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Chrysler registers Trackhawk trademark

There may not be many ways to forecast what an automaker is planning for the future, but there are some. Trademark applications are one of them, and Chrysler has just applied with the US Patent and Trademark Office to protect the name "Trackhawk." The question is, what's it planning on using it for? We don't know for sure, but we can put together an educated guess or two. And one guess is that Jeep will use the name to replace the letters SRT on the performance version of the Grand Cherokee.
How do we figure, you ask? From a number of developments. For starters, the SRT division has been reintegrated into the Dodge brand. Those letters currently appear on only two vehicles from outside the Dodge lineup: one is the Grand Cherokee SRT, and the other is the Chrysler 300 SRT. We've heard ruminations (however unconfirmed) that the latter could be either discontinued or possibly relabeled, and if the same proves true of the GC, the Trackhawk name could serve as a on-road performance counterpart to the Trailhawk label applied to off-road versions of models like the Cherokee and Renegade.
Logical it may be, but it's hardly a foregone conclusion. The Trackhawk name could just as easily be used for a new concept (like the Trailhawk name was in 2007), for another kind of trim level or for something else entirely. In fact we don't even know for sure it'll be used by the Jeep brand specifically, or used at all for that matter. Automakers have been known, after all, to register names they don't end up using.

2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee probed by NHTSA for brake problems

Remember how Toyota got in all kinds of trouble over unintended acceleration? Well, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating Jeep over unintended braking. NHTSA has announced a probe of 20,000 Grand Cherokee SUVs from model year 2014. Nine complaints have been received, with owners alleging that their Jeeps have issued brake warnings or gone ahead and applied the brakes when no threat was presented. Each complaint alleges that the vehicles have exhibited this behavior repeatedly, leading to a "sudden reduction in vehicle speed in traffic." So basically, a system designed to prevent accidents could actually increase the odds of a collision happening. Speaking to the Associated Press, Jeep spokesperson Eric Mayne said owners whose vehicles are exhibiting this behavior should report to dealers, while adding that the automatic braking/adaptive cruise control systems can be deactivated. Related Video: Scroll down for the official bulletin on the investigation from NHTSA. Date Investigation Opened: JUN 01, 2015 Date Investigation Closed: Open NHTSA Action Number: PE15021 Component(s): FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE Manufacturer: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) SUMMARY: The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received nine complaints alleging inappropriate activations of the autonomous braking system in model year (MY) 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles. All nine reports alleged unexpected braking incidents preceded by collision imminent brake warnings and resulting in sudden reduction in vehicle speed in traffic. Two complaints reported autonomous braking incidents with no objects on the road resulting in rapid increase in brake force and anti-lock braking system (ABS) activations. The complaints alleged experiencing multiple events at different locations and road conditions. A Preliminary Evaluation has been opened to assess the frequency, scope and consequences of the alleged defect. The following VOQ numbers are associated with the issues discussed in this resume: 10543837, 10713629, 10690650, 10663320, 10630362, 10596913, 10533622, 10533524, 10651269.

Jay Leno rides high in Fab Fours Legend

Jeep showcased some pretty awesome concepts at its Easter Safari in Moab a few days ago, but few if any of them were quite as extreme as what's rolled in to Jay Leno's Garage for this latest video installment. It's called the Legend, and it was made by aftermarket bumper manufacturer Fab Fours to demonstrate its capabilities. It's obviously based on the Jeep Wrangler, but it's riding high on 50-inch tires with a jacked-up monster truck suspension, giant fenders, a chopped-down red-tinted greenhouse and something its creators call a "grumper" that integrates the bumper into the grille. Or vice versa. Though most of the oily bits have carried over from the production model, it's hardly what you'd call "practical," but it's sure to turn a lot of heads... even one as massive as Jay's. Related Video: