2002 Jeep Liberty Limited Sport Utility 4-door 3.7l on 2040-cars

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Mopar showcases modified Jeeps in Dubai

Showing that FCA is serious about expanding its global reach, Jeep and Mopar have rolled in to the Dubai Motor Show this year with three modified off-roaders. One is based on the Cherokee, and the other two are wrought from the Wrangler. But it's the Cherokee that's getting the lion's share of attention. The vehicle you see pictured here is called the Jeep Cherokee KrawLer. It's based on the Trailhawk, but adopts some special equipment to set it apart. It packs a modified suspension, BFGoodrich off-road tires, widened fenders, skid plates, a pseudo-military matte green paint job and a matching green leather interior from Pelle Frau. Power comes from the 3.2-liter Pentastar V6 driving 272 horsepower through a nine-speed automatic and locking rear differential to all four wheels. The name KrawLer emphasizes the KL code by which the current Cherokee is known. Alongside the Cherokee KrawLer, Mopar and Jeep are also showcasing a pair of modified Wranglers. One is the Sahara Sun Runner, done up in matte yellow with a four-inch lift kit and half-doors. The Wranger Dark Side, meanwhile, is based on a two-door Rubicon and features giant tires, flat fenders, and an array of other Mopar components. Alongside those, Jeep is showcasing the Renegade for the first time in the Middle East. Meanwhile, Mopar is also demonstrating its enhancements for the Chrysler 200, Dodge Charger R/T, Dodge Challenger Hellcat, Ram Rebel, Fiat 500X, and the new Fullback pickup from Fiat Professional. The Fiat division will also be on hand to show the new Tipo sedan as well. 10 November 2015 The Jeep® Brand at the 2015 Dubai International Motor Show - Premiere for the Middle East of the new Jeep®; Renegade - Three show cars fitted with exclusive Mopar®; accessories: Cherokee KrawLer, Wrangler Sahara Sun Runner and Wrangler Dark Side to star on the stand - Reinforcing the breadth of the Jeep brand, the full current vehicle line-up will be on show at the Middle East's leading automotive event Making its debut for the first time at a leading motor show in the Middle East is the new, recently-introduced Jeep®; Renegade, the compact SUV that boasts the best off-road performance in its segment alongside three Moparised show editions: Cherokee KrawLer, Wrangler Sahara Sun Runner and Wrangler Dark Side.

Mopar teases four of 'nearly 20' SEMA Show concepts

Yesterday it was Chevrolet. Today, Mopar has dropped some SEMA knowledge, releasing a quartet of teaser images that give us some indication of what kind of cars, trucks, and crossovers Fiat, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram will be showing in Las Vegas. Like Chevy, Mopar's concepts utilize both production and concept accessories, although Fiat Chrysler has gone a bit more indepth on at least one of its concepts. Immediately, the most tantalizing teaser is the one shown above. Yes, that's the back of a Challenger, and aside from the bright orange accents on the gray body, you should take notice of the badge mounted on the spoiler – yes, that says "GT AWD." To be honest, such a vehicle wouldn't be a huge shock, as both the Challenger's LX platform-mates, the Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300, are offered with all-wheel-drive options. Still, adding such a vehicle to the production cycle would give Dodge a leg up on the rear-drive only Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro. Aside from that concept, FCA has also released teasers of a Ram-based concept, a 300-based concept, and what we're guessing is a Fiat 500X. We can't wait to see what the actual Fiat concept has to do with kiteboarding. As for the 300 and Ram, there's not a lot of hints on what sort of styling details they'll contain. The Chrysler has additional LED accents and what we're guessing is matte blue paint, while the Ram is based on a Hemi-powered 1500 with Rebel styling cues. This is just a very tiny sample of Mopar's final SEMA roster, which include "hundreds" of parts. There should also be a total of 20 vehicles covering all four former Chrysler Group brands, as well as Fiat. Naturally, we'll have plenty to report on each vehicle once the SEMA show kicks off in the next couple weeks.

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