Ford has not been shy with new high-performance models in its 2013 lineup. First came the newly redesigned Fusion with an optional 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, then the Focus ST with the same 2.0-liter turbocharged engine. So what’s next for Ford? We think Ford may have tipped its hand with a recent video.
In this video (above) you can see a teaser of what’s to come. From what it looks like, Ford will be announcing a high-performance model of the 2013 Ford Explorer on Wednesday, March 28th. It is all speculation as of yet, but with the ominous sounds of an engine reaching high rpm, what else could it be?
We may be reading way too much into the video, but if you watch carefully at the 0:10 mark, you will see a speedometer on the left. Count the seconds it takes for this thing to reach 60 mph. By our estimation that Explorer hits 60 mph just shy of 5.5 seconds. Now, that could be just a sped up video of a standard Explorer, but if it’s authentic, that is one mean midsize SUV. That isn’t quite in the Grand Cherokee SRT8’s range, but it’s still impressive.
Most rumors in the industry are saying that this model, which may be dubbed an SHO, will feature the same 365-horsepower, 3.5-liter turbocharged V-6 connected to an all-wheel-drive system as the 2013 Taurus SHO. This would be a welcome addition to the existing 2013 Explorer lineup, which already includes a standard 290-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 and an optional 240-horsepower, turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine.
The video says “Coming 3-28-2012,” so we will simply wait and see what the specifics are. As we type this, it just rolled over to 12:00 a.m. on the 28th and still no details… Sheesh, Ford, take your time why don’t ya. In all honesty though, Ford has a live chat with its SUV Marketing Manager and Chief Engineer on its Facebook page setup for 2:30 p.m. EDT, so details are likely to be revealed at that time.
Subaru has always made good use of this market and has a nice following of customers. Lately, though, it seems like Subaru is really attempting to gain an edge in new markets. First, it releases the BRZ, the Japanese automaker’s first true sports car since the SVX thankfully vanished in 1997, and now it is prepared to unveil the 2013 XV Crosstek, a compact crossover SUV, at the 2012 New York Auto Show starting April 4th.
Subaru is not shy in releasing some details about this long overdue SUV, as it has released images and basic specifications prior to its debut. The 2013 XV Crosstrek, which also falls in the crossover market, will bear styling similar to the 2013 Ford Escape, 2012 Honda CR-V, and the 2012 Hyundai Tucson – all of which will be direct competitors with the XV Crosstrek.
Hit the jump for more details on the Subaru XV Crosstrek.
The market for armored cars isn’t as prevalent as some of its contemporaries so it’s no secret that of the few automakers that provide this kind of high-security service, one of our favorites is Dartz.
These guys have a long history of building some of the most unique armored cars you’ll ever come across, and their latest offering strikes those same very chords. Limited only to the Chinese market, the Prombron Black Dragon is as imposing and intimidating as its name sounds.
Similar to what Rolls-Royce did when it built the Year of the Dragon Phantom, the Prombron Black Dragon is being built as an homage to the Chinese calendar. As you can expect from Dartz, these guys know how to bling their vehicles like nobody’s business and the Prombron Black Dragon, with all the scattered diamonds, rubies, and gold motifs, is yet another sparkling example of Dartz’s affinity for fancy customizations.
In addition to all the bling, the Prombron Black Dragon also features a 3+1 door configuration, an additional 23" in length to provide more legroom, satellite television, mobile WiFi, a 42" LCD monitor, and electrochromic glass just in case you’re going to need some privacy.
According to Dartz, only 12 models of the Prombron Black Dragon are expected to be built with one model expected to fetch a ridiculous price tag of $7 million.
Hey, if you wanna roll around town in a diamond-studded, armored SUV, you better have that kind of moolah to pony up.
There are no shortages of concept cars and special edition models that are scheduled to be introduced at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show.
One particular model that’s been penciled in to make its debut at Geneva is the Jeep Wrangler Mountain Edition, a special edition 4WD all-utility ride that boasts of a paint finish called "Geecko" and carries a massive V6 under its hood.
Built as a special edition model that definitely caters to a specific kind of market, the Wrangler Mountain Edition features other unique styling cues, including a black decal on the hood, a Mineral Gray front grille, and a choice of other paint finishes. Heck, if "Geecko" doesn’t suit your style, you can opt for more conservative hues like Back, Bright White, Dozer - we actually don’t know what Dozer is - and Black Forrest Green. The Wrangler Mountain Edition also sits on a new set of 17" high-gloss Mineral Gray wheels while also having fabric seats on the interior with Slate Grey stitching and an embroidered ’Mountain logo’.
Under its hood, the Wrangler Mountain Edition comes with a choice of different powertrains, highlighted by a 3.6-liter V6 Pentastar engine that produces 284 horsepower and 256 lb/ft of torque mated to a five-speed automatic transmission. For a more efficient option, the Wrangler Mountain Edition also gets a 2.8-liter turbo diesel engine that produces 200 horsepower and 340 lb/ft of torque mated to the same transmission system.
Here’s further proof that Jay Leno is testing the coolest cars currently on the market. The latest addition to his well-stocked Garage is a Jeep JK-8 Pickup Red Jacket Edition. As you may recall, Jeep announced the JK-8 Independence last year. It is built on a Wrangler platform and is the perfect car for off-road parties.
That being said, Jay Leno got the chance to test a special version of this car: the Jeep JK-8 Pickup Red Jacket Edition built for Louisiana’s Red Jacket Firearms. The car is painted in candy-apple-red and features over-sized brush guards and 17-inch bead-lock wheels. The JK-8 kit also includes a bed floor, inner/outer body panels, a half hard top (works with Freedom Top panels), and a new bulkhead. For those interested, the Mopar kit costs $5,499, but this is well worth all of the fun this vehicle can provide.
Jeep unveiled the Grand Cherokee SRT8 at the 2011 New York Auto Show and now driveSRT.com is offering us a pretty cool video presenting the production process of the most powerful Grand Cherokee out there. The video was shot at the Jefferson North Assembly Plant where the SRT is produced.
The video shows some very lucky guy who just bought a Grand Cherokee SRT8 and, as a reward, was invited to take a tour of the build and assembly process. Unfortunately, we can’t join him, but this video provides a good picture of how the SRT8 is built.
As a reminder, the SRT8 is powered by a 6.4-liter HEMI V-8 that delivers an estimated 465 HP and 465 lb.-ft. of torque. This is just enough to sprint it from 0 to 60 mph in 4.8 seconds and up to a top speed of 155 mph.
Okay, so the stigma surrounding Mel Gibson as of late isn’t exactly earning him any brownie points, but the popularity of the post-Apocalyptic, "western" type Mad Max films hasn’t gone away. In fact, a couple of Mad Max vehicles were recently spotted in the Port Kembla awaiting transport to Africa. Apparently, the big news is that Director George Miller is off to the races yet again, working on Mad Max 4: Road Fury (2014) and these cars were being shipped for filming. Sorry, Ford Mad Max Interceptor, looks like your invitation to the party hasn’t arrived yet.
Despite the heavy security attached to the Africa-bound Mad Max vehicles, it looks like the shipment consisted of an army of off-road buggies and a posse of menacing-looking trucks. Next to these more rugged vehicles was the juiced-up Ford Falcon XB GT coupe driven in the original movie.
The fact that the cars were shipped to Africa and not Australia is confirmation that the fourth movie will most likely feature a totally different story than the previous films.
No aftermarket company has redefined SUV tuning quite like A. Kahn Design. Known for their programs for the Range Rover and all different types of its offspring, A. Kahn Design has, on occasion, jumped out of their comfort zone to build a program that doesn’t have the words ’Range’ and ’Rover’ in its name.
Take for instance the new Jeep Wrangler. By all measure, the rugged American all-utility vehicle fits into the description of a go-anywhere, get-down-and-diggity rough rider. But if you’re Azfal Kahn, the Wrangler can be more than that. And that’s where A. Kahn Design comes in under the banner of ‘Chelsea Truck Company.’
On the outside, the Wrangler Military Edition received a new mesh front grill, gold-finished calipers, smoked side lights and repeaters, dial fascia clocks, LED driving lights, a new quad exhaust system, and a set of 20" Kahn RS wheels, among other things.
There are also other refinements that drive up the looks and security of the vehicle, particularly an optional bullet-proof glass on the blank rear window sections and the LED lights on the vehicle. If bullet-proof isn’t enough to make you feel safe, A. Kahn Design also has what they call "a superior type of glass," a more advanced version of their bullet-proof set-up that even the most high-profile of clients would be happy to have on their vehicles.
Inside, A. Kahn Design always brings the luxury up to bespoke levels, and the Wrangler Military Edition - despite it’s reputation - is no different. From the red quilted leather seats to the dial fascia clocks, A. Kahn Design spares no expense in dressing up the interior according to the preferences of the customer.
For the whole set, customers will have to pay £35,875, or around $56,000 based on current exchange rates.
The 2011 Paris Boat Show had a pair of unlikely attendees in the form of the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Nautic Black and White Concepts.
What these two Wranglers were doing at a boat show is a good question, and it can be answered by no less than French design firm Style & Design of Maurepas, France, who designed the two Wranglers to create the perfect all-utility, nautical machine.
The Wrangler Unlimited Nautic Black was designed to offer "all the comfort, design, and elegance of a sailing boat,” something that we clearly associate with one another. Or not. In any case, the Wrangler was given styling modifications on the exterior and interior, including a new "Navy Black" finish to go with a new chrome grille, taillight surrounds, bumpers, and a deck-style finish trim for the running boards, cargo cover, and cargo floor. Open up the cargo cover and you can take out pair of white canvas chairs and a matching canvas awning to set-up your own little comfort area.
On top of all that, the vehicle also has plenty of chrome details, including on the door handles, mirrors, fuel-filler ring, and the outer rim of the spare-tire cover. Finally, the Wrangler Nautic Black Concept sits on a new set of 20" wheels.
Meanwhile, the interior of the Wrangler Nautic Black Concept features black leather on the seating surfaces, steering wheel, manual shift boot, and passenger grab handle. The same deck finish on the exterior also makes an appearance on the steering wheel spokes, dash and door trim, center console, and floor mats.
The vehicle is powered by a 2.8-liter turbo-diesel engine mated to a six-speed manual transmission, producing an output of 200 horsepower and 302 lb/ft of torque.
Jeep has a reputation for being one of the best all-purpose, get-down-and-dirty vehicles on the market today. The same, on the other hand, cannot be said for the French.
So you can consider this an odd match-up between the two, but nevertheless, it was still in full display at the Paris Boat Show for all the world to see. We’re talking about a pair of Jeep Wranglers that have been specially built by design firm Style & Design of Maurepas, France. The pair of four-door Wrangler Unlimited models, called the "Nautic" concepts, each comes with its own set of customizations, particularly on the exterior and interior of the all-purpose machine.
On the outside, the Nautic White Concept received a new chrome grille, white taillight surrounds, white bumpers, and more teak-style “deck finish” trim for the running boards and cargo cover. Chrome was also used in abundance on the door handles, mirrors, fuel-filler ring, and the outer rim of the spare-tire cover, which incidentally, is covered in white leather, further accentuating the clean and elegant look of the all-utility Wrangler Unlimited. Smell the irony there?
The Nautic White Concept sits on a new set of 20" wheels while also boasting of a pair of white canvas chairs under a matching canvas awning. Inside, the Wrangler Nautic White was designed using inspiration from the world of sailing, offering plenty of the comfort and elegance associated with sailing boats. It’s been dressed with bright-white leather on the seating surfaces, steering wheel, manual shift boot, and passenger grab handle. It’s also been fitted with a faux wood trim on the steering wheel spokes, dash and door trim, center console, and floor mats.
The Wrangler Nautic White Concept is powered by a 2.8-liter turbo-diesel engine that’s mated to a six-speed manual transmission and produces 200 horsepower and 302 lb/ft of torque.
