The newest Jeep Wrangler forum has been launched.  If you are new to the forum/web community discussion arena this is the best way to chat with like minded people or just browse for good information on your topic of choice.  Forums in my opinion are still the best place on the web to get enthusiasts based feedback.  This site is brought to you by the group that owns  JeepForum.com (the largest Jeep enthusiast forum) this site recently launched and is growing popularity fast so don’t get left behind.  DriveOffroad.com plans on helping this site grow and hopefully we can contribute some helpful information for fellow Wrangler owners.  Check these guys out today:  http://www.wranglerboard.com

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Dec. 1, 2011 — /PRNewswire/ –

• More fuel-efficient, more powerful and more capable Jeep® Wrangler recognized with esteemed award from leading off-road enthusiast magazine
• “Four Wheeler of the Year” is Jeep Wrangler’s 8th award in recent weeks
• Jeep Wrangler boasts dramatically improved on-road performance and even more off-road prowess for 2012
• New 3.6-liter V-6 engine improves Wrangler’s fuel efficiency – up to 21 miles per gallon – with a 40-percent increase in horsepower and a 10-percent increase in torque
• Wrangler succeeds Jeep Grand Cherokee as “Four Wheeler of the Year”
• Jeep Wrangler sales up 29 percent for the year; November marked sixth consecutive monthly sales record

The new 2012 Jeep® Wrangler Rubicon – the most capable production vehicle on the planet – has been named “Four Wheeler of the Year” by Four Wheeler magazine. The award is given annually by the editors of the opinion-leading off-road enthusiast magazine.

John Cappa

To qualify for the competition, entries had to be entirely new or have substantial mechanical revisions from a previous model year. Testing was conducted over more than a thousand miles on a variety of terrain, including pavement, gravel, dirt, sand, rocks and mud, at elevations ranging from sea level to more than 9,000 feet.

Mike Manley

The 2012 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon “Four Wheeler of the Year” award comes a year after the Jeep Grand Cherokee – the premium icon of the brand – captured the award, and less than two years after the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon was named the Best 4×4 vehicle of the 2000-2009 decade by Four Wheeler magazine.

• 4×4 of the Year, Petersen’s 4-Wheel & Off-Road magazine
• Mid-size SUV of Texas, Texas Auto Writers Association
• Best Value Off-Road, Active Lifestyle Vehicle (ALV) award
• Hottest 4×4 SUV, Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) award
• ALG Residual Value Award – Best Compact Utility Vehicle
• Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com Best Resale Value Award, Compact Utility Vehicle
• Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com Best Resale Value Award, Top-10 Cars

SOURCE Chrysler Group LLC

Source: THE BLADE/ANDY MORRISON

So last week, Chrysler’s CEO Sergio Marchionne announced a $500 million investment in retooling the Toledo Assembly complex’s Liberty production line, a neighboring plant that runs 20 hours a day, 6 days a week.

However, Chrysler can barely keep the Wranglers in stock as worldwide demand increases beyond the capacity of the Toledo Plant. Capacity concerns could result in another upgrade to this facility or to build them in another Chrysler facility elsewhere.

United Auto Workers union agreed to work 4 days next month during their usual shutdown week between Christmas and New Years day, the first time in 28 years.

To get an idea of the demand, October’s production of Wranglers was 135,072 units, 11% from last year. In July, 14,335 units were sold, 28% more than last year. Elsewhere in the world, Chrysler have sold 36,164 Wranglers through October, up 15% from last year.

Source: ToledoBlade

A friend of ours, Sam Memmolo, shared a story with us from his recent travels and we just had to share it with the rest of you Jeep enthusiasts!

Sam is a 45-year veteran of the automotive industry, and is well known in business circles from the O.E.’s to the aftermarket and performance segments. Some of you may be familiar with him as he also hosts and produces his own syndicated radio show called “Sam’s Garage Radio Show“. He has also made several TV appearances including executive producing and hosting “Two Guys Garage” SPEED channel.  You can clearly see that cars are his passion and with that you can only imagine the many car events he attends annually.

While attending a show in Daytona Beach, Florida, he came across something very interesting.  It was a typical car show morning in the RV Park, with people stirring as the sun came up over the beaches and began to burn off Daytona’s famous morning haze.

He noticed a small gathering forming around a Bluebird Wanderlodge across the way.  The vintage RV had a trailer in tow with Alaska plates.  Gradually more people would gather and disperse. This process kept repeating itself and of course that could only mean one thing. This guy had something special to look at, enough to make Sam head over to take a peek.

As he approached the RV, he saw a Jeep sitting on the other side of the coach. There had to be more than this to attract a crowd, especially in the early morning hours. Then it hit him, this was no ordinary Wrangler. This little beauty was shiny and constructed of stainless steel.  Everything that was metal was fabricated from stainless. The entire body tub, the fenders, the seat frames, the windshield frame, the grill and bumpers, the tailgate, everything!

The lucky owner was a great guy named Arley. He was short, stalky, and looked as tough as nails. It turns out that he and his wife lived in Alaska and also had a small place in Florida that they visited from time to time.  Arley’s wife was from the Philippines, and over the years they would go to visit her family and friends.

In the Philippines, Jeep became the primary mode of transportation after American GI’s left a bunch behind at the end of WWII. With the high cost of importing parts, these crafty Philippine guys started hammering out their own hand-made sheet metal replacement parts.  It took Arley almost ten years to gather all the parts, and then several more years working part time on this project to complete the Jeep.

This little beauty is definitely something to see, as the pictures don’t do it ANY justice!

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