Jeep chief Jim Morrison introduced the Grand Wagoneer L and then took questions. Among the things we learned during his talk was that the Hurricane would be standard on the Grand Wagoneer L, and optional on the short wheelbase (if you can call it that) Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer. This is presumably where the $2,000 … Read more
The Jeep Wagoneer L has launched—and it’s twelve inches longer than the Wagoneer, with a seven inch longer wheelbase, and a twin turbo inline six-cylinder Hurricane engine. The new inline six cylinder is made in two versions, previously called SO (standard output) and HO (high output). The high output version is good for 510 horsepower … Read more
Tomorrow holds several New York Auto Show unveilings, including two which have been officially confirmed. The most recent confirmation was for the Alfa Romeo Tonale, which uses the Renegade/Compass platform with a special suspension and two powertrains, one of which has up to 272 horsepower or 30 miles of pure-electric range. Update: here is our … Read more
Frederick Bender and Bryan Macek may have made it easier for future Ram pickup buyers to tie down—and lock down— their cargo. The FCA US employees patented a utility bar system which is attached to fittings which go into stake pockets in a pickup bed. The advantage of this system over conventional cross beams is aesthetic … Read more
Last week, we brought you a look at the two most extreme concepts that debuted this past weekend at the 2022 Easter Jeep Safari in Moab, Utah. The Bob Concept and the Magneto 2.0 Concept were the most elaborate concepts in Moab this past weekend, but the brand brought out five other new concepts – … Read more
The NHTSA’s probe of minivan fires in the “RT” series Town & Country and Grand Caravan has ended after nearly two years with no recommended actions. The investigation covered 170,000 minivans from 2013 to 2020 which had a charge port between the middle and back seats, based on three reported fires. Neither NHTSA nor Chrysler … Read more
One of the teaser images leading up to the 2022 Easter Jeep Safari in Moab, Utah included a hint about making a truck more like an SUV. With the even in Moab beginning today and the embargo on the early information lifting, we have the details on this unique Gladiator. It is called the Jeep … Read more
While not everyone loves the intorduction of electrification to the Jeep lineup, the Magneto 2.0 is the most interesting Easter Safari Concept to me based on the obscene levels of performance. Yes, it is powered by an all-electric motor system, but it still features a proper 6-speed manual transmission and huge Dynatrac front and rear … Read more
The Chrysler Airflow is an ironic name to bring back, since releasing the state-of-the-art car in 1934 was disastrous for the company and the brand. The original Airflow was revolutionary in many ways, but it bombed in the market.
But what of the new Airflow? It is expected to have black paint with dark bronze accents and interior changes to make it more of a production-intent vehicle. This includes changes to the steering wheel and rear seats. The new concept will be shown on April 13 at 11:45 am. The actual release may come in the early morning of the 13th with the unveiling to follow at the show. Stellpower will be covering the event in person.
What this means for the Cherokee…
Last month, the 20th annual Muscle Cars at the Strip was held at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and it was an amazing event. Although winds so strong that the roofs were ripped from golf carts and steel barriers held down by sandbags were blown over on Saturday followed by hard rains on Sunday, the event … Read more
In the first quarter of 2022, Chrysler sold 29,113 cars—26,366 Pacificas, 2,745 300s, and … two 200s. The 200 sedan has not been made since 2017; the Dart was shut down even before that.
How are these cars still being sold? And do GM and Ford have similar orphans on their sales sheets?
This past weekend marked a major milestone for Ron Capps, as he drove his Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat funny car to victory for the first time as a team owner. This big win for Capps occurred at the 2022 NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in Las Vegas, so in the final round, the two-time champ actually beat … Read more
Ram actually beat Chevrolet with 127,116 sales, after falling 15% from the same quarter last year. However, like Ford, Ram isn’t anywhere near GM as a whole. By brand, Ram was #2 in the USA; by company, Stellantis was #3. If you were wondering, Toyota Tundra sales totaled just 22,643—and they were up by 18%.
What about smaller pickups? That’s the province of Jeep for the moment…
Sales numbers are in for the first three months of 2022 and as has been the case in each of the past few years, the Ford Mustang was the bestselling two-door performance car sold in the USA. The Mustang narrowly outsold the Dodge Challenger while both vehicle stomped the Chevrolet Camaro, which continues to post … Read more
FCA US’ first quarter sales fell by 14%, largely on supply constraints, as we reported on Friday. However, FCA appears to have gained market share in the United States—largely at the expense of General Motors, which reported a hefty 20% drop from Q1 2021 to Q1 2022, and Ford, which dropped by 17%.
The chart below shows U.S. sales for most of the “majors,” leaving out Mercedes, which has not reported sales yet (though now including Tesla and Volkswagen).
According to rumors in Auburn Hills, a second engine is planned for these trucks. It, too, would be an inline six-cylinder, but engineered specifically for truck engines. The new engine is rumored to be larger—3.7 liters—and to have a more traditional design, other than an odd 30° tilt. A source within Engineering told us that it was tilted over to make room for accessories on the side so that it could fit into smaller engine bays; and to provide space for a better air path, increasing its efficiency.