Jeep Cj5 Levi's Edition on 2040-cars

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eBay Find of the Day: Jeep Comanche Zombie Response Unit

We've seen some pretty fantastic apocalypse vehicles in our day. We've even owned one or two, but this particular Jeep Comanche tugs at our heart strings in all the right ways. Let's start with the basics: there's a stout 4.0-liter engine underhood hooked to a five-speed manual transmission, and while we wish this truck was four-wheel drive, the two-inch lift and oversize tires should help you overcome obstacles with enough momentum.
Details like handy shovels, Jerry cans and a brush guard inspired by the hardware on a CUCV help lend the truck a no-nonsense appeal, and the functional CB whip antenna means you can ask for backup when the undead hordes come your way. If you like what you see as much as we do, you can head over to eBay Motors to place a bid. The auction has inched up to $4,000 with just two days left on the clock.

2013 AEV Brute Double Cab

These are the guys who bring an M777 howitzer to a knife fight. In terms of overall rugged utility, the all-new 2013 Brute Double Cab from American Expedition Vehicles (AEV) is about as overkill as they come, and we can't seem to get enough of the beasts that this company produces. Unlike most aftermarket firms, always striving to lower cost and increase volume (but at the expense of quality), Michigan-based AEV takes pride in its OEM-quality design, engineering, manufacturing and testing. Everything is as good, or better, than the stuff from the factory, and they have been doing it this way for more than 15 years.
Launched at the recent 2012 SEMA show was the 2013 AEV Brute Double Cab. Its debut marked the company's expansion to a four-door Brute on the newer JK platform (drawing inspiration from the Land Rover Defender 130). I recently spent a few hours with the new truck in sunny Southern California, though unfortunately, due to time constraints, I was limited to pavement-only driving impressions.
Driving Notes

Auto critic calls out Corvette, Mustang and Cherokee faithful

Most automotive purists fear change, but not without reason. Change, after all, did kill big-block V8s, along with most station wagons and manual transmissions. But change has also brought with it far more performance, safety and fuel economy - not to mention ridding the world of shag carpet interiors, bias-ply tires and those horrible motorized seatbelts of the early '90s.
By this time next year, the Chevy Corvette, Jeep Cherokee and next-generation Ford Mustang will all be on sale and will all, in some way, have angered or offended purists. To those critics, Mark Phelan of the Detroit Free Press is preemptively telling them to stop complaining - at least until they've all been driven. From the Corvette's square taillights and the Cherokee's radical nose to whatever pony car purists will harp on the 2015 Mustang for, Phelan's column points out the positives of automotive evolution and the negatives of staying the course for too long. That's fair enough, but do you think Phelan is on point, or all wet? Head on over to the Detroit Free Press to read his words, then have your say in Comments.