Luxury Tank for the Street (VIDEO)

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Tag:Off-Road

COMBAT GUARD 4×4 Armore dvehicle (VIDEO)

This baby packs 54-inch tires, close to three feet of ground clearance, weighs eight tons and can go just about anywhere. Think rock crawler meets Stryker meets Lamb...

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Offering up unprecedented protection without sacrificing speed and mobility, this off-roader can handle any terrain you throw at it. The vehicle weighs in at a whopping 8 tons, and thanks to the 54-inch tires and 0.7 meters of ground clearance, it’s able drive right through 1.5 meter deep water obstacles. Powered by a rear mounted 6.5-liter Cobra diesel engine mated to a four-speed automatic transmission, this beast of a vehicle can cary 1.5 tons of payload right through sandy and rocky terrain at speeds of up 75 miles per hour. 8 passengers can be comfortably seated in the Combat Guard, all strapped in with harnesses, and the thick layer of armor was designed specifically to withstand both ammunition rounds and the unforeseeable land mines.

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Maserati's SUV is here - Levante (PHOTOS)

Here, finally officially unveiled the long-awaited SUV Maserati - called Levante.

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The style and vision in the exterior and interior have always been the strengths Maserati's now at Levante prove it once again.

According to unofficial information in question Levante will initially be offered with a petrol 3.0-liter V6 with the full resources of 350 hp Thanks to them, the sports SUV will accelerate from 0 to 100 km / h in 6.3 seconds before developing a maximum 243 km / h. Italians would probably bet on diesel because there are rumors again for the 3.0-liter V6 with 275 hp The hybrid version has not yet been ruled out.

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Maserati did reveal some technical details too. For instance, Levante's chassis has been designed to combine an excellent on-road performance, unmatched handling (even on very low-grip surfaces) and an outstanding off-road performance and ride. The company also says that the SUV will be equipped with a high level of content as standard like a sophisticated electronic suspension with controlled damping and air springs "Q4" intelligent all-wheel drive and 8-speed automatic transmission.

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Specifics have been scarce when it comes to power units, but we managed to get the information that Levante will be driven by both petrol and diesel engines, which will be Euro6-compliant. There has been nothing said about the interior, nor any pictures shown. However, we do expect this to happen a few days ahead of the Geneva Motor Show, so stay tuned.

Maserati Levante is going to be built at the Mirafiori plant in Turin. It will be officially launched onto the market this spring (only in Europe). Global market premier is to follow later this year.

How to Clean Greasy Hands ?

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If you've ever had the pleasure of trying to clean off your hands after working on a car, bike, or other greasy equipment then you know that grease can stick around for days afterwards unless you really scrub down. Real Simple suggests using sugar as a hand degreaser that washes away the grease quickly.

To remove car grease or paint from your hands, pour 1 teaspoon of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of salt or sugar into your palms. Vigorously rub the mixture into your hands and between your fingers for several minutes, then wash it off with soap and water. Substitute for Shaving Cream If you run out of shaving cream, don’t use soap—it could be rough on your skin. Olive oil, on the other hand.

What's the best way you've found to get grease off your hands? Share it in the comments.

$239,000 Custom Jeep Wrangler with 700 Horsepower

The Best Time To Buy A Jeep Wrangler: Key Buying Points

When is the best time to buy a Jeep Wrangler?

Is it better to buy a 1-year-old vehicle or an 11-year-old vehicle?

This study calculates the buying points for a Jeep Wrangler — from new 2007 models back to model year 1990.

The Buying Points

There are 3 key buying points during this period that appear to provide the best value relative to the depreciation of a Jeep Wrangler.

So, what type of depreciation can expect you expect?

Let’s take a look at models that are less than 6 years old first.



Model Year 2006 – 1st Buying Point

The first buying point occurs when the Jeep is 12-18 months old. The reason for this is high first year depreciation on a new vehicle. The first year depreciation of a new Jeep is about 15%. This means that you will lose approximately 15% of whatever you invest into a new Jeep Wrangler within the first 12 months of purchase.

The depreciation is less than 7% on average over the next 4 years.

Therefore, the best buying point for newer Jeeps is about the time it is 12 months old. The average cost of a 1-year-old Jeep is $21,148.

The average cost per year (average depreciation) of a new Jeep over the first 4 years is $2,139/yr. The average cost of a 1-year-old Jeep over the next 4 years is only $1,303 per year.

That’s a savings of over $3,344 just buy purchasing a 1-year-old Jeep rather than a new one!

Jeep Tour Guides… How To Get Hired And What To Expect If You Pursue This Career Choice

Ever wonder what it’s like to be a Jeep tour guide?

Arguably, Sedona, Arizona is the Jeep tour capital of the world. With the great weather, gorgeous scenery, and easy access to a myriad of trails, no wonder there are so many tour companies.

I’m a Jeep tour guide in Sedona, and many people think that this would be a dream job. If you are one of those, read this first!

Here’s everything you want to know about Jeep tour guides, including how to get hired and what to expect your first days on the job.


Wanna Be A Jeep Tour Guide?
Many think it sounds like fun, and it is, for awhile. But, for most, the romance wears off quickly. The average career lifespan of a Jeep tour guide in Sedona is less than 2 years, but there are those who have been guiding for 5, 10, even 20 years.

I have been in the Jeep tour business since 1996, which makes me about 96 in Jeep years.

I have eaten enough red dust to be convicted of smuggling federal property.

I have ushered thousands of visitors into the backcountry.

I have grown tired of the sound of my own voice.

I have watched Jeeps go from the showroom floor… to tour status… to beyond reasonable maintenance and relegated to the Jeep retirement lot with 150,000 trail miles on them.

I have hosed off various types of excrement from Jeeps.

And I have seen guides in training, passed by them on the trail for awhile, then saw them eventually move on to a “real” job.

Let me give you some insight to the whole world of professional Jeep tour guiding, from start to — finish.

First of all, it takes a certain type of person to really be a guide, as an ongoing career. Most “career” guides are very serious nature and history lovers. They drive Jeeps all week, then spend their days off hiking, biking, or even Jeeping. They love to read. They have heated debates with their associates about the current scientific name of the javelina, the best way to eat agave, or the latest tour joke. They are clever, independent, resourceful, animated, and loud. They are very much people-people — they love to entertain and be the center of attention. And they can deal with a great deal of ups and downs, not just on the trail, but also in their schedules and bank accounts.

HATFIELD AND MCCOY TRAILS, WEST VIRGINIA

How can you go wrong following the trail of a good blood feud? As one of the most extensively mapped and marked systems on the East Coast, the Hatfield and McCoy trails cover over 700 miles of West Virginia mud, rock and woods. From the backwoods to the cities and towns, most of these trails are not for flatlanders. One of the great parts about these trails is the ability to drive right into town after a long days drive, grab a bite to eat, and then stay at a hotel or inn for the night.

Jeep Wrangler Supercharged by GeigerCars

GeigerCars presented recently a supercharged version of the Jeep Wrangler Sport. The Jeep Wrangler Supercharged by GeigerCars is powered by the 3.6 liter V6 engine, which has been upgraded to develop 356 hp and 417 Nm of torque. This is an extra 80 hp and 70 nm of torque in comparison to the standard version of the Jeep Wrangler.
The new supercharger package for the Jeep Wrangler includes a cold air intake system, a reprogrammed ECU, a charge air intercooler, and a four-outlet-pipe stainless steel sports exhaust system. This is a bolt-on supercharger so it does not need any internal engine modifications. This supercharged Wrangler comes with a lifted suspension (2.5 inches) for improved ground clearance. GeigerCars' supercharged Wrangler sits on Bilstein dampers, 18-inch alloys and 305/70 Mickey Thompson tires.

In terms of styling, the GeigerCars Jeep Wrangler Supercharged comes with a front bumper bull bar, a metal front skid plate, and a special rig at the rear for carrying the spare wheel and a water tank. There is also a roll-over bar at the exterior of the A-pillars, and LED auxiliary lights. GeigerCars sets the price of their supercharged Wrangler at 64,200 EUR.

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A Look at the Wald International Black Bison Porsche Cayenne

Wald International is teasing us this time with their new Black Bison kit for the Porsche Cayenne. These unique Black Bison Edition cars have been a big hit for the tuning firm and we are always anxious to see what’s been released when a Wald email pops up in our inbox.

What we have here is the sculpting process of making the body kit, which will then be transferred to the molding phase to be put into productions. From we can see, a new aggressive front bumper with LED daytime running lights is the current focus, while wider wheel arches, side skirts, vents for the hood and spoilers will be installed as well.

While the interior has been left to our imagination, we do know some alloy wheels and exhaust tips will round out the exterior styling. Stay tuned for more Wald International tuning projects and check out more of their Black Bison line of cars and SUV’s to get an idea of what this Porsche Cayenne will turn out to be.

Jeep Wrangler by Vilner takes extreme luxury off-road

Vilner turned its customary and intensely luxurious attentions to a two-door Jeep Wrangler Sahara Unlimited back in 2012, following that up this year with its take on the four-door version. A coat of lustrous black paint outside is brightened up LED headlights, foglights and taillights and layers of chrome laid on the grille, mirrors, door handles and fuel filler cap.

Stance gets an injection of brawn from the 20-inch wheels, and they'll roll faster thanks to the power upgrade from 197 horsepower and 339 pound-feet of torque in the 2.8-liter diesel to 257 hp and 412 lb-ft.

Inside is furious red, with cross-stitched crimson leather and Alcantara demanding your focus. When you can look away from that, you'll find the raw metal parts painted black and again ornamented in minor applications of chrome. Feel free to feast on it in the high-res gallery above.
News Source: Vilner, Carscoops

Why Mopar won't release a factory lift kit for the new Jeep Cherokee

The Jeep Cherokee Dakar concept showed off at the 2014 Easter Jeep Safari made a lot of online friends, even the Cherokee naysayers assenting that there's a monster Jeep underneath the Cherokee's skin if you're willing to go in and get it. But after reading Road & Track's write-up of what went into creating the Dakar, particularly its lift, you'll understand why you'll probably never see the components for it in the Jeep Performance Parts catalog.

The concept's press release mentions a "prototype Jeep Performance Parts lift kit, and additional suspension modifications." The short-story explanation is that the front struts on the standard Cherokee weren't engineered to accept any amount of lift, so the long story begins with the phrase, "an entirely new suspension." Head over to RT to read the details, and don't be afraid to ogle the Cherokee Dakar gallery and another awesome Jeep fancy that won't likely crawl over the hurdles imposed by production reality.
News Source: Road & Track

Via:autoblog.com

Jeep Wrangler Dragon Design Concept Bows at Beijing Auto Show

Judging from the series of releases at the Beijing Auto Show, China is far and away the most important market for global automakers. A trend first started by high-end luxury brands, Jeep is hopping on the bandwagon by introducing the Jeep Wrangler Dragon design concept, a China-market-exclusive vehicle that features a “dragon design” theme to commemorate the Chinese calendar’s Year of the Dragon.

“The Jeep brand is committed to China and therefore we must design and tailor our vehicles to the specific tastes and preferences of chinese consumers,” said Jeep Brand CEO and COO for Asia, Mike Manley.

Mechanically identical to a China-market Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon, the Jeep Wrangler Dragon design concept features a gloss black paint scheme as well as a black body-color three-piece hard top. Trim pieces across the vehicle are plated in bronze-gold details including the grille slats, headlamp surrounds, golden accents on matte black wheels, as well as golden Jeep badging front and rear. Rather than the customary “Trail Rated” emblem aft of the front fenders, the special Dragon design concept proudly displays a golden Chinese character for “dragon” instead. Other golden trims include a pad-printed engine cover, bolts for the fuel-filler door and the taillamp assembly, and wheel center caps.

Finally, the Wrangler Dragon design concept makes the biggest statement with a tone-on-tone dragon decal that runs along the length of the vehicle as well as another dragon decal on the gloss-black spare tire cover. An LED exterior lighting package completes the luxurious tone of the bespoke Jeep Wrangler.

The theme continues in the interior as the Wrangler Dragon design features glossy piano black surfaces with golden highlights.

While only a design study, the Wrangler Dragon design concept seems essentially production ready. Depending on its reception at the Beijing auto show and the demand from the Chinese, Jeep just might make it a reality.

Chrysler Confirms New Ram Dakota

Before the Ram trucks were introduced as a standalone brand, there was the Dodge Dakota. And now, as confirmed by Chrysler CEO Sergio Macrchionne, that vehicle is all set to receive a successor, the Ram Dakota. Speaking at the Detroit Auto Show, the CEO explained that the new vehicle may be built based on a unibody construction technique.

If the unibody construction plan does take off, the company believes that it will limit the truck’s off-roading abilities. However, on the brighter side, this will help in increasing the vehicle’s efficiency and will also provide it with a handling capability comparable with those of cars.
Marchionne has also revealed that the new Ram Dakota will have the possibility of receiving a diesel unit, which would be based on that of the Jeep Grand Cherokee. Chrysler hasn’t revealed anything about an official launch schedule for the vehicle, but it is expected that the new Dakota will go on sale late next year, or in early 2014.

Jeep Hurricane - Dream Cars

The Jeep Hurricane's one-piece body is composed largely of light-weight carbon fiber. The Hurricane’s body also serves as the chassis, and all of the vehicle's components such as the engine's (yes there's two!), transmission, and suspension system are mounted directly to the body. The skid plate is an aluminum spine that connects the chassis to the underside of the vehicle. The Hurricane doesn’t have side doors or a roof, and there is only seating for two people.

Powered by two 5.7-liter HEMI engines, one in the front and one in the back, making a total of 670 horsepower, driving all 4 wheels the power is certainly there. And with fully controllable 4 wheel steering so is the maneuverability.

So the Jeep's claims are probably true!

Ford Atlas

The new Ford Atlas Concept, which previews the future of America's best-selling pickup truck for the past 36 years and the best-selling vehicle overall for 31 straight years, the F-150, has been named by the editors of Autoweek magazine, the "Most Significant vehicle of the 2013 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS)".

Bob Gritzinger, Autoweek executive editor, explains why:

“The Atlas Concept is clearly Most Significant winner for the things you don’t see, like hidden aerodynamic improvements and weight savings from high-strength steel and interior parts, like thinner seats. Those things add up to significant fuel savings for pickup trucks down the road. A next-generation EcoBoost with Auto Start-Stop technology also signals why Atlas is a real game changer.”

Chevy Silverado on 32-Inch Forgiato Wheels (VIDEO)

Custom cars in Florida are in a league of their own. They guys will take any old sedan out there and put on the largest wheels you’d never think would fit. And in fact they don’t fit, because parts of the fenders and bumpers have to be shaved off to maker room.

This odd looking Fred Flintstone used to be a regular old Chevy Silverado pickup, an American legend in the making. The guys at Dynasty Customs in Tampa Bay fitted it with new 32-inch ENZO wheels from Forgiato. These have huge chrome rims and massive lips.

The custom truck also has tinted lights, chrome mirrors and a brand new grille, not to mention a banging sound system. All these mods have the potential of adding at least $10,000 to the price tag, so it’s quite serious business, even though it looks like a clown car.

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Lincoln MKC Concept

Ford's efforts to resuscitate its moribund Lincoln luxury brand began in earnest with the introduction of its 2014 MKZ sedan, a model many labeled as the marque's make-or-break offering. Of course, one model does not a comeback make, and with the MKZ just now starting to trickle into dealers, it will be some time before America's jury of consumers comes in with their judgment.

More to the point, it's likely to take better than a decade's worth of products and sustained marketing effort to even begin to figure out whether Lincoln has a shot at redemption or if it will die of Mercury poisoning. After all, rival General Motors has been pouring resources into Cadillac since the late '90s, and if the sales charts are any guidance, it's still probably too early to declare its rebirth a success.

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Batmobile lookalike 'The Punisher' armored 4x4 set to join Russian armory

Russia or any other superpower in the world doesn’t really dispel information about its latest military acquisition with ease, leaving only a few dry press releases and a few pre-approved pictures for the public to see. With the secrecy that surrounds the Russian military, it’s only natural that the latest addition to their fleet also draws a lot of attention even though information about it as sparse as they get.

This single picture of a mysterious four wheeled addition to the Russian armed forces has been found circulating around the blogosphere even though information about it is very rare still. Tentatively dubbed The Punisher, the vehicle is speculated to be a Kamskiy Avtomobilny Zavod (Kamaz) creation and the armored vehicle will possibly be used by the Russian Army and Interior Ministry.

The vehicle bears an uncanny resemblance to another multipurpose armored personnel carrier already in service in the Russian military called the BPM-97. The 4x4 was deployed in escort and patrol missions, peacekeeping, troop and cargo transportation with the transportation of valuable goods and explosives being its secondary function. The Punisher, given its close resemblance to the BPM-97, too may be given the same roles though without any details on the project from official sources, anything we say can only be speculation at best.

Chevy Silverado dually converted into a 1400hp monster

The sight of the massive new Double Dually pick-up truck manufactured by Spectre Performance is sure to whip you off your seats. Spectre Performance the makers of familiar brand names like the carbon fibered Camaro and 2JZ Ford Maverick, conceptualized the Double Dually by rechristening a 2004 version of the Chevy Silverado dually from scratch. The truck was intended primarily to be the towing vehicle for Specter’s land speed racers at Bonneville like Ferrari F40 and the Cadillac propelled streamliner.

It is extremely important for any pick-up truck meant for kick starting cars at Bonneville, to have an efficient traction system. The traction system of the Double dually is superb thanks to the eight driven wheels on the pickup truck’s custom-made rear sub-frame.

The Dually was originally conceived to be run on a supercharged GM 8.1 V8 engine, which has now been subsequently equipped with Cadillac big block 500 cubic inch Garret turbochargers. Built by expert car designers at the Cadillac factory, the motors shell out a max horsepower if 1,425 hp and 1.671 foot pounds of torque. Once the monstrous Caddy motor was installed, the car's front suspension, was modified with basic features like QA1 shocks, one-off upper and lower control arms and Firestone 26C airbags.