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Dream Cruising in three Jeep concept cars

Those of you that have attended the yearly Woodward Dream Cruise, know that the rolling car show is many things to many people. A chance to pull the Corvette out of the garage; a time to ogle rare models you've never yet seen in the metal; a weekend for drinking a cold one with friends and simply taking in the festivities. But for our roving editor Brandon Turkus, this year was a chance to cruise in some concept Jeeps that most people will never see, let alone drive. As Turkus aptly points out from the start, Woodward isn't exactly Moab. But wheeling the off-roaders is nevertheless an eye-opening experience; they may not be upcoming products, but these Jeeps tease out a lot we'd like to see from the brand in the future. You can find these mini Short Cut reviews above, and below, but here's a recap of what Turkus got to drive. Jeep Wrangler Staff Car Concept This one's a proper salute to the Jeep military service vehicles of yore. It's an open-air concept based on the four-door Wrangler, with tons of heritage design cues. It looks old, but we promise, it's totally new. It's got basic steel wheels, a stretched canvas roof, bench seats, a painted steel floor, a built-in cooler that accommodates up to 85 cans, and is painted in an iconic Sandstorm color. When the going gets tough, the Staff Car can handle it with aplomb, thanks to the Jeep Performance Parts two-inch lift kit, Fox shocks, Dana 44 axles, and the Wrangler's 3.6-liter V6. Jeep Chief Concept This Wrangler-based concept is an excellent tribute to the classic, fullsize Jeep Cherokee from the 1970s. It's painted in a vintage Ocean Blue color, with a white, "French Bread" roof. There's also a custom razor grille (something made famous on the original Wagoneer), removable sides, chrome bumpers, and classic-looking, 17-inch wheels. Inside, there's surfer-inspired pink, blue, and white cloth mixed with leather trim, with more fun details like a Rosewood front passenger grab handle and tiki-look shift handle. Of course, this thing looks to be truly capable off-road, too, with a two-inch lift kit, Fox shocks, Dana 44 axles at the front and rear, and a 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 underhood. Jeep Wrangler Africa A take on the Wrangler Unlimited, painted in Desert Tan, and powered by a 2.8-liter diesel engine. It looks killer, with 17-inch, body-colored steel wheels wrapped in 35-inch BF Goodrich Mud Terrain tires. There's a two-inch lift kit, Dana 44 axles, and Fox shocks.

Consumer Reports digs Mazda3, disses Jeep Cherokee

Consumer Reports has just rendered its verdict on two of the more important cars to launch this year - the Mazda3 and the Jeep Cherokee. Considering the value a "Recommended" rating carries with the public and the viciously competitive markets these two cars compete in, Consumer Reports' view could have some impact on their initial success.
For Mazda, that's a good thing. CR spoke quite highly of the Zoom-Zoom brand's compact sedan and hatch, testing both models, and citing the excellent fuel economy and snickety-snack manual shifter as high points. Downsides to the 3 included a ride that is agile but "nervous," a bit too much noise and a cramped back seat. Still, the 3 was good enough to earn its place in the ranks of the "Recommended."
The Jeep didn't fare quite so well, with CR calling the polarizing CUV "half-baked." Although both engines were tested, the magazine called the 2.4-liter four-pot underpowered and its nine-speed automatic unrefined and unresponsive. That's particularly damning, considering the 9AT's role in future Chrysler products, including the extremely important 200. Overall, the Cherokee missed out on the coveted "Recommended" rating.

Autoblog Podcast #523 | BMWs, Trackhawk and Mazda's new engine technology

On this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Associate Editor Joel Stocksdale. We discuss a couple of BMWs, the upcoming BMW X7 three-row SUV and our short-term BMW M760i with a turbocharged, 600-horsepower V12. We also cover the week's news, including Mazda's nifty engine technology it will roll out in the next few years, as well as pricing on the new Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk. The rundown is below. Remember, if you have a car-related question you'd like us to answer or you want buying advice of your very own, send a message or a voice memo to podcast@autoblog.com. (If you record audio of a question with your phone and get it to us, you could hear your very own voice on the podcast. Neat, right?) And if you have other questions or comments, please send those too. Autoblog Podcast #523The video meant to be presented here is no longer available. Sorry for the inconvenience.Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Topics and stories we mention Rundown BMW X7 Spy Shots Volkswagen Passat GT Mazda's future engine technology Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk Pricing BMW M760i driving Ram 2500 driving Spend My Money Feedback Email – Podcast at Autoblog dot com Review the show on iTunes