Cars! Cars! Cars!

Jeep Needs To Build JT

Motor Authority reports: Jeep unveils two new concepts for SEMA. We don't normally cover anything but cars and Alison, but we're going to make a small exception because the JT could be something really, really special. And be the next big thing for the Jeep brand.

Now that Chrysler is owned (well, about to be) by Cerberus, here's our sure-fire way to revive the Jeep brand: Build a low-cost, low-frills JT. We don't mean low-cost as in low ability, just low everything fancy. No leather, make it vinyl. Not power windows, a crank'll do ya. No AC... well, AC. So we're pansy... STFU!

The JT has the chance to be the shining example for the do-it-yourselfer who has a little bit of property to work on, but can't afford no $27,000 pickup truck. That same buyer will be a tinkerer that longs to relive the past they never got to take part in. Chrysler, give us a truck to tinker with and that we can afford. The Wrangler and Wrangler Unlimited ain't it.

Yay!

Winding Road reports: Crushed Box: Jeep Commander Toast After 2009? What an awful friggin' thing this was. Good riddance to it.

Why do we hate it so? Because it was, we think, a bad idea and poorly executed. The best quote from a review of the Jeep Commander came from our pal Robert Farago where he wrote:

But the execution is inexcusable. Even if Shell V-Power was free, you wouldn't want to waste it on the new Jeep Commander.

Now that's how to write a review!

Big

AutoWeek reports: Unlimiteds Limited. Man, one of these passed us on the road the other day -- it's friggin' huge! How can something so big be nimble in the middle of the woods? You'd think they should be the size of the original RAV4 (the 2-door dealie). Speaking of which, the RAV4 is huge now, too! Why is everything getting bigger?

Lies

Autoblog reports: 'Unintended acceleration' allegations leveled against Jeep Grand Cherokee.

CNN reports: Conn. urges probe into Jeep Grand Cherokee. From CNN:

Connecticut urged federal regulators on Tuesday to probe possible acceleration flaws in late-model Chrysler Jeep Grand Cherokees after a 52-year-old man was run over and killed by one in a car wash.

Connecticut authorities said they had received several reports of Jeep Grand Cherokees suddenly accelerating out of car washes while changing gears to drive from neutral.

Out of car washes? This doesn't seem at all odd? Wet feet? Crap, when we take our beast to be hosed off, everything is slippery as hell until we rub our feet on the carpet for a while.

This sounds so much like what 60 Minutes did to Audi back in the 1980s. It was bullshit then and, we bet, bullshit now.