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Chrysler resolves recall issue with NHTSA, will inspect, upgrade affected Jeeps

Chrysler made big news earlier in the month by refusing a recall request from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for the 1993-2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee and 2002-2007 Jeep Liberty. Last week, NHTSA boss David Strickland countered by defending his agency's request for the recall of 2.7 million Jeep SUVs. Today marked the deadline for Chrysler to formally respond to NHTSA, and it seems that both parties have met in the middle with Chrysler inspecting and upgrading some of the affected vehicles without using the word "recall," which would constitute the admission of a defect; instead, Chrysler said that it is conducting a "voluntary campaign."
At issue on these vehicles is the positioning of the fuel tank behind the rear axle that could get damaged during a rear-end collision. NHTSA has stated that at least 51 people have been killed in rear-end collisions involving these Jeeps after the vehicles caught fire, to which Chrysler countered by pointing out that both models "met and exceeded" the requirements for fuel-system integrity.
As a compromise on the situation, Chrysler says that it will inspect all pre-2004 Grand Cherokees and pre-2007 Liberty models and, "if necessary, provide an upgrade to the rear structure of the vehicle." According to Automotive News, this upgrade will consist of adding a trailer hitch that will presumably better protect the rear-mounted gas tank. Vehicles already equipped with a factory or Mopar hitch will not be modified. Chrysler's official statement on the matter is posted below, but no additional information has been released, such as when the campaign will begin and how many vehicles could be affected.

8 cars we're most looking forward to driving in 2015

Now that 2014 is officially in the books, it's time to look ahead. And following our list of the cars we liked best last year, we're now setting our sights at the hot new metal that's coming our way in 2015. Some of these, we've already seen. And some are still set to debut during the 2015 auto show season. But these are the machines that keep us going – the things on the horizon that we're particularly stoked to drive, and drive hard. Jeep Renegade Not the Chevrolet Corvette Z06. Not the Ford Mustang GT350. Not the new John Cooper Works Mini. Nope, I'm looking forward to the adorable, trail-rated Jeep Renegade. And that's because I really, really, really like our long-term Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk. I do not, however, care too much for the Cherokee's looks, and I really don't like its $38,059 price tag. The Renegade Trailhawk, meanwhile, promises much of the same rough-and-tumble character as its big brother, but at what we expect will be a more reasonable price (I'm personally wagering on the baby Jeep's off-road model starting at no more than $23,000). With a 2.4-liter four-cylinder and a nine-speed automatic, it should also be a bit easier to fill than the V6-powered Cherokee. Also, I can't help but love the way the Renegade looks. It's like someone took a Wrangler, squished it by 50 percent and then handed it off to George Clinton for a healthy dose of funk. The interior, with its bright, expressive trims and color schemes should also be a really nice place to spend some time. I'll be attending the Renegade's launch later this month, so I'll have a much shorter wait than my colleagues. Here's hoping the baby Jeep lives up to my expectations. – Brandon Turkus Associate Editor Mazda MX-5 Miata Here's an uncomfortable truth: I'd rather spend a day driving a properly sorted Mazda MX-5 Miata of any generation on a winding road than I would nearly any other vehicle, regardless of power, price or prestige. It's not just that I prize top-down driving and enjoy the Miata's small size because it gives me more road to play with. I just find there's more motoring joy to be had with high-fidelity handling and an uncorrupted car-to-driver communication loop than I do with face-distorting power or grip – let alone valet-stand gravitas. But perhaps most of all, I love Miatas because they can deliver that level of feedback and driver reward at modest speeds that won't put the locals on edge or endanger lives – you can use more of the car more of the time.

Project Trail Force Jeep Wrangler goes to SEMA, then to a lucky winner

Extreme Terrain is an aftermarket parts company focused on the Jeep Wrangler. Partly just because it's a really cool thing to do, and probably having something to do with Jeep's upcoming 75th anniversary, Extreme Terrain found some dance partners to help work up a special 2015 Wrangler Rubicon that it will show off at the Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival in Butler, PA, then at SEMA in November, where it will be given away. Extreme worked with Barricade Off-Road and Kevin Tetz from the Spike show Trucks! to build the Wrangler it calls Project Trail Force. There is more than $24,000 worth of aftermarket gear on it, starting with the Ripp centrifugal supercharger that pumps an additional 140 horsepower into the 3.6-liter V6. It's got a 3.5-inch lift kit from Rock Krawler, Dana 44 axles strung between 37-inch BFG tires, Barricade bumpers, a 9,500-pound winch, fender flares, rock sliders, a 50-inch LED light bar above the windshield, LED spotlights on the A-pillars, and seven-inch KC Hilites headlights. Rugged Ridge worked over the inside with upgrades like all-terrain floor and cargo liners, plus seat covers, and a new navigation system with a back-up camera. If you want to win it, you can enter the contest at Extreme Terrain once every week until Oct. 23. The winner gets flown to SEMA to have Kevin Tetz hand the keys over. If you just want to see it, you can head to PA for that heritage festival. The Project Trail Force will also lead a Jeep parade that could set a Guinness World Record. The press release below has a lot more info on the build. Good luck. EXTREMETERRAIN AND BARRICADE OFF-ROAD TO UNVEIL THEIR FULLY-BUILT 2015 JEEP WRANGLER AT BANTAM JEEP FESTIVAL ExtremeTerrain.com and Barricade Off-Road teamed up to build a $73,000+ 2015 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon to be given away to a lucky winner at the 2015 SEMA Show • Giveaway Link: http://www.extremeterrain.com/jeep-wrangler-project-trailforce-giveaway.html • Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsO6fxVq6kI MALVERN, Pa. (June 12, 2015) – ExtremeTerrain, a leader in providing aftermarket Jeep Wrangler parts, along with rugged, enthusiast-driven Jeep Wrangler aftermarket armor and accessories manufacturer Barricade Off-Road, today unveiled a fully-built 2015 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon dubbed Project Trail Force at the Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival in Butler, PA.