2014 Jeep Patriot Fwd 4dr Sport on 2040-cars

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Side-X-Sides: The next Wrangler?

The Jeep Wrangler has a huge following, but I've long thought that it is ripe for plucking. And if rumors of a neo-Bronco prove to be true, it sounds like Ford may agree. If a new Bronco does pan out, I hope it's small like the original Bronco, and not a huge F-150-based vehicle. To be a true Wrangler-fighter it has to be small and nimble. Here's another option How about developing a slightly larger, but street-legal version of the popular side-x-sides which are so popular with hunters, fishermen, farmers and anyone outdoors-oriented? This, to me, seems to be the next logical evolution of these side-x-sides. Currently side-x-sides have to be either trailered or stuffed into the back a of a pickup to wherever they're going to be used. Offering a street-legal off-roader solves that problem. There's no shortage of side-x-side makers out there. Any one of them could engineer and market such a vehicle, should they decide to. Plus there are plenty of dealer outlets, although Honda is the only one that currently sells cars, etc.; so they could have an edge in the selling and servicing aspects of such a vehicle. That said, I'm not sure Honda would want to sell such a vehicle in their car outlets. It may be better suited to their dealers that sell motorcycles, ATVs, watercraft, etc., as that outdoorsman type of customer already frequents those dealers. Then again, if the new Ridgeline proves popular, such a vehicle could offer something much more capable and sporting to that customer who is looking for something more extreme. The Wrangler has its fans, and they love it just as it stands. In fact Wrangler fans would reject any drastic engineering changes to their beloved off-roaders Side-x-sides, on the other hand, offer a completely different take on how to engineer a small but serious off-roader. Both are valid approaches. Currently the only thing missing are street-legal side-x-sides that go head-to-head against the Wrangler. Having more purchase options available is always a good thing; seems like a no-brainer to me. Image Credit: Honda Jeep Off-Road Vehicles open road

Chrysler uses Super Bowl spots to honor troops, farmers

How do you follow up such revered and successful ads as Chrysler's last two Super Bowl commercials? Imported from Detroit and Halftime in America should be given credit for giving the automaker's public perception a complete overhaul after its rescue from the brink with taxpayer money. What next, then?
We just found out during Super Bowl XLVII. This year Chrysler went with two commercials, one for Jeep and the other Ram. The two-minute-long Jeep commercial, called Whole Again, is narrated by Oprah Winfrey and presented as an open letter to the service men and women of America, simply expressing admiration for what they do - poignant message coming from a company whose history is so entwined with that of the military's.
The Ram commercial, called Farmer, honors the agricultural backbone of this country. Its soundtrack is a speech entitled "So God Made a Farmer" given by the famous radio broadcaster Paul Harvey, which plays over a slideshow of original photography commissioned by Ram. The images, of course, focus on farming and the people who do it for a living, and there's a few Ram trucks in there, as well.

Jeep team takes a field trip to Wagonmaster; researching next Grand Wagoneer?

They have the very best intentions of rolling out a seven-passenger vehicle.
Wagonmaster has made a name for itself restoring and selling factory-perfect Jeep Grand Wagoneer models, bridging the gap between when the last production machine rolled off the line in 1991 and present day. The company's efforts haven't gone unnoticed. The entire Jeep product planning team took a little field trip to the company's facility in Kerrville, Texas back in December, and they weren't just there to take in the sights. According to owner Leon Miller's son, Chip Miller, the Jeep team was there to do research for the successor to the Grand Wagoneer throne.