda 4x4.

Fiat Panda 4x4

Panda 4x4. A unique car. Elegant, bold and smart looking, it combines Panda styling with the character of an off-road vehicle. The compact line of the vehicle’s exterior, characterized by the vertically arranged rear light clusters and the originally styled side windows, is mated to the commanding all-road attitude, that enables Panda 4x4 to be tough enough when things get rough. Specially designed bumpers with guards, side moldings, reinforced tails and carryall bars endow it with the look of a veritable off-roader.

Fiat Panda cross section

Fiat Panda dashboard

The cockpit, wide and luminous, is cheerful and attractive, thanks to the colored fabrics, the innovative materials and the chromatic contrast created by the controls, featuring a darker shade of color. Significant details include the facia, housing the main controls and the gearshift for maximum driving comfort, the commanding driver seat, ensuring optimal visibility and accessibility, and the door panels fitted with big pockets for odds and ends, a comfortable armrest with a big handle.

The Fiat Panda 4x4 in action

Panda 4x4 Cross. Strong personality and an appealingly ‘aggressive’ character. The Panda 4x4 Cross stands out for the protective body side moldings and carrier bars for an ‘all-terrain look’, enhanced by the driver’s high seat position, fenders with protective shields, bump strips, and oversize headlights. The under body shield protects the car’s mechanical elements and emphasis's the car’s off-road credentials. Standard 15” alloys complete the ‘strong’ appeal of the Panda Cross.

XENON’S 4″ TJ FLAT PANEL FENDER FLARES

“My Xenon ‘flat’ flares look great, and are fully functional too. I take my Jeep off-road, and these flares have taken a lot of trail abuse with no significant damage. They’ve been scraped against rocks and hit trees, but still flex back into their original shape. Great product, I recommend them.”
Scott

Similar in design to our 6″ Flat Panel Flare, this urethane flare is flexible and easy to install!

Don’t be fooled by imitation Flat Panel Flares, if it doesn’t say Xenon, it isn’t an original Flat Panel.

Please visit our Dealer Locator and order your set of Xenon 4″ TJ Flat Panel Flares today.  Also check out our entire product line of Jeep Accessories in our site along with our GT Styling Accessories for most Jeep Models.

JEEP TJ SAHARA EDITION

Guam has a lot to offer when it comes to the sport of off-roading. Probably the first thing that comes to mind for most people is Smokin' Wheels, one of the biggest off-road events in the Pacific Rim. The true off-road culture can be discovered almost every weekend, up in Manenggon hills. That's when all the jeeps come out to play. Hans Ullrich can hang with the best of them when it comes to off-roading. After all, he's been doing it for almost fifteen years, in Europe, North Amercia, the Caribbean, Palau, and now here on Guam. This is his third jeep, and possibly the his best.

This 200 Jeep TJ Sahara Edition was purchased about a year ago, used and bone-stock. Of course, Hans' intention from the start was to setup a vehicle that could conquer any terrain, and his extensive experience allowed him to do just that. Hence, the Skyjacker 8-inch long arm Rock Ready lift kit, 35-inch tires, ARB air differential lockers, and a Warn XD90001 winch, just in case. Obvioulsy that looks good on paper, but how well does this setup actually perform? Well, when is the last time you saw a jeep driving up a car?

While this jeep is built solely to have fun, Hans is also very eco-conscious. After all, he's assistant general manager of Micronesian Driver's Association, so he makes his living off the ocean and the reefs. In his own words, "Being a conscious off-roader is important for everyone on Guam. Guam off-roaders are a great group of people that make going out there a lot of fun, and they are not there to litter or destroy the environment. We just want to have a good time and push the limits of our vehicles." All the work on this jeep was done by Off-Road Performance in Tamuning, a fact that Hans was very careful to point out. "These are the guys that go out there everyweekend, so they know their stuff. Been there, done that, you know?"

Terminator Salvation and Jeep Team Up

In this week’s issue of Sports Illustrated, Terminator Salvation continued its full on assault of the sports world by teaming up with Jeep to create this double truck ad. The strategy behind the ad is solid, but it misses on an opportunity to speak to a stationary audience.

The strategy behind the ad speaks to the ruggedness of the Jeep Rubicon. The Jeep Rubicon is so capable and comfortable that a robot chooses to take it out to its favorite fishing spot. If a machine that is hell bent on taking over the world and eradicating the human race can trust the Jeep Rubicon to get where it needs to go, anyone can. Imagination aside, the Rubicon is shown in the ad to be the exact vehicle you need to get you anywhere you need to go.
While I agree with the strategy behind the ad, I do not agree with the execution. This is a double truck ad, with entirely too much empty space. The robot fishing in the stream could be easily conveyed in the top two thirds of the ad, leaving the bottom third with space to convey some unique selling points of the vehicle. In my opinion when you have a stationary audience, like you do in a magazine, you should take that time to inform that audience of information you can’t fit into a TV or pre roll spot. This space could also be used to tie into the movie more. Having the unique selling points tie into the movie theme would be an entertaining way to convey interesting points for both the movie and the vehicle.
The ad feels like it was built plainly to appeal to both the movie clients and the vehicle clients. By doing that, both clients were shorted on what they could have been given.
What do you think about this print ad? Does it do anything to make you want to see the movie or drive a Jeep?