2008 Jeep Wrangler 4wd 2dr X on 2040-cars

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Jeep Wrangler Polar Edition coming to America

Jeep originally took the wraps off its Polar Edition Wrangler at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, and at the time, we figured this would be a Europe-only affair. (Perfectly fine, since we US customers haven't exactly been lacking special edition Wrangler models over the years.) But now, and as Jeep says, just in time for winter, the automaker has announced that the ice cold Wrangler will be hitting North American showrooms in November.
Based on the Wrangler Sahara model, the Polar Edition can be had in either two- or four-door body styles, with a unique Hydro Blue paint job as the featured color. (Buyers can also opt for less-special Billet Silver and Bright White hues.) Other exterior enhancements include a body-colored hardtop, 18-inch gloss black wheels, the Powerdome (power bulge) hood, and unique decals all around the body.
But the Polar Edition isn't just about some paint and stickers. Jeep has fitted this Wrangler with a Dana 30 front axle and Dan 44 rear axle, as well as the Trac-Lok anti-spin electronic rear differential. Like all US-spec Wranglers, the Polar Edition uses Jeep's 3.6-liter Pentastar V6, producing 285 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. Both a six-speed manual and five-speed automatic transmission are available.

NHTSA still mulling crash tests for recalled Jeeps

Well, no one should ever accuse the government of not giving things plenty of thought. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is still debating whether it will retest any of the 1.56 million 1992 to 1998 Grand Cherokees and 2002 to 2007 Libertys that were part of a recall regarding fires after rear-end collisions. And yes, this debate has been going on for over a month. In other news...
The recall dustup started in early June, when Chrysler took the unusual position of refusing a recall request from NHTSA regarding placement of the fuel tank on the effected vehicles. NHTSA said a collision could cause a fire, a position Chrysler took issue with. Extensive negotiations ensued, with Chrysler agreeing to fit certain Jeeps with trailer hitches, which it said would provide some protection to fuel tanks mounted behind the rear axle in the event of a collision.
Part of the issue rests with the amount of data that needs to be processed, according to The Detroit News. NHTSA administrator David Strickland said during a Washington Auto Press Association meeting, "There's a lot of data and Chrysler is being very cooperative in giving us more data." Until that information has been sorted, it looks like re-testing will still be up for debate.

2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee spied looking refreshed

Jeep is preparing another facelift for the Grand Cherokee. Spied here undergoing testing, the updates to the upscale SUV look like they'll be fairly limited in scope. The current WK2-generation Jeep Grand Cherokee was introduced in 2010 as a 2011 model, replacing the round-eyed WK model that had been around since 2005. It underwent a mild update last year and is now gearing up for another round. This refresh appears to have a new front fascia with wider-spaced grille slats, and though hidden from view, will likely incorporate a restyled bumper with new fog lights. Expect some revisions inside the cabin to accompany the new face, and some updated engines, too. The current base model's 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 is anticipated to offer more power and get better fuel economy, plus offer flex-fuel capability. Of course, the 5.7-liter Hemi V8 will also likely be offered, and if we're lucky, an even more powerful SRT performance model, too. The updated JGC is expected to arrive in the first quarter of the new year. Jeep will be marking its 75th anniversary then, so expect some special editions of this and other models in the portfolio to arrive in true Jeep style. In the meantime, you can check out the spy shots in the gallery above. Related Video: