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Jeep Wrangler Dragon Edition coming to North America

If 2012 was the year of the dragon in China, perhaps the US can claim 2014. After showing the Jeep Wrangler Dragon Design Concept at the 2012 Beijing Motor Show, and apparently receiving "tremendously positive feedback" from Jeep enthusiasts across the globe, the automaker has decided to introduce a production version that will hit US showrooms this fall with a price of $36,095.
"The dragon symbolizes strength and power and is an aspirational character normally associated with royalty and good fortune," says Jeep, and that apparently equates to a blacked-out Wrangler Unlimited with bronze satin gloss highlights inside and out, along with big dragon decals that start on the hood and run down the fenders. There are 18-inch matte black wheels with a bronze outer edges, and a dragon-emblazoned spare tire cover completes the look.
We suggest you peruse the high-res image gallery above to see all the black and bronze detailing yourself, and make special note of the interior. In related news, all 2014 Jeep Wrangler models get an optional Trail Kit and clear park lamps to replace the previous amber units. New colors include Amp'd, Anvil, Copperhead, Flame Red, Granite Crystal and Hydro Blue (Freedom edition only), which join carryover colors Billet Silver, Bright White, Black and Dune.

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.

Jeep Patriot replacement adopts tiny Grand Cherokee styling

After almost a year out of the spotlight, we've finally snagged our second set of images of Jeep's new CUV. Set to replace both the Patriot and Compass, these latest images reinforce what we originally thought about Jeep's newest model – it's a baby Grand Cherokee. These 15 images provide the best look yet at the new sheetmetal, details, and interior. Starting with the skin, it's like Jeep's designers scaled down the Grand Cherokee's profile to fit on the new crossover's stretched Renegade platform. The headlights, grille, and taillights looked like shrunken items from Jeep's flagship crossover, too. This is good news – even after its 2011 facelift the Compass was a homely little thing, and the Patriot was boxy at a time when CUVs were going for smoother, more aerodynamic lines. Jeep's new CUV is avoiding those mistakes by aping one of the company's most popular designs. Only the driver's seat, steering wheel, and center stack appear in the interior images, so we can't tell how the stretched chassis impacts rear-seat legroom compared to the Renegade/Fiat 500X. But in front, it looks like a Jeep – FCA's corporate steering wheel and HVAC controls are present and accounted for, but the usual touchscreen display looks bigger the expected 8.4-inch unit. That could just be the camera angle playing tricks on our eyes. We can't make any judgments about the material choices, but we'd expect quality to be on par with the larger Cherokee. Under hood, our spies report that FCA's nine-speed automatic will be the only transmission choice. FCA will call on its new 2.0-liter, Hurricane four-cylinder engine, the spies claim, but we also expect the less powerful 2.4-liter, four-cylinder from the Renegade and Cherokee. Apparently, production will begin by the end of the year. Short of a shotgun launch immediately after a Detroit debut, that virtually guarantees a debut in Los Angeles (or possibly Paris). Related Video: Featured Gallery Jeep C-Segment CUV: Spy Shots View 15 Photos Image Credit: CarPix Spy Photos Jeep Crossover Off-Road Vehicles jeep compass jeep patriot