2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee, IIHS Ratings

The current Jeep Grand Cherokee has proven to be a safe performer, scoring well in crash tests in the past two years, with a minor blot on its record and some missing information for the 2013 model year.

The insurance industry-funded Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) called the Grand Cherokee a Top Safety Pick in the 2012 model year; it carried over its 2012 performance. The IIHS hasn’t updated its 2013 information as of yet and it’s contemplating the addition of a more severe front-impact test to its rankings, so for now, the structurally unchanged Grand Cherokee is without a rating from that agency.

EPA Latest Useless Meddling: New E15 Gasoline May Damage Vehicles and Cause Consumer Confusion

Me I don’t care I have a new model E-15 capable vehicle, but other’s may not. I just happened to have to trade in my 10 year old vehicle this year, so I bought a new car, err Jeep.

ORLANDO, Fla., Nov. 30, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — A recent survey by AAA finds a strong likelihood of consumer confusion and the potential for voided warranties and vehicle damage as a result of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) recent approval of E15 gasoline. An overwhelming 95 percent of consumers surveyed have not heard of E15, a newly approved gasoline blend that contains up to 15 percent ethanol. …

Only about 12 million out of the more than 240 million light-duty vehicles on the roads today are approved by manufacturers to use E15 gasoline, based on a survey conducted by AAA of auto manufacturers. …

Here She Is … 2014 Grand Cherokee

A few updates are in store for the 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee, and while we’ve told you about them before, we’re now getting our first glimpse at the refreshed SUV without all the heavy camouflage.

Up front, new headlights with LED running lamps flow into a new front fascia design with a smaller seven-slat grille and some curvy bodywork that flows up underneath the headlamp clusters. (With the black tape still covering part of the fascia, can anyone else see a bit of Chrysler 300 in those headlights?) Revisions have been made to the Jeep’s lower front end, as well; and all in, it’s not as aggressive (or handsome) as the current model. Also, we’re not sure how we feel about the flat gray panel that surrounds the grille on the Laredo model, though it’s unclear whether that’s actually a production piece. We’ll hold off making up our minds about the new styling, for certain, until we see the fully baked SUV.

At the back, subtle tweaks have been made to the taillamps (LEDs have been added – surprise, surprise), and the tailgate has been ever-so-slightly redesigned.

The big changes for 2014 lie under the Grand Cherokee’s hood – most notably, the addition of a 3.0-liter diesel V6 for the US market. As we reported earlier, this will be a massaged version of the oil-burning six sold in Europe, and should be good for about 237 horsepower and 407 pound-feet of torque. The Grand Cherokee will also get a new ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic transmission.

Look for the 2014 Grand Cherokee to officially bow at the Detroit Auto Show in January. Production is estimated to start in the spring of 2013.

More here:

Bailout Sales Success

From a Chrysler press release

Jeep brand sales were up 24 percent in May compared with the same month a year ago, the brand’s best May sales performance in 12 years and its 25th-consecutive month of year-over-year sales gains. The Jeep Wrangler, the brand’s volume leader for the month, set an all-time sales record in May with its solid 44 percent sales increase. May sales of the Jeep Liberty mid-size SUV were the best since 2007.

Sales of the Jeep Grand Cherokee, the most awarded SUV ever, increased 40 percent in May, the model’s best May sales since 2005. For the second year in a row, the Grand Cherokee was named “Premium Mid-Size SUV” in AutoPacific’s “2012 Best in Class Vehicle Satisfaction” Awards. Also in May, the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 was named “Performance SUV of Texas” at TAWA’s Texas Auto Roundup.

Chrysler Readies Factory for Jeep Grand Cherokee Diesel

Chrysler Group LLC said it will add a third work crew to its Jefferson North assembly plant to build a diesel-powered version of the popular Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV for the U.S. market.

It is a risky move because while diesels are hugely popular in European and Asian markets, their success in the U.S. has been spotty at best. Indeed, Jeep rolled tried a diesel Cherokee here a few years ago but the vehicle, called the CRD, did not catch on with consumers.

The latest move to offer a diesel Jeep reflects the sense at Chrysler and across the auto industry that a growing number of U.S. buyers consider diesel an economically sensible alternative to gasoline.

The car maker said the new Jeep project will add 1,100 new jobs at the Jefferson plant, which currently has about 2,890 employees.

The engine is expected to be the same 3.0-liter turbo-diesel V-6 offered in Europe, which produces 237 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque. It should be significantly more fuel efficient than the Grand Cherokee’s gasoline engines; in Europe, the diesel Jeep is rated at the equivalent of 28 combined mpg.

The engine is reported to be VM Motori V6 Diesel Engines Used by Chrysler.

The new announcement follows Chrysler’s decision late last year to reopen its Connor Avenue plant in Detroit to turn out the next generation of the company’s SRT Viper sports car. Viper production had ceased in 2010, leaving the car’s future in doubt. The loud, fast, fuel-guzzling Viper has a small but fervent following.

While it is a textbook case of automotive impracticality, its formidable reputation on the race track makes it a big image booster for parent company Chrysler. The Connor Avenue factor will have almost 150 employees. The next-generation Viper will return to the market late this year as a 2013 model.

Grand Cherokee sales climbed 51 percent in the United States during 2011 to 127,744 units, while Durango sales hit 51,697 units in its first full year back on the market.

Off-road enthusiasts have long pleaded for diesel engine options across the Jeep lineup because of the diesel’s torque and fuel efficiency.

Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 in high demand

Australia’s ever growing appetite for rugged American SUVs has secured a quarter of the world’s Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 production when the vehicle goes on sale in June.

Global production of the 6.4-litre HEMI V8-powered Grand Cherokee is limited to just 4,000 units per year, a decision that guarantees to keep the ST8s exclusive and in high demand. Australia is considered one of the larger takers of Jeep vehicles outside of North America and has been a strong market for the new Grand Cherokee since the vehicle went on sale in 2011, with the diesel variant remaining the most popular.

Chrysler Australia expects an allocation of around 1,000 right-hand drive SRT8s to satisfy local demand. Nonetheless, more than 250 customers have already put down a deposit and many more have expressed solid interest, despite no word on price.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 was first unveiled at the 2011 New York motor show and has already gone on sale in numerous other markets.

With 347kW of power and 630Nm of torque, the SRT8 accelerates from 0-100km/h in just 4.8 seconds, making it one of the fastest SUVs in the world and certainly the fastest SUV for under $100,000 in Australia.

It’s not just a case of putting a big V8 in an SUV, though. Chrysler’s Street Racing Technology (SRT) team have made significant changes, such as lowering the vehicle by 30mm, adding a new spoiler, rear diffuser and dual sports exhausts. You also get active damping suspension (via the Selec-Terrain system) which allows drivers to choose between track, sport auto, snow and tow.

The success of the Grand Cherokee has led a new resurgence for the Jeep brand worldwide, with the company taking the lead role in international expansion for the Chrysler group (following a decision to withdraw Dodge from many international markets).

Jeep is expected to launch a new standard Australian Cherokee next year with the Patriot and Compass to follow in late 2014.

 

COPS: Two black teens beat man with hammer near Sanford, FL…

Anybody remember what happened in Sanford Fl recently?

Two arrested in brutal hammer beating in Seminole

Here is their mug shots …

Julius Bender, left, Yahaziel Israel arrested in beating (Seminole County Jail)

A tip to Crimeline has led to the arrests of two men in a brutal beating that occurred a week ago in the Midway community east of Sanford.

Julius Ricardo Bender, 18, and Yahaziel Isaac Israel, 19, face charges of attempted first-degree murder, burglary with assault or battery and armed burglary.

The victim, a 50-year-old Winter Springs man whose name has not been released, is on life-support at Orlando Regional Medical Center.

Deputies were called to the area of Lincoln Street and Beardall Avenue about 6:30 p.m. March 26 to investigate a report of a man being beaten, Seminole County Sheriff’s spokeswoman Heather Smith said.

They found the victim in the woods on the north side of Lincoln Street.

According to arrest affidavits:

A witness told deputies he heard someone screaming for help and saw two men pull the victim from his vehicle. He said he watched as one man held the victim and the other beat him in the head with a hammer.

After they dragged the victim into the woods, the men drove away in his sport utility vehicle, which was later found abandoned about a half-mile away on Garbo Jack Lane.

Investigators got a break in the case Thursday, when a tip to Crimeline named Bender and gave the street name of the second suspect.

On Friday, investigators learned Israel’s fingerprints had been found both inside and outside of the victim’s vehicle.

The witness was shown photo lineups and picked out Bender and Israel as the men he saw beating the victim. He said Bender was the man wielding the hammer.

Both men were arrested late Friday.

Hate crime?

February Jeep Sales Set Record(s)!

From a Chrysler press release

Jeep brand sales increased 30 percent in February compared with the same month in 2011, the brand’s best February since 2007. February marked the brand’s 22nd-consecutive month of year-over-year sales gains.

All five Jeep brand models recorded double-digit sales gains in February, led by the Jeep Grand Cherokee’s 47 percent increase. It was the Grand Cherokee’s best February sales in six years. The Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango shared MotorWeek’s “Drivers’ Choice Award” for Best Large Utility in February while the Jeep Wrangler earned Kelley Blue Book’s “Total Cost of Ownership Award” for Mid-size Sport Utility. The Wrangler registered its 22nd-consecutive month of year-over-year sales gains in February.

Details:

• Jeep brand sales (37,312 units) increased 30 percent versus February 2011 (28,619 units)

 

• Jeep Wrangler sales (9,319 units) improved 22 percent compared with the same month last year (7,636 units)

 

• Jeep Liberty sales (7,369 units) increased 25 percent versus February sales a year ago (5,896 units)

 

• Sales of the Jeep Compass (2,780 units) were up 23 percent compared with the same month in 2011 (2,267 units)

 

• Sales of the Jeep Patriot (5,120 units) improved 23 percent versus February 2011 (4,153 units)

 

• Jeep Grand Cherokee sales (12,724 units) were up 47 percent compared with the same month a year ago (8,667 units)

Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk Concept

Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk Concept

The Jeep Grand Cherokee is well known for its benchmark off-road capability, courtesy of its Quadra-Lift™ air suspension, Selec-Terrain™ traction control system, Off-Road Adventure packages, tow/recovery hooks tested to twice the vehicle’s Gross Vehicle Weight, and class-leading 4×4 systems – including Jeep’s Quadra-Drive® II system that includes a rear Electronic Limited-slip Differential (ELSD), delivering industry-leading tractive capability.

Already the most awarded SUV ever over its lifetime compared to any other SUV, the new Grand Cherokee Trailhawk concept takes the premium Jeep vehicle’s legendary off-road prowess to a new level, while providing a one-of-a-kind, more aggressive visual punch sure to delight Jeep enthusiasts.

Leading the off-road improvement are new 18-inch Goodyear Wrangler SilentArmor off-road tires – chosen to provide even more aggressive off-road performance combined with quiet highway manners – that are wrapped around new painted 5-spoke alloy Mineral Gray wheels. Grand Cherokee Trailhawk’s SilentArmor tires include additional side-wall protection that enhances durability and reduces road noise. Modified Mopar rock rails – engineered to fully protect the lower body from rugged rocky terrain – are included and add to the functional off-road capability.

Visually, while the vehicle is featured in Stone White, a Mineral Gray and Red theme is highlighted throughout. Specifically, the grille surround, lower front applique, mirror caps and rear light bar join the wheels in Mineral Gray, while contrasting in eye-catching Red are the upper grille mesh, front and rear tow hooks, Jeep logos on wheel center caps and bolt holes in the alloy wheels. A Red trim line outlines a matte black hood applique that is utilized to reduce glare during technical off-road maneuvers.

Other unique touches include black headlamp surrounds, black exterior front and rear badging, Red “Trail Rated” badges on the front fenders and a unique “Trailhawk” badge on the rear tailgate.

…

You may have guessed, I have a 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Some details of mine … Quadra-Lift™ air suspension, Selec-Terrain™ traction control system, including Jeep’s Quadra-Drive® II system that includes a rear Electronic Limited-slip Differential (ELSD), delivering industry-leading tractive capability. It’s a 3.6 Pentastar engine.

Witness: Martin attacked Zimmerman

Every tragedy comes with two sides, and unfortunately we’ve only heard one. There are many issues that need to be resolved with respect to the Trayvon case. It’s early, and we don’t have all the facts, and unexpected twists always occur in cases like this.

A witness we haven’t heard from before paints a much different picture than we’ve seen so far of what happened the night 17-year-old Trayvon Martin was shot and killed.

The night of that shooting, police say there was a witness who saw it all.

Our sister station, FOX 35 in Orlando, has spoken to that witness.

What Sanford Police investigators have in the folder, they put together on the killing of Trayvon Martin few know about.

The file now sits in the hands of the state attorney. Now that file is just weeks away from being opened to a grand jury.

It shows more now about why police believed that night that George Zimmerman shouldn’t have gone to jail.

Zimmerman called 911 and told dispatchers he was following a teen. The dispatcher told Zimmerman not to.

And from that moment to the shooting, details are few.

But one man’s testimony could be key for the police.

“The guy on the bottom who had a red sweater on was yelling to me: ‘help, help…and I told him to stop and I was calling 911,” he said.

Trayvon Martin was in a hoodie; Zimmerman was in red.

The witness only wanted to be identified as “John,” and didn’t not want to be shown on camera.

His statements to police were instrumental, because police backed up Zimmerman’s claims, saying those screams on the 911 call are those of Zimmerman.

“When I got upstairs and looked down, the guy who was on top beating up the other guy, was the one laying in the grass, and I believe he was dead at that point,” John said.

Zimmerman says the shooting was self defense. According to information released on the Sanford city website, Zimmerman said he was going back to his SUV when he was attacked by the teen.

Sanford police say Zimmerman was bloody in his face and head, and the back of his shirt was wet and had grass stains, indicating a struggle took place before the shooting.

Video added here: