Click next to see what that index is and how we'll present these ten vehicles.

This list takes the actual market value of the vehicle (i.e. what it actually sells for after rebates, mark-downs, et cetera) and compares it to the MSRP. Because there are now so many vehicles like this, they've combined it with the J.D. Power & Associates APEAL survey scores and Consumer Reports satisfaction numbers to narrow down the list to ten. How we did that below.

We generally agree with their choices (though, they tend to take the highest MSRP possible) and, in order to help out our friends at Forbes, we've decided to augment the scores with data from the Jalopnik Average Zero Transaction Evaluation Key Value Index, or A.Z.T.E.K. Value Index for short. This index is a measure of the factors contributing to the undesirability of a vehicle. Click on any of the photos to see the Forbes Value and the additional Jalopnik A.Z.T.E.K. Value Index.

Pontiac G6 Coupe
Market Value: $21,943
MSRP: $24,610
Difference: -10.8%
Jalopnik A.Z.T.E.K. Value Index: 27
Reason: Neither as sporty as the Nissan Altima 3.5SE coupe or as well-appointed as the Honda Accord Coupe, the G6 Coupe is a rather attractive face of a dying brand. Even without the Pontiac badge weighing it down, the G6 would be competitively priced if the car itself was at all competitive with other cars in the segment.

Chevrolet Colorado
Market Value: $22,004
MSRP: $24,745
Difference: -11.1%
Jalopnik A.Z.T.E.K. Value Index: CCC+
Reason: Wait, they still build the Chevrolet Colorado? The last Isuzu passenger vehicle still sold in the U.S., the Colorado is the biggest also ran for true Chevy fans unable to buy a far superior product from, well, just about anyone.

Ford Ranger Supercab
Market Value: $18,145
MSRP: $20,405
Difference: -11.1%
Jalopnik A.Z.T.E.K. Value Index: 0.0589
Reason: The Ford Ranger features a "Supercab" with all the heroic ability of Jimmy Olson. Though we not-so-secretly like the Ranger for its straightforward nature, you'd have to be insanely generous to pay full price for this antiquated two-passenger truck.

Pontiac G6 Sedan
Market Value: $18,766
MSRP: $21,165
Difference: -11.3%
Jalopnik A.Z.T.E.K. Value Index: D+
Reason: You know what's less valuable than a Pontiac G6 Coupe? A Pontiac G6 sedan. The coupe may not be the best mid-size two-door, but at least it has some unique style and verve. To be fair to the G6, a lot of people are surprised at how competently it performs — when they rent one.

GMC Canyon
Market Value: $22,749
MSRP: $25,830
Difference: -11.9%
Jalopnik A.Z.T.E.K. Value Index: 0.0000459
Reason: All the reasons you're not buying the Colorado, except add a brand few people remember exists and add a $1,000 to the price.

Jeep Wrangler
Market Value: $24,513
MSRP: $28,815
Difference: -14.9%
Jalopnik A.Z.T.E.K. Value Index: *****
Reason: As great as the Jeep Wrangler is, it's a special kind of insanity that makes anyone thinks $28,815 for one is a good idea. Granted, you'll be able to grab a cheap one MSRPing at a much lower rate, but a fully loaded Wrangler starts pushing into ridiculous rates. As much as we love the simple, straightforward Wrangler, most people are demanding a roof.

GMC Envoy
Market Value: $25,709
MSRP: $30,625
Difference: -16.1%
Jalopnik A.Z.T.E.K. Value Index: Fuzzlebum
Reason: You know what people aren't buying? SUVs. Especially not with an old platform and dated design. It's all about the MPGs baby.

Dodge Caliber
Market Value: $16,490
MSRP: $20,295
Difference: -18.7%
Jalopnik A.Z.T.E.K. Value Index: 7/10
Reason: It's rare a non-Chinese automaker creates a new vehicle that debuts two generations behind the competition, but buying a Caliber is like buying a rotary phone. It looks old. The interior is cheap. The engine is found in, essentially, every other vehicle on the planet. The only intriguing model is the SRT4 and even that is so scary to drive the only intrigue is how long you'll have before you sell it.

Dodge Durango
Market Value: $22,649
MSRP: $28,130
Difference: -19.5%
Jalopnik A.Z.T.E.K. Value Index: ü
Reason: Remember how we said it's rare for an automaker to create a new vehicle that debuts two generations behind the competition? It's not rare for Chrysler. The under-designed, oversized Durango was reworked just in time for the Carpocalypse and sold as poorly as a new SUV might. Even better, the milquetoast hybrid Durango was so great they discontinued it only months after they released it. Hard to believe they went bankrupt...

Mercury Grand Marquis
Market Value: $22,793
MSRP: $28,985
Difference: -21.4%
Jalopnik A.Z.T.E.K. Value Index: 1,959,039,098
Reason: Built on a platform older than the average blogger, designed to emulate old age, gigantic, and generous with the fuel use, the Mercury Grand Marquis is the car Ford used to build, which is why only people old enough to remember the days when Henry Ford I ran the company are the only people who actually buy one. Also, you don't have the advantage of looking like a squad car and having everyone around you slow down.

So why'd she do it?

"The people I spend the most time with are married. They make it look so good. How can you not want that for yourself?"

Well, at least that sounds logical... Best of luck Ms. O'Very! (Hat tip to TrailerMan & Clay!)
[via KSL News]

This listing from a Salt Lake City, Utah classified website has extreme desperation written all over it, but she's got some serious gumption to actually put this out for the world to see. Check out the full ad below and try to catch the little nuanced craziness if you can.

Free '92 Jeep Wrangler...
Midvale, UT 84047 - Jul 1, 2009
...with proposal and wedding ring.

That's right! Act now on this one-time offer. All you have to do is date and marry me and you can be the proud owner of a 1992 Jeep Wrangler (along with a 1970 woman). Jeep has a lift, safari top for the summer/hard top for the winter, rear locker, 33" tires and (new this year) an 8000 lb winch.

Not only do you get the Jeep, but you get me. And boys, I don't come stock. I am FULLY LOADED! My add-ons include: a great sense of humor, an affection for "garage nights" (that means working on stuff in the garage), an amazing work ethic, temple-worthiness, an appreciation for sports, the ability to live well within my means, logical reasoning skills, a "work hard so you can play hard" mentality, and I'm great with kids, too!

Terms and Conditions:
1. Marriage must last a minimum of 5 years.

2. Jeep cannot feel neglected - trips to Moab required - but it's a package deal. You take the Jeep, you take me!

3. Honda 400EX included in lifetime package.

4. Honeymoon required.

Contact me at wedding.jeep@hotmail.com

Men only, please. I am ALL woman!

So, how badly do you want that Jeep now?

[via KSL.com]

After looking over the statements from Robert Manzo, the executive director of Capstone Advisory Group LLC who's been hired to consult on this whole Chrysler bankruptcy thing, we don't see verbiage claiming what Edmunds InsideLine claims.

Manzo's statements reflect more of an opinion on the state of the Jeep brand sale and the reasons why potential buyers would shy away from taking over the legendary brand. We'll blame the lawyer-speak for our leap to the extreme conclusion. Perhaps we should have paid closer attention during those accounting courses, or, you know, taken accounting courses.

Killing off weak models in order to save the strong is something Chrysler is going to have to do if it ever wants to be a profitable automaker again, but considering putting the Wrangler on such a sacrificial altar is something we would never have guessed. The quintessential Jeep and lone buy-able product in the brand stable is being sited as a case study in why selling off the brand will be difficult for Chrysler, with financial and restructuring consultant Robert Manzo writing in the filings:

Liquidation of Chrysler assets "assumes that certain car lines and the plant assets supporting them will be sold as going-concern enterprises. These lines include Jeep Wrangler, Dodge Viper and Dodge Ram and Dakota truck lines."The example of the Jeep Wrangler is instructive, a potential buyer would face significant additional investment costs in the range of $550 million to $1 billion.

"These additional costs include in excess of $100 million for signage to establish a dealer network, supplier-related costs exceeding $250 million and upwards of another $150 million in associated marketing costs to relaunch the car line. There are likely other significant costs that a potential buyer would have to incur in order to re-establish the brand. In addition, recent market experience reflected in the efforts to sell Saturn, Opel, Saab and Hummer brands indicates an extremely depressed market for stand-alone automotive brands."

Yes all that money mumbo-jumbo makes sense, but at the same time it doesn't. Wrangler is the Jeep brand. Without the Wrangler as its core product, the brand has no credibility and no purpose and is just another builder of bloated SUVs. We can understand the Viper getting the axe as it's a halo car, and more often than not they cost more to build than they make. The Wrangler on the other hand, if killed, we'd imagine the Jeep brand would not be long for this world. Hopefully Chrysler, in it's moment of panic, does not kill the unkillable brand. [Edmunds Inside Line]

When the Jeep Wrangler J8 was unveiled at Jeep Camp 2008 in Germany, there were howls of protest from Jeep aficionados the world over. Here were a pair of pared-down, utilitarian Wranglers with augmented build quality to stand up to foreign military durability requirements, a diesel and Dana axles. To add insult to injury, the two-door model rode on the Wrangler unlimited chassis resulting in the defacto rebirth of the Scrambler. And yet, it wasn't for sale, not to civilians anyway. It was to be assembled in Egypt and only available for sale to foreign militaries. Mud, meet eye. Spit, meet soup.

However, not all is lost, American Expedition Vehicles is listening. Hearing the outcry, they've negotiated with Chrysler to bring the J8 to the US market, if only in very, very limited numbers. The deal works like this: AEV has acquired the rights to buy the complete knockdown kits directly from Chrysler, which are diverted on their path to Egypt from Toledo and delivered directly to AEV's doorstep. AEV assembles the vehicles by hand, right down to the windshield washer fluid. What they don't do is install the engine and transmission. The truck is delivered to the customer as a very complete rolling chassis set up for either a VM Motori 2.8-liter four cylinder diesel good for 174 HP, 339 lb-ft of torque, or the 5.7 liter HEMI V8 kit package from AEV which starts at 330 HP and 375 lb-ft of torque and goes from there or, actually, whatever you want. The customer then takes it to a Chrysler dealer, where their choice of engine and transmission is installed. Why this way? AEV doesn't want to be the manufacturer of record, which opens them up for legalities they aren't interested in shouldering. The dealer is then named on the title as the manufacturer of record and you're on the road with a military grade jeep built to your exact specification.

But what do you get with your rolling chassis? The base chassis is a thoroughly massaged Wrangler unit, braced and reinforced to endure durability roughly three times as demanding as the regular Wrangler. We were invited to a behind-the-scenes look after we snagged our spy photos, and can attest to the upgrades. Reinforcement patches live on class-A surfaces with the kind of reckless disregard for aesthetics that makes military vehicles awesome. Underneath you get a heavy duty, custom-built pair of Dana axles, a Dana 44 up front and a Dana 60 at the rear with Dodge Ram brakes attached at the ends. The rear is perched on leaf springs versus the coils on the regular Wrangler, which pushes payload up to 2,557 lbs and towing capacity to 3,500 lbs. Front and rear bumpers are properly heavy duty, plenty thick enough to make short work of your nearest peasant uprising or Geo Metro and you get beefy tow loops (rated for helicopter lifting) and a pintle hitch at the rear. It also comes plumbed with a exterior snorkel hooked to a severe duty air filter capable of running five hours in zero-visibility sand storms. Like we said, it's exactly what gets shipped to Egypt.

Inside the vehicle is properly spartan. You get a steering wheel and a dashboard, seats, optional air conditioning and... that's about it. There's no radio, no sound deadening, no amenities. It doesn't even have carpet, the wiring loom runs down the distal side of the driver's footwell. It takes the hose-down principle to the ragged extreme.

Barring the chassis and body reinforcement, leaf springs and built axles, the Unlimited version seems like something anyone could build, but the truck version is lust-worthy. It's got a corrugated bed plate, though no bulkhead separating cargo from cabin, the version we saw was equipped with a remote two-battery 24V charge system which had the batteries mounted just in front of the rear wheel wells.

All of this is fantastic, but what about the bad news? Well, AEV is contractually limited to only 120 copies per year, making them a rare bird indeed and, because of the labor intensive assembly process, the price for a fully complete model is approximated at a very steep $50,000. Ouch. You can also order whatever extra goodies you want, like the bigger BFGoodrich tires, AEV hood and and the swing-away spare tire mount pictured here . Now, it's easy to balk, but the most brutal, ultimate expression of the factory Wrangler is going to be a small market to begin with, and we suspect they'll be able to sell all the J8's they build. Why? Because they're badass. Bad. Ass.

Stay tuned too, as we've been promised the keys when the trucks return from their formal debut at Easter Jeep Safari out in Moab. Full press release below:

J8 MILSPEC Press Release -

The J8 is one of the toughest vehicles in the world and, until now, it was only sold to foreign militaries and governments. A very limited number of 2010 J8's will be made available to enthusiasts in the United States exclusively from American Expedition Vehicles (AEV) as the AEV J8 MILSPEC.

"Hardcore off-road enthusiasts have been asking for a vehicle like this for years, no frills and setup for a choice of diesel or V8 power and built with extra heavy-duty components," said Dave Harriton, CEO of American Expedition Vehicles. "It's certainly not for everyone, but that's all part of the appeal. Being able to offer even limited quantities to the American public is really a dream come true for AEV. First, it's a perfect match with our niche manufacturing and distribution channels, and second, the J8 is a unique part of history that we're proud to be part of."

The AEV J8 MILSPEC will be sold as a component rolling chassis. The vehicle is meant for off-road use, and as typical for component vehicles the engine and transmission will be installed by the buyer or at the buyer's direction by an independent contractor. Although AEV does not provide the powertrain, there are a number of independent AEV dealers that can supply and install either a 2.8-liter diesel engine or a 5.7-liter V-8 HEMI® engine and transmission package.

The J8 MILSPEC will be assembled in Detroit by AEV. The complete rolling chassis will be delivered painted, upholstered, fully instrumented and will include ABS brakes, heavy duty suspension and axles, exhaust, wheels and tires.

Designed for military use, the J8 was designed to pass one of the world's toughest durability cycles, which is three times more severe than what civilian applications must endure. The axles are both beefed up to a heavy duty Dana 44 front and a Dana 60 rear axle equipped with Dodge Ram brakes. The frame is built for severe use and the rear suspension uses leaf springs to facilitate more than a 2,500 lb. payload capacity and a 3,500 lb. tow rating. The J8 MILSPEC will accept two powertrain options, either a VM 2.8-liter diesel engine rated at 174 hp and 339 lb.-ft.of torque or a 5.7-liter V-8 HEMI rated at 330 hp and 375 lb.-ft. of torque. Both engine choices will use a 5 speed automatic transmission. The vehicles also have a number of military-specific components, including tow loops that are rated for helicopter use, an air filter capable of running as long as five hours in zero visibility dust storms and remote-mounted batteries. Don't look for satellite navigation or leather seats, options are limited to paint color (Desert Sand or Military Green), a choice of a three door or five door body styles and air conditioning.

The J8 MILSPEC will only be sold and warranted through AEV and its authorized network.

Interested enthusiasts can contact American Expedition Vehicles to learn more or to place an order, www.aev-conversions.com / 248-926-0256. Owners should expect to invest approximately $50,000 for a complete running vehicle, chassis plus powertrain.

Richard had configured his ideal Jeep Wrangler Unlimited (burgundy, with Sirius, a hard top and 4WD) on Jeep.com and assumed, incorrectly it turns out, that the price quoted ($24,000) would be the price he'd pay at a dealership. Upon visiting Zanetti Chrysler Jeep Dodge in the Bronx, he was told financing would result in a better deal, then, after much runaround, quoted $31,732 for the privilege.

Giving up, he turned to White Plains Chrysler Jeep Dodge, which told him they didn't want cash, as they no longer needed it. Instead, they wanted him to take financing. For $28,300. They also attempted to charge him extra for sourcing the correct color vehicle.

Richard has yet to purchase a vehicle, despite the $25,000 burning a visceral hole in his pocket. Instead, he's set up a website, offering the money to anyone prepared to sell him the Jeep he wants. Is this really what it takes to buy a car in a recession?

Keep in mind there's a difference between automakers and auto dealers. Auto dealers are separate companies, holding no relationship to the automakers other than they sell their products. Automakers aren't even able to penalize bad dealers thanks to state franchise laws. So don't let bad dealer experiences influence your perception of an automaker because I'll guarantee you'll find craptastic dealers for every automaker - especially in the greater New York area. This place has some seriously terrible dealerships.

That being said, Chrysler still sucks, but for vastly different reasons. [My Efforts to Stimulate the Economy via Consumerist]

The following stunning display of driver ignorance is making the rounds in a number of fan-boy forums across the internet: a Jeep owner mowed over a mattress and decided to press forward. Only after his vehicle stalled due to lack of fuel after 30 miles did he decide to contact the dealer and see what the matter might be. What unfolds can only be described as an Escher-like hellscape.

The amalgamation of cord and wires that used to be a mattress wound itself around the driveshaft and rear axle, creating a deadly whip that gashed it's way through the gas tank. The draining of his precious fuel, not the terrible shaking, is what ultimately brought the owner into the dealer. We would've loved to be part of the laugh-fest that surely took place at said dealer after this mess rolled in. The text of the email is located below for your enjoyment.

This guy ran over a mattress and decided to keep going. The ensuing jumble finally whipped around enough to put a tear in the gas tank,
the subsequent lack of fuel is what finally brought this vehicle to its knees.

It had still managed to drive 30 more miles decently with a 60lb tangle wrapped around the driveshaft.

This genius complained that the vehicle had a "shimmy" when
driving it high speeds.

Hat tip to BJ!
[WranglerForum]

The only thing that got more gawks than the gals manning the booths was the front suspension on this WARN-equipped AEV Brute-conversioned Wrangler. And why shouldn't it? We hear the suspension's a multi-thousand-dollar kit from Portal-Tek. Don't worry, we'll grab some more pics later today.

Before we even talk about how the thing drives, it's worth noting the almost ridiculous level of build quality on this conversion. If you didn't know better, you'd think the HEMI was original equipment; in fact, thanks to AEV's connections to Chrysler, it's built using a lot of the same suppliers Chrysler uses. The wiring harness comes pre-tested and everything plugs up to the point that if you patch in a technician's scanner, it'll read as a Wrangler with a HEMI. It's literally as good as if it came from the factory.

But what the HEMI Wrangler is all about is performance, and let's get one thing out of the way right off the bat: The price of admission for the AEV conversion kit is worth the exhaust note alone. Firing up that big V8 fills the little cabin with intoxicating levels of awesomeness. Out on the asphalt, the big bad JT actually rides really well for what is in essence a purpose-built rock crawler. That's not to say anyone will mistake it for a sports car, but it certainly will get you where you're going quickly. Since this is Michigan and not Moab, the most off-roading we could do in our short test drive involved some back-country dirt roads — the kind that would swallow a passenger car into its ruts and holes, but only rough enough to test the assembly quality of a rock hopper and not much more.

Up against this measly test, the Wrangler didn't even flinch, providing an almost disturbingly smooth ride. Even with the huge tires, the excellent turning radius found on a stock Wrangler is unaffected. Ride and drive, exhaust note, nice leather seats — that stuff is all well and good, but you know what's really fun? Four-wheel dirt burnouts. Not that we did any of those, or dirt road brake stands. We'd never do stuff like that. But if we did, we would probably report AEV's HEMI V8 conversion turns a stock Wrangler Rubicon, which is pretty good on it's own, into a fire-breathing, mud-spitting, swaggering, snorting, off-road superstar.

Battery storage capacity is measured in watt-hours, more or less the total amount of energy used over time. A kilowatt-hour (kWh) is simply a thousand watt-hours and this is what's used to measure big batteries, the kind used in modern hybrids.The Chevy Volt uses a 16 kWh battery and only really functions within a range of 50-80% charge in order to extend battery life.

In the figures Chrysler published to go along with the Chrysler EV, the hybridized minivan is equipped with a 22 kWh lithium-ion battery which operates at 200 kW and up to 410 volts — considerably larger than the electric fuel tank in the Volt. The big battery gets it to the 40-mile range, but the exciting part is the electric motor. Clocking in at 268 HP with a whopping 480 lb-ft of torque, the minivan will hustle to sixty in a silly 8.7 seconds. Keep in mind these are Chrysler numbers on an as-yet not approved for production vehicle, so take them all with a grain of salt.

The Jeep EV, in comparison, holds a massive 27 kWh; since the Wrangler has the aerodynamics of a brick and its system powers all four wheels, the bigger battery is necessary when compared to the minivan in order to hit 40 miles of EV range. To be honest, we're a bit perplexed by the choice of motor to compliment that monster battery. The Jeep keeps the same 268 HP, but for some reason torque comes in at a considerably less impressive 295 lb-ft. Zero to 60 takes around nine seconds, but still, we'd be more interested in that huge 480 lb-ft of torque from the minivan in the Jeep.

In any case, the reason the Chryslers match the Volt in range is that they're great big platforms with plenty of room for great big batteries. If either of the two actually hit production it would be a huge deal, and given the amount of development work that seems to have gone into the ENVI system so far, it would be shocking if a hybridized something didn't come out of the program. [Information from Chrysler.com]

Auburn Hills, Mich., Sep 23, 2008 - Actions speak louder than words.

Chrysler LLC announced today that the Company and its ENVI organization have new production-intent, advanced electric-drive technology packaged in three different vehicles – one for each of its brands, Chrysler, Jeep® and Dodge.

Chrysler will select one electric-drive model to be produced in 2010 for consumers in North American markets, and European markets after 2010. Additionally, approximately 100 Chrysler electric vehicles will be on the road in government, business, utility and Chrysler development fleets in 2009.

The Company said that it is well into the development of advanced, production-intent electric vehicles, and that it will apply electric-drive technology to its front-wheel-drive, rear-wheel-drive and body-on-frame four-wheel-drive platforms in the next several years.

At its World Headquarters here today, Chrysler revealed its electric-drive prototypes – Dodge EV, Jeep EV and Chrysler EV – and demonstrated the driving performance and capability of each.

“We have a social responsibility to our consumers to deliver environmentally friendly, fuel-efficient, advanced electric vehicles, and our intention is to meet that responsibility quickly and more broadly than any other automobile manufacturer,” said Bob Nardelli, Chairman and CEO – Chrysler LLC. “The introduction of the Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge electric vehicles provides a glimpse of the very near future, and demonstrates that we are serious and well along in the development of bringing electric vehicles to market.”

ENVI Organization
The development of Chrysler’s Electric Vehicles and Range-extended Electric Vehicles is led by ENVI – representing the first four letters of “environmental” – the Company’s in-house organization that was formed to focus on electric-drive production vehicles and related advanced technologies. The development of electric-drive systems for future Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge vehicles is maturing quickly.

“ENVI was created just over one year ago with the strategic intent to develop electric-drive vehicles quickly for Chrysler, and it is surpassing expectations,” said Tom LaSorda, Vice Chairman and President – Chrysler LLC. “With ENVI, Chrysler is developing technology to bring Electric Vehicles and extremely fuel-efficient Range-extended Electric Vehicles to market.”

Electric Vehicle Technology
Chrysler’s Electric Vehicles utilize just three primary components. These include an electric motor to drive the wheels, an advanced lithium-ion battery system to power the electric-drive motor and a controller that manages energy flow. The electric-drive system is being developed for front-wheel-drive, rear-wheel-drive, and body-on-frame four-wheel-drive vehicle applications.

“This technology provides customers with a vehicle that has zero tailpipe emissions and a 150- to 200-mile driving range – far exceeding most Americans’ daily commutes, as nearly 80 percent of Americans drive less than 40 miles per day, or 14,000 miles per year,” said Frank Klegon, Executive Vice President – Product Development, Chrysler LLC. “Electric Vehicles provide the opportunity to fulfill social responsibility, reduce dependency on foreign oil, and eliminate monthly gasoline bills, while delivering performance and utility that our customers desire.”

Range-extended Electric Vehicle Technology
The Range-extended Electric Vehicle combines the electric-drive components of the Electric Vehicle with a small gasoline engine and integrated electric generator to produce additional energy to power the electric-drive system when needed. This provides the positive attributes of an Electric Vehicle with the driving range equivalent to today’s gasoline-powered vehicles – with no compromises in performance.

Range-extended Electric Vehicles offer environmental responsibility without giving up driving range, comfort or utility.

Jeep EV
The Jeep EV development vehicle is a Range-extended Electric Vehicle that provides a glimpse into the future of a “Go Anywhere, Do Anything” vehicle with renowned Jeep Wrangler capability.

The Jeep EV combines Wrangler’s unmatched off-road capability with the ultimate “Tread Lightly” mindset by providing nature ambassadors with the ability to roam the planet and take care of it at the same time.

The Jeep EV Range-extended Electric Vehicle uses an electric motor, an advanced lithium-ion battery system, and a small gasoline engine with an integrated electric generator to produce additional energy to power the electric-drive system when needed. The 200 kW (268 horsepower) electric motor generates 400 N•m (295 lb.-ft.) of torque. With approximately eight gallons of gasoline, the Jeep EV has a range of 400 miles, including 40 miles of zero fuel-consumption, zero-emissions, all-electric operation.

“We are also exploring four-wheel-drive, in-wheel electric motors to demonstrate the full reach of ENVI’s advanced electric-drive technologies,” said Rhodes.

The instant high torque of the electric-drive motor and the ability to precisely control each wheel independently results in off-road capability ideally suited for the Jeep brand, without compromising on-road driving capability.

Chrysler LLC Electric-vehicle Consumer Web Site
Chrysler LLC has launched a Web site – www.Chryslergoeselectric.com – to allow consumers to view the latest updates on Electric Vehicles and Range-extended Electric Vehicles from the Company. Content will include videos, photography and news, and visitors can sign up for updates. In addition, the site features a blog where consumers can interact directly with the Company.

Department of Energy Cooperative Agreement
Chrysler and General Electric are jointly pursuing a project with the United States Department of Energy to explore advanced energy-storage technology.

“Chrysler’s partnership with General Electric combines the electric-drive technology demonstrated in the Chrysler Electric Vehicles, with GE’s research and development of advanced energy storage systems,” said Klegon. “Our collective goal working with the DOE is to develop a new, integrated energy-storage system to make electric vehicle battery packs smaller and significantly less expensive than current designs.”

Chrysler and GE will develop and evaluate dual-battery solutions based on GE’s unique technology.

“One of the challenges with electric vehicles is finding a battery with the correct balance between power – for example, during vehicle acceleration – and energy for long driving range,” said Klegon. “We believe that combining two unique battery chemistries – one biased toward power and the other toward energy – into a single battery pack is very promising for a future Chrysler Electric Vehicle.”

[Chrysler]

If you'll remember, the J8 gets manufacturer-supplied upgrades us civilians could only wish to find order form check boxes for: a beefed-up frame, heavy duty axles, brakes and suspension, and a hood mounted snorkel/filter system capable of fording 30 inches of water while in a five hour long sandstorm — though in our experience those needs are usually mutually exclusive. The latest Jeep you can't buy but have always wanted will be fitted with a five-speed auto hooked up to a 2.8-liter turbodiesel good for 158 HP and 295 lb-ft of torque. Awesome, but that's not the big news here. No, the big news is the truck version.

Most important is the J8 will be offered in a variety of body styles including a two door with a long cargo box in the back. Yes, they've finally made a new Scrambler, and you can't buy it. If you're wondering about that high-pitched wailing in your ears — it's the sound of thousands of off-road and trail-rated geeks crying into their breakfast burritos.

Mostly what's coming to our mind is the Jeep curse — you know, the one where every corporate owner of the Jeep brand starts from scratch at making cool stuff, and just as it starts to arrive, their owner goes bankrupt, leaving Jeep alive, profitable and ready to start the cycle again.

Yes, sweet military contracts, a production partner in Egypt, close to conflict zones, and a relatively cheap mil-spec product, sounds like a plan for success — for Jeep. [MotorAuthority]

Chrysler's Toledo Supplier Park was named North America's most productive assembly plant, slapping Jeep Wranglers together using just 13.57 labor-hours. But who's actually doing the work? The Toledo Supplier Park uses Kuka Group (Augsburg, Germany) to manage the body shop, Magna Steyr (Graz, Austria) to manage the paint shop and Hyundai Mobis (Seoul, South Korea) for chassis assemblies. Somewhere, Lee Greenwood is weeping softly.
[Automotive News (sub. req.)]

Yesterday our group went wheeling for a New Years day run. Not long into the ride one of the new Jeep Wranglers went past a fallen tree and a branch that was sticking out hooked the Jeep. The end of the tree broke through the wheel well and almost seriously injured the driver. Does this remind anybody else of the movie Final Destination?

...command vehicle to troop/cargo carrier, ambulance, communications vehicle and other duties not requiring being shot at. The J8's powered by a 2.8-liter four-cylinder turbo-diesel producing 158 HP and 295 lb-ft of torque mated to a five-speed auto tranny — giving it a towing capability of up to 7,716 lb. In addition to being an Army man, this new offering from Jeep's a Marine, complete with a hood-mounted snorkel enabling the J8 to wade in water of up to 30 inches deep. The J8 comes in two flavors — a four-door multipurpose vehicle with all the same seating configurations of the original Wrangler Unlimited, or, for the military man who's a fan of the Brute pickup package for the Jeep, it also comes in a — wait for it — a two-door version with an extended pickup bed. That's right — a pickup bed underneath that dark plastic top — just like the JT concept car and the Brute conversion. We'll take two please, one in camo and the other in matte black. Full press below.

Chrysler LLC has unveiled the Jeep J8 multipurpose vehicle at the 2007 Defence Systems & Equipment International (DSEi) military trade show, making the legendary vehicle available for reenlistment in active military service.

"Jeep vehicles made their original debut in 1941 for military duty, and have built their reputation with more than 65 years as the world's benchmark for off-road capability and versatility for civilian and military vehicles," said Thomas Hausch, Vice President - International Sales, Chrysler LLC. "The new Jeep J8 marks the brand's return to vehicle production for military and civilian government use - the same capability that makes the Jeep Wrangler and Wrangler Unlimited famous also makes the Jeep J8 a truly multipurpose vehicle."

With the all-new 2007 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited as the starting point, Jeep engineers increased its capability and versatility. The frame of the Wrangler Unlimited is reinforced for increased ruggedness and to allow greater payloads - up to a maximum of 1,339 kg (2,952 lbs.). Axles, brakes and suspension components are engineered specifically for more demanding military and civilian government use, including utilising a leaf-spring suspension system in the rear. The J8's Command-Trac four-wheel drive system allows maximum versatility and performance in both on- and off-road conditions.

The Jeep J8 is powered by a 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine that produces 118 kW (158 hp) and 400 Nm (295 lb.-ft.) of torque, providing towing capability of up to 3,500 kg (7,716 lbs.). The engine is mated to a five-speed automatic transmission. The J8 also features a unique air-intake system with special filtration and a hood-mounted snorkel that enables the J8 to wade in water up to 762 mm (30 in.) deep and tackle sandstorm conditions for up to five hours.

Available as a two-door with an extended pickup bed for personnel or equipment transport, or a four-door multipurpose vehicle, it may be produced with numerous vehicle-body and seating configurations in either right-hand- or left-hand-drive.

While not designed for front-line combat operations, the Jeep J8 is fully armour capable and excels in a variety of duties ranging from command vehicle to troop/cargo carrier, ambulance, communications vehicle and other duties - also making it suitable for civilian government applications. Heavy-duty bumpers with tow eyes allow the Jeep J8 to be easily transported by aeroplane or helicopter.

The Jeep J8 will be produced in a Chrysler LLC joint-venture facility in Cairo, Egypt, and will be available in spring 2008.

Jeep in the military

In June 1941, the U.S. Army received its first shipments of the Willys MA, the rugged 4x4 vehicle that came to be called the Jeep. This predecessor to today's Jeep Wrangler would prove so vital to the Allies' World War II effort that General Dwight D. Eisenhower declared that the war could not have been won without the Jeep vehicle.

Jeep vehicles have been produced for various militaries around the world. The Jeep J8 marks the start of Jeep's renewed commitment to supply the defence community with the highest-quality 4x4 vehicles available anywhere in the world.