2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited on 2040-cars

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Train derailment leaves Jeep, GMC, Chevy pickups damaged in Nevada

An unfortunate train derailment is causing some inevitable delays for pickup truck customers west of Nevada. Yesterday morning, 33 train cars derailed in Lincoln County, and the cargo that was being transported consisted of new Jeep Gladiators and Wranglers along with Chevrolet Silverados and GMC Sierras, judging from the photos released by the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office. The train derailment also caused the adjacent road to be closed, and local law enforcement recommends the area is to be avoided as long as it takes to clean it all up. In the photos, damaged Jeeps and other trucks sit either on their wheels or shiny-side-down as the incident is being assessed. Available information says there were thankfully no personal injuries, but itÂ’s not likely any of these trucks will end up in customer hands, even with a significant discount. Pre-registration transport damage, significant or not, has often resulted in scrapping complete vehicles so that manufacturers can steer clear of liability issues. Hooniverse.com, which also reported on the incident, notes a couple of interesting things. Firstly, the upended Gladiator seems to have a pretty sturdy support structure for its glasshouse, thanks to its new rollbars. Another matter is that the GM trucks, also pictured, wear discreet and temporary transport steel wheels instead of fancier items, perhaps to deter thieves eager to grab a shiny set from trucks on their way to the dealer. Still, itÂ’s a shame these vehicles could never fulfill their hauling purposes in the hands of new owners. Perhaps the manufacturers can at least use the damage for data-gathering purposes. Related Video:    

Ram and Jeep diesel emissions allegations spur class action lawsuits

This shouldn't come as a surprise. Last week, the EPA issued a notice of violation to FCA after it determined that Jeep and Ram installed eight undisclosed auxiliary emissions control devices on diesel vehicles. Since then US law firm Heninger Garrison Davis, LLC and Canadian firm Sotos LLP have launched class action suits on behalf of owners. These latest lawsuits are unrelated to a previous class action suit brought against FCA and Cummins over NOx emissions in 2007 to 2012 Ram models. The violation notice – and the subsequent lawsuits – covers 2014 to 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Ram 1500 models equipped with the 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6, a total of about 104,000 vehicles in the US. The EPA says that while the emissions control devices aren't necessarily illegal, installing them without disclosing them to the EPA is, as they produce more emissions in real world use than in testing. Skirting certification in this way might be a violation of the Clean Air Act. FCA could see fines of up to $45,000 per vehicle, depending on the outcome of the EPA investigation. FCA denies that these are cheat devices, and has proposed software updates to bring the vehicles into compliance. As for the lawsuits, Heninger Garrison Davis says that "Fiat Chrysler marketed those vehicles as environmentally friendly with enhanced fuel efficiency, better performance, and lower emissions. Although the diesel vehicles were successfully marketed as 'clean,' their environmentally-friendly representations were deceptive to consumers." The suit seeks an undisclosed amount of compensation for owners of these vehicles. In Canada, Sotos LLP is seeking $250 million in damages on behalf of owners. This suit, filed in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, also claims deception on the part of FCA, "resulting in losses and damage" to owners. These are similar claims to group actions against Volkswagen with regard to its diesel emissions cheating scandal. While VW is fixing or buying back many of the affected vehicles, the company is defending itself against some suits on behalf of owners, saying it expects " no decline in the residual values of the affected vehicles as a result of this issue." Don't be surprised if FCA mounts a similar defense.

2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT Night puts on a dark face

We'd love to tell you that the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT you see above is powered by a hellish 707-horsepower supercharged V8 engine, but we can't. We hope that's coming soon, but in the meantime, we'll all just have to live in a world where an SUV with a 6.4-liter engine sends a mere 475 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque to all four wheels. So it goes, right? It's not a Trackhawk, and it's not a Hellcat. This is the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT Night. That basically means it's just like all other 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT models, except that any and all brightwork has been replaced with gloss black bits. To complete the dark and mysterious look, all of the car's badging, its front fascia and its unique set of 20-inch wheels are done up in a satin-black finish. The body can be ordered in Velvet Red, Billet Silver and Granite Crystal (dark grey). Inside, as you'd expect, all the chrome has been painted black, and the black leather seats have silver stitching. Sure, we want to see the Hellcat engine dropped inside the Grand Cherokee SRT just as much as you do, but it's hard to complain about a 4.8-second 0-60 time or a top speed of 160 miles per hour. Feel free to read more in the press release below. 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT Night The new Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT Night features a stealth-like appearance with the roof, rear spoiler, front grille bezels, B and C pillars and side window surrounds all adorned in Gloss Black. The front applique is Satin Black, as is badging on the hood and rear liftgate. New lightweight, split five-spoke "5Ten" 20-inch wheels are also finished in Satin Black and are designed to showcase the Grand Cherokee SRT8's standard Brembo brakes. Interior appointments include Black Laguna leather with Silver accent stitching and Light Black Chrome bezels. Available colors for the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT Night include Velvet Red, Billet Silver and Granite Crystal. Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT Night features a standard 6.4-liter V-8 engine with Fuel Saver Technology that delivers 475 horsepower and 470 lb.-ft. of torque, an adaptive damping suspension and a Selec-Track Traction Control system. Available features include a dual-pane sunroof, a 19-speaker 825-watt Harman Kardon stereo system, trailer tow package, three-season tires, a full-size spare tire and a dual-screen rear entertainment system.