Jeep Grand Cherokee

The new Jeep Grand Cherokee has just won the top award from Total 4X4 magazine, having been crowned 4X4 of the Year. The latest four-wheel drive Grand Cherokee has more than 30 international accolades and is one of the most highly decorated 4X4′s ever. The Jeep Grand Cherokee is powered by a 2,987cc V6 turbo diesel engine and is packed with an impressive standard options list and more refinement than ever before.

Alan Kidd, editor of Total 4X4 magazine, said,”It’s good value by the standards of its competitors. And there’s little at this price that does such a good job of combining comfort, equipment, dynamic prowess and relevant technology. There have been four Grand Cherokees over the years and each one has improved on the last. But this time the step up has been off the scale. It’s a worthy winner”. The Grand Cherokee also won the Awards’ Off-Roader category and we have Jeep contract hire prices on the site now.

Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland Summit

The new Jeep Grand Cherokee was launched 5 months ago and Jeep has now released the pricing and specification for their eagerly awaited high-peformance SRT8 and premium luxury Overland Summit versions.

The Grand Cherokee SRT8 (Street and Racing Technology) delivers outstanding performance with a 0-60mph of 4.8 seconds, has a top speed of 160mph and brakes from 0-60 in just 116 feet. All this power comes from a new 6,424cc 470hp HEMI V8 with Fuel Saver Technology engine, which alternates between four-cylinder and sporty V8 mode to conserve fuel.

It comes with 45 specific safety and security systems ranging from adaptive cruise control, active head restraints to forward-collision warning, to name just a few. Pricing for this model starts from £58,995 on-the-road.

The Grand Cherokee 3.0 CRD Overland Summit offers new levels of luxury and refinement and is available in a new, exclusive Rugged Brown paint scheme with fully chromed grille and fog lamp bezels. This model comes with 20-inch bright, polished aluminium wheels and adds even more refinement and equipment.

Inside the Overland Summit

Wood trim is used throughout the car and it has saddle coloured Nappa heated and ventilated leather seats, Berber floor mats, Advanced Warning System, Adaptive Cruise Control, Forward Collision Warning, Blind Spot Monitoring and Rear Cross-path detection. It is powered by a 237hp, 2,987CC V6 CRD diesel engine and the on-the-road price starts from £44,795.

Jeep Wrangler

The Jeep Wrangler has just won the Icon class 4×4 Magazine’s 4×4 of the Year 2012 awards . The magazine’s annual test of all the best four-wheel drive vehicles is a tough and comprehensive examination, but in the class categories the Wrangler proved the top choice, both for its off-road worthiness and its improvements in terms of comfort and refinement.

“Why is the Wrangler our Icons winner? Because once behind the wheel in the rough stuff, the Wrangler effortlessly confirms what makes a great off-roader,” says Nigel Fryatt, editor, 4×4 magazine. “Add that it’s now civilised and comfortable to drive to the shops, and there really was no contest.”

2011 has been a special year for Jeep as it marks the brand’s 70th anniversary. This started with the refreshed Jeep Wrangler and Wrangler Unlimited. 2011 has also been the year of the new Jeep Grand Cherokee fitted which is fitted with the all-new MultiJet II 3.0-litre turbo diesel engine, and the refreshed Jeep Compass compact SUV.

Euro NCAP crash test

Although Geely will not enter the UK market until the end of 2012, the Chinese manufactured Geely Emgrand EC7 has just undergone its Euro NCAP safety testing and has been awarded four stars. The other car models picking up four stars at the same time, were the Jaguar XF, Renault Fluence ZE, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Fiat Panda and MG6 so the Emgrand EC7 is in good company.

When the Emgrand EC7 arrives in the UK it will come with the choice of two body styles, four door saloons and five-door hatchbacks, with a choice of 1.5- or 1.8-litre petrol engines, with an automatic version for the 1.8-litre versions. The car will be priced competitively from around £10,000 and all models will come with  a five-year, 100,000 miles warranty.

Geely Auto UK is in the process of  recruiting its dealer network in readiness for sales to begin by the end of next year and the Euro NCAP results are a major step forward for the brand.

Michiel van Ratingen, Euro NCAP’s Secretary General said,”These results mark a milestone for the Chinese automotive industry. It is a clear sign that Chinese car makers are building on recent experiences and rapidly investing in better vehicle safety. Even with the upcoming increased demands, five stars are expected to be within reach soon”.

Motor Village Croydon

Fiat Group Automobiles has just opened its doors to Motor Village Croydon which houses four Fiat car brands, Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Chrysler and Jeep, all under one roof. 

This is one of the first dealerships of its kind and pioneers the way for other showrooms selling multiple car manufacturers at one site. The site is located on Canterbury Road and is an airy, spacious showroom with four distinct areas representing each brand.

Tony Dittli, director, Motor Village Croydon, said,”We started here with Fiat in January and Alfa Romeo came in May. Chrysler and Jeep joined us in July, so it’s continually evolving. We are still developing and learning but I think we have a super showroom site from which to offer quality service and become the reference point for these great brands.

New Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8

The new high-performance Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 will make its official European debut at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show this month. This head-turning 4X4 is powered by an all-new 6.4-litre HEMI V-8 engine that produces 470bhp making this new flagship model the most powerful, high-performance Jeep vehicle ever produced.

The SRT8 has been designed and built using the proven SRT (Street Racing Technology) formula and accelerates from 0-62mph in 4.8 seconds, with a top speed of over 155mph. Jeep is using Fuel Saver Technology to improve fuel consumption and is estimating a range of 450 miles if using the motorway.

The new Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 has a new SRT-tuned, active damping suspension managed by the new Jeep Selec-Trac system which allows you to manually change between five dynamic modes for specific driving conditions. It is only available in one specification and comes with Quadra-Trac active on-demand four-wheel drive transfer system, Command-View dual panel sunroof, Uconnect satellite navigation system, adaptive cruise control, 20-inch forged aluminium wheels, blind-spot monitoring with Rear Cross-path detection and new SRT vented Brembo brakes.

Outside the exterior, as you would expect, has an aggressive profile and features LED multi-function daytime running lights, hood mounted dual black heat extractors, new liftgate spoiler, air diffuser and a dual-sport exhaust system. The Grand Cherokee SRT8 should be in Jeeps’ UK dealers in the first quarter of 2012.

Jeep partners British Show Jumping

Jeep has announced that it has become the official vehicle partner for the British Open Show Jumping Championships which takes place at the NEC in Birmingham, from the 7th of April until the 10th.

The world’s leading International show-jumpers will be taking part in an action-packed programme of equestrian competition in the indoor arena, with a £25,000 top prize on offer for the winner. Jeep’s flagship model, the Grand Cherokee, will be used to transport the international riders and VIPs to and from the show.

Nigel Land, Marketing Director at Chrysler UK Ltd said,”This new partnership is another major step forward for Jeep’s involvement with the equestrian sport. Jeep already has a strong presence within the rural and equine community and the British Show Jumping Championships is the ideal platform to showcase Jeep to the equestrian market, a perfect fit with an audience that mirrors values and capabilities of the brand”.

Used Car Expert Magazine has revealed the top 5 best and worst performers in 4X4 vehicle depreciation over a three year period. Depreciation is the biggest cost to a motorist and when you buy your vehicle this is something you may not really consider.

That is why contract hire is such an attractive option as the risk on depreciation is with the leasing company, not you. This is also why a car that costs more to buy may actually have a lower rental on contract hire.

Here are the findings from Used Car Expert:

Jeep at the HOYS

The prestigious Horse of the Year Show 2009 will be at the Birmingham LG Arena (formerly known as the NEC Arena) this year and is being held from the 7th October to the 11th October 2009. Jeep is the official vehicle partner and their flagship Grand Cherokee will be used to transport VIPs and international riders, to and from the show. 

Jeep is also displaying a Jeep Patriot and Jeep Grand Cherokee at various locations around the the arena, as the models offer all round 4×4 capability, with the Grand Cherokee Limited’s Quadra Trac II system particularly making it ideal for road driving, off road and towing.

Jeep has always been popular in the equine community and the HOYS 2009 is the ideal place to market their models.

Chrysler Group LLC and Fiat Group have announced that they have finalised their alliance and have formed a “new” Chrysler. Chrysler will now have the resources, technology and worldwide distribution network to compete effectively on a global scale.

Under the terms approved by the US Bankruptcy Court in New York and other regulatory and antitrust regulators, the company formally known as Chrysler LLC formally sold all of its assets without certain debts and liabilities, to a new company that will operate as Chrysler Group LLC.

“This is a very significant day, not only for Chrysler and its dedicated employees, who have persevered through a great deal of uncertainty during the past year, but for the global automotive industry as a whole” said Sergio Marchionne, Chief Executive Officer of Chrysler Group LLC.

Chrysler Group LLC produces Jeep, Dodge and Mopar brand vehicles and products and its headquarters are in Auburn Hills, Michigan. Fiat was founded in 1989 and is an international automotive focussed industrial group serving customers in over 190 countries around the world. The Fiat Group designs and sells Fiat, Lancia, Alfa Romeo, Abarth, Maserati, Ferrari cars, various trucks and van brands plus other agricultural, construction and industrial products.