You know when people say that they have good news and bad news?
Well, we have one for you loyal followers of the Nissan Patrol. The good news is that the next generation Patrol has been earmarked to have its world debut on February 14 in the United Arab Emirates and that six lucky people will get a chance to win an all-expense paid trip to see the event.
The bad news is that the competition is only eligible for a select number of countries in the Middle East (U.A.E., Oman, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, and Kuwait). Now, if you’re a TopSpeed reader from these areas, all you need to do is answer a simple survey at the Welcome the Hero website to have a chance at getting a front-row seat to the world premier of the Patrol luxury SUV.
Incidentally, Nissan is building up the Patrol as ‘The Hero of All Terrain’, complete with its own website and a detailed history of the intrinsic communion between the luxury SUV and the Middle East dating back to the 50’s. Like we said, we all have to take the good news with the bad and while us folks here in the US won’t have a chance to enter this contest, we’ll settle for knowing that the next-generation Patrol has finally arrived.
The third and last special edition to be revealed by jeep at the Detroit Auto Show is Wrangler Mountain Edition. It is based on the Wrangler Sport S package, and is available on Wrangler and Wrangler Unlimited 4x4 models and the price for the package is $1,820.
This special edition features a unique “Mountain” decal on the hood with latitude and longitude coordinates that represent an actual location relating to the “Mountain” theme of the vehicle; painted high-gloss Mineral Gray 17-inch Moab wheels, grille and bumper appliqués; tubular side steps; 32-inch tires; black tail lamp guards; and a fuel-filler door from Mopar. It is painted in Rescue Green Metallic Clear Coat, Brilliant Black Crystal Pearl Coat or Deep Water Blue Pearl Coat.
Next to the Liberty Renegade, the second special edition jeep will present at the Detroit Auto Show is the Wrangler Islander Edition available for both Wrangler and Wrangler Unlimited 4x4 models. The price for the Jeep Wrangler Islander option package is $1,120.
Jeep Wrangler Islander is featured in unique Surf Blue Pearl Coat, and is also available in Stone White Clear Coat, Bright Sliver Metallic Clear Coat and Brilliant Black Crystal Clear Coat. The model is distinguished by “Tiki Bob” decal on the hood with latitude and longitude coordinates that represent an actual location relating to the “Islander” theme of the vehicle, blackside steps and popular Moab 17-inch wheels shod with 32-inch tires.
Jeep will unveil at the Detroit Auto Show three new rugged, versatile and innovative vehicles that deliver classic Jeep design and capability. The first one is called Liberty Renegade and uses a nomenclature first used in 1964 on the inside door opening of the Jeep Wagoneer.
The Liberty Renegade is offered in either Salsa Red Pearl Coat exterior, as well as Natural Green Pearl Coat, Deep Water Blue Pearl Coat, Bright Silver Metallic Clear Coat, Brilliant Black Crystal Pearl Coat or Stone White Clear Coat and is distinguished by 16-inch wheels, dark neutral metallic wheel flares, lower side sills, front and rear fascia, body side moldings and rear license plate bar; black headlamp bezel; Argent Silver accent on the lower fascia appliqué and roof rack; Satin Black vinyl hood graphics; deep-tint glass; fog lamps; skid plates and tow hooks.
The SUV is offered in either 2WD, 4WD Auto and 4WD Low versions and is powered by a 3.7-liter engine that produces 210 hp at 5,200 rpm and 235 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,000 rpm.
When we first saw Local Motors’ Rally Fighter at SEMA, we figured that it was a car that was versatile enough to do a boatload of things, one of which was its capability in roughing it up in Baja.
But we had no idea that the Rally Fighter would generate such a huge following that it seems fitting that there be a video of the car doing what a lot of people expect it to do: hit the off-road trails and run roughshod over it.
We figured we’d wait a while for such a thing to happen, but fortunately, Local Motors that such a long wait wouldn’t satisfy the Rally Fighter’s burgeoning fan base. So they released a video of the tuned and modified off-road vehicle romping it up off-road style to the tune of Hotel California – in Spanish.
It’s worth a watch, and we won’t even blame you if you end up watching it over and over again.
While we had heard a lot about the Jeep Wrangler Overland modified by Chrysler’s in house tuners Mopar, but we couldn’t fully appreciate the go anywhere and then camp anywhere Jeep until seeing it in person at the 2009 SEMA Show. The interior of the Jeep Wrangler Overland features water resistant Mopar front seat covers, rugged Mopar slush mats, a Daystar dash bin and lower switch panel that powers the added accessories. Enhancing the Wrangler’s off road ruggedness is a 3 inch lift from American Expedition Vehicles as well as a full traction rear sway bar. The added clearance allows aggressive 35 inch off road tires to be mounted on the 17 inch steel Mopar wheels. However the real beauty of the Overland is the full size tent that opens on the extended roof panel and an equally spacious shade providing tarp that gives it owners the perfect place to have a picnic while on safari.
Not much has been heard from Jeep in recent months, but that hasn’t stopped the brand from showing up at SEMA to unveil the Jeep Lower Forty concept. The off-road vehicle, which is based on the Jeep Wrangler, was fine-tuned by Mopar Underground and is powered by a 5.7-liter HEMI V8 engine with a Getrag six-speed manual transmission that uses a Dana 44 axle in the front and a Dana 60 axle out back with both being fitted with 5.38 gears.
Jeep also took the liberty of adding mammoth 40-inch tires to the Lower Forty concept, which was done by taking away a number sheet metals from the vehicles and increasing the width of the fender by an inch and raising it up four inches higher to make room for the 40-inch tires.
Jeep also included a slew of other features for their Lower Forty concept, including the addition of a carbon fiber hood, a chopped windshield, a custom bikini top, and a new rear tailgate.
Additional features include a carbon fiber hood, custom bikini top, a chopped windshield, and a color-matched interior with Katzkin leather seating. You can read more details after the jump, and we have plenty of high-res photos in the gallery below.
Hummer announced today details on the 2010 H3 and H3T models. And there are some very "environmental-friendly" details. Both models will get E85 capability and new colors for the 2010 model year. The prices on the other hand remain the same as for the 2009 models.
All 2010 Alpha series’ models will be powered by a 5.3L V8 Flex Fuel engine rated at 300 hp and 320 lb.-ft. of torque. The engine is mated to a Hydra-Matic 4L60 electronically controlled four-speed automatic transmission. Is not much of a green car, but according to James Taylor, Hummer CEO: "This is just the first step in HUMMER’s evolution to offer responsible, yet highly capable all-terrain vehicles. Future models will be lighter, more efficient and will continue to offer the best blend of off-road capability and on-road performance."
Besides the new engine, the 2010 models will be offered with three new premium colors: Red Rock Metallic, Silver Stone Metallic, and Canyon Metallic.
Don’t you just love it when your car can do something other cars can only dream about doing, like, say, drive underwater?
This particular modified Hummer put its ‘swimming’ skills to the test as it drove head on into a river, completely submerging itself in the process. At one point, you can’t even see the Hummer, except for the exhaust sticking out like a snorkeling tube.
We’re pretty sure that his Hummer will come in pretty handy, especially during the wet weather season when floods begin to occur regularly.
Now if only there was a way to have more cars be able to drive effortlessly underwater.
After jumpstarting a billion-dollar enthusiast segment, the Bigfoot truck - one of the most iconic trucks in history - returned to SEMA to celebrate its 35th anniversary.
Adorned in the traditional no. 1 and those gargantuan 66-inch terra tires, Bob Chandler’s Bigfoot Truck returned to the very same auto show it first attended back in 1977. To celebrate the occasion, the original No.1 was joinged by a modern tube-framed Bigfoot truck that was dressed in a commemorative no. 1 body.
As you probably know by now, Monster Trucks became a cultural icon over the years, having appeared in a number of movies, spawning it’s very own competition, and has also made 25,000 appearances in over 20 countries since it was created in 1974.