The J8's will be assembled by Jeep Government and Military Sales, which surprisingly isn't a Chrysler company, instead owned by parent company Jankel which is in the military and tactical vehicles business. The company has headquarters in both Surrey, UK and Duncan, South Carolina and that South Carolina part is important as they're planning to build the military spec beast down there. Currently the J8 is built as a knockdown kit in Toledo and shipped to Eqypt for final assembly and sales to foreign militaries (unless it's sent to AEV who sells them domestically). We weren't given a time line, but were assured it would be in the near future. We'll take the green one with the C-channel bumpers and awesome open-air hard top, the desert tan one with the weapons ring just seems a bit gaudy.

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]

In addition to the most expensive to insure list, the folks at Insure.com put together this list of the least expensive cars to insure. Come join us on this journey to find out what makes these econo-boxes so damn cheap to own that it'd almost be a crime to not consider them for your next purchase. Almost.

[via thecarconnection, edmunds, insure.com]

20.) Dodge Grand Caravan

Price: $22,725
Cost To Insure: $960
Curb Weight: 4321 lbs
Engine Displacement: 3.3 liter V6
HP: 175
TQ: 205

Driver Stereotype: Soccer Mom

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: The ability to blend into the suburban landscape has allowed the Grand Caravan to slip seamlessly to and from soccer games, the grocery store and at times, Mexican border crossings without detection.

19.) Chevrolet Impala
Price: $23,790
Cost To Insure: $959
Curb Weight: 3555 lbs
Engine Displacement: 3.5 liter V6
HP: 211
TQ: 214

Driver Stereotype: Vanilla ice cream-favoring used car salesmen

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: Sharing its appearance with multitudes of non-descript cop cars causes the surrounding public to drive very, very carefully around the Impala lessening the likelihood for any direct accidents and adding to the overall value of driver safety.

18.) Mazda B-Series Truck
Price: $16,060
Cost To Insure: $957
Curb Weight: 2999 lbs
Engine Displacement: 2.3 liter inline-four
HP: 143
TQ: 154

Driver Stereotype: Has poor credit

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: Based on the long-in-the-tooth Ford Ranger, the B-Series Truck shows its age with strong, virtually unbreakable bones.

17.) Lincoln Town Car
Price: $46,385
Cost To Insure: $955
Curb Weight: 4345 lbs
Engine Displacement: 4.6 liter V8
HP: 239
TQ: 287

Driver Stereotype: Mafia fat cats

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: Carefully driven due to multiple dead bodies in the trunk, the Town Car rarely sees an insurance claim except for the frequent bloody interior replacement. Typically these are burned to the ground near the docks without much concern for an insurance claim.

16.) Suzuki Forenza
Price: $11,134
Cost To Insure: $954
Curb Weight: 2756 lbs
Engine Displacement: 2.0 liter inline-four
HP: 127
TQ: 131

Driver Stereotype: Molly Maid employee

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: Not much can happen to a car when it spends the majority of its life sitting outside of large Hollywood mansions all day.

15.) Honda Accord
Price: $20,905
Cost To Insure: $951
Curb Weight: 3230 lbs
Engine Displacement: 2.4 liter inline-four
HP: 177
TQ: 161

Driver Stereotype: Anti-Toyota

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: The sedate Accord lulls drivers to a meditative state causing perfect driving habits and extreme awareness, lessening any sort of slip ups.

14.) Jeep Wrangler
Price: $20,710
Cost To Insure: $939
Curb Weight: 3782 lbs
Engine Displacement: 3.8 liter V6
HP: 202
TQ: 237

Driver Stereotype: Obnoxious Dave Matthews Band-listening, bandanna-wearing frat boys

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: The Wrangler was specifically built for douchebag frat boys and therefore features a virtually indestructible body and chassis making repairs all but non-existent.

13.) VW Passat
Price: $28,300
Cost To Insure: $936
Curb Weight: 3344 lbs
Engine Displacement: 2.0 liter inline-four
HP: 200
TQ: 207

Driver Stereotype: Grown Dub boys

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: Considering the Passat never moves due to repetitive electrical problems it is never put in harms way, allowing for a much lower insurance premium.

12.) Mazda Mazda5
Price: $17,995
Cost To Insure: $929
Curb Weight: 3417 lbs
Engine Displacement: 2.3 liter inline-four
HP: 153
TQ: 148

Driver Stereotype: MX-5 driver's family car

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: Typically driven by MX-5 drivers when they've got their kids in toe, the Zoom, Zoom nature of the Mazda5 allows for quick maneuvers to escape from the rest of the crazy drivers out there.

11.) Scion xB
Price: $15,750
Cost To Insure: $881
Curb Weight: 3020 lbs
Engine Displacement: 2.4 liter turbo inline-four
HP: 158
TQ: 162

Driver Stereotype: E-tards

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: The typical driver of a Scion xB never really leaves the rave, instead spends hours upon hours upon delicious hours licking the glass repeating, "The snozberries taste like snozberries."

10.) Chrysler Town & Country
Price: $26,355
Cost To Insure: $871
Curb Weight: 4387 lbs
Engine Displacement: 3.5 liter V6
HP: 244
TQ: 240

Driver Stereotype: Self fulfilling prophecy

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: A perceived level of luxury is exhibited by the typical Town & Country driver, causing them to drive even more carefully back and forth from their kids Montessori schools and cricket matches. See Caravan to see the lesser of the ChryCo minivan driver's habits.

9.) Mazda Tribute
Price: $19,730
Cost To Insure: $913
Curb Weight: 3276 lbs
Engine Displacement: 2.5 liter inline-four
HP: 171
TQ: 171

Driver Stereotype: I haz no care for Zoom, Zoom

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: Tribute drivers lurk quietly in traffic with hardly anyone ever taking notice, not even enough to ram them from behind.

8.) Saturn Vue
Price: $23,280
Cost To Insure: $911
Curb Weight: 3689 lbs
Engine Displacement: 2.4 liter inline-four
HP: 169
TQ: 161

Driver Stereotype: I'm a new kind of car company

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: Brought over as the Saturn version of the Opel Antara, most people avoid the Vue with the expectation that the Euro-wannabe driver won't speak English causing an annoying, pain-in-the-ass insurance swap.

7.) Smart ForTwo
Price: $11,990
Cost To Insure: $881
Curb Weight: 2315 lbs
Engine Displacement: 1.0 liter inline-three
HP: 70
TQ: 68

Driver Stereotype: Tries to out-smug a Prius driver

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: Like the annoying fly that you just can't swat and kill, the ForTwo manages to avoid all conflict by being small and zippy, plus nobody seems to want manslaughter charges for when the driver gets squashed after a 10 mph accident.

6.) Honda Odyssey
Price: $26,355
Cost To Insure: $871
Curb Weight: 4387 lbs
Engine Displacement: 3.5 liter V6
HP: 244
TQ: 240

Driver Stereotype: Does not drive for the thrill of driving

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: Odyssey drivers are busy reaching around and smacking the shit out of their kids, leaving very little time for accidents, so they generally avoid them.

5.) Kia Rio5
Price: $13,325
Cost To Insure: $870
Curb Weight: 2438 lbs
Engine Displacement: 1.6 liter inline-four
HP: 110
TQ: 107

Driver Stereotype: Typically doesn't care about cars

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: The Rio5 is so ugly that most drivers avoid any physical contact with them in fear that some of the ugly will rub off. Score one for Kia.

4.) Kia Sedona
Price: $21,245
Cost To Insure: $857
Curb Weight: 4365 lbs
Engine Displacement: 3.8 liter V6
HP: 250
TQ: 253

Driver Stereotype: Anti-Odyssey

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: This thing is so boring that they should have named it the Kia Sedative. It rarely leaves the driveway unless absolutely necessary, dramatically reducing its potential for road carnage.

3.) Hyundai Entourage
Price: $23,995
Cost To Insure: $848
Curb Weight: 4400 lbs
Engine Displacement: 3.8 liter V6
HP: 250
TQ: 253

Driver Stereotype: Anti-Odyssey/Sedona

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: Should be renamed to Hyundai Ento...zzzzz. See Kia Sedona.

2.) Kia Sportage
Price: $16,695
Cost To Insure: $840
Curb Weight: 3230 lbs
Engine Displacement: 2.0 liter inline-four
HP: 140
TQ: 136

Driver Stereotype: High school band geek

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: Typically the Sportage is doing exactly the opposite of what its name implies, instead it spends its life carting tubas and other brass instruments between Mom's house and band practice which coincidentally is just down the street. Also, the lack of party invites virtually eliminates any sort of under-the-influence driving.

1.) Hyundai Santa Fe
Price: $21,695
Cost To Insure: $832
Curb Weight: 3727 lbs
Engine Displacement: 2.7 liter V6
HP: 185
TQ: 183

Driver Stereotype: Not concerned with brand image

Jalopnik Insurance Cost Analysis: The Santa Fe, while having an unbelievably ridiculous name, is actually quite attractive limiting surrounding driver's desire to crash repeatedly into it. For complete opposite, see Kia Rio5.

For those unfamiliar, the Jeep J8 is a military-only product, stamped out in Jeep's Toledo assembly plant and shipped to Egypt for final assembly and distribution. It's designed to a durability standard three times that of the civilian version and comes with a built Dana 44 front axle, Dana 60 rear, leaf springs in the rear, pintle hitches, a reinforced frame and body and stripped amenities. The only problem is, Chrysler doesn't offer it to US civilian buyers. American Expedition Vehicles saw this opportunity and contracted with Chrysler to obtain up to 120 vehicle kits a year, which they assemble and sell as a rolling chassis to rabid Wrangler fans who will supply their own motivation, installed at an approved dealer. We just had to know what it could do off-road, so along with Mike Levine of PickupTrucks.com, we decided to find out.

Michigan's Island Lake State Park is little more than an also-ran to it's more flashy fraternal twin across the I-96 freeway, Kensington Metropark. But Island Lake holds a secret — a 1000 acre off-road park normally off-limits to the public due to liability issues. Chrysler donates engineering vehicles to the park for patrol duty and, in return, they get wink-wink, nod-nod access to the massive facility. In a former life, it was home to a concrete and gravel business, now it's a mélange of high hills and low ponds all covered in a slippery sand and pea gravel surface material — perfect to test the merits of a hairy-knuckled Jeep.

This particular J8 is equipped with a VM Motori 2.4-liter four-cylinder turbo diesel — definitely not an engine you'd be able to purchase in a production Jeep state-side — so what we've got here is a real torque monster. Great for crawling rocks and powering through muck, but tough to get a lot of entertaining wheelspin going. That doesn't mean we didn't have a hoot tossing it into disconcertingly deep water and then covering it with sand in the hills. The J8 was totally in its element here; crawling, traversing, bogging, crushing, bashing... it was the perfect tool to have a lot of fun.

The bare interior is awesomely functional. Nobody was concerned about how long it would take to get the mud out of the carpets, there are no carpets. The radio didn't drown out the turbo whine, there is no radio. It was, at times, problematic. Let's just say bashing your elbow into the raw steel interior panels takes some getting used to. We're not saying we'd wuss out and order one with stuff like "roll cage padding" or "B-pillar panels," just that we need to toughen up our elbows a bit. The MILSPEC is raw, it doesn't even come with floor mats and the assembly rivets poke through the floor, making this a no-flip-flop zone.

The MILSPEC took everything we threw at it and didn't even blink. In fact, we thought we heard it yawn. It's like a billy goat with an attitude. As we left our magical off-limits, off-roading heaven, we drew stares from the onlookers as we bombed along at freeway speeds where engine, tire, and road noise serenaded us sweetly. There was even the occasional rubber-necking Wrangler owner. The AEV J8 MILSPEC is every part the beefy and unique machine it's intended to be. It's a wolf in wolf's clothing.

Having said that, it's hard to justify the approximate $50,000 you'd need to put together a complete model, more if you want a fancier engine. The AEV Hemi Wrangler would make a better toy, while AEV's own Brute Conversion adds just $8,995 to the price of a previous-generation TJ Wrangler, endowing it with similar functionality from pickup bed and beefed up running gear. Sure, it's more Russian gangster than African mercenary, but the savings will buy a whole bed full of semi-legal apocalypse survival gear.

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.

Just as we were putting our camera away after shooting the green Wrangler Unlimited, the tan extended-wheelbase Scambler-like truck version Wrangler pulls up so back at it we went. These seem to be outfitted with the same specification as the non-civilian Wrangler J8 unveiled in Germany last year for foreign military duty. They get the heavy duty BFGoodrich Mud Terrain T/A's a beefy front and rear bumper with high grade shackles and a military-style pintle hitch and a "J8" badge on the side. We can't say if they get the same diesel engines the military J8's get, but we did get a hood-up shot, so if there are any hardcore Jeepers out there so skilled, see if you can identify what's powering these babies.

We've got a call in with the big boss over at AEV, Michael Chetcuti. Stay tuned for more.
UPDATE: We were just looking at the pics a bit closer and noticed these even have the rear leaf springs from the J8 versus the coils the regular Wrangler has!

[via Victoria David Beckham Blogspot]

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.

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]

[via PickupTrucks.com]

I found these Jeeps while out for a walk recently and figured they're likely old enough for DOTS. They were parked about a block away from where I shot that Mercedes 250c a couple of months ago so I expect Danio will recognize the neighbourhood. At first I thought they were both CJ7s as the green one is clearly labelled, but on closer inspection the shape of the door frame seems to indicate that the Levi's edition Wrangler is a CJ5. Your guess is probably better than mine as far as model year goes, I had enough trouble figuring out that they were two different models.

As an added bonus there are two extra shots of an NSX I ran into with my film camera. No need to run them if you don't want to, but after a look around on Autotrader I was surprised to find that the NSX is finally old enough to be (almost) affordable, if still a couple of years away from being good LeMons fodder.

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?