However, when you drop on the 18-inch aluminum wheels, you know this bad boy’s meant for show. The Jeep design team decided to dump the entire Mopar catalogue of accessories on the Wrangler Ultimate’s exterior, which gets some fancy sparkle and shine from ts chrome fuel filler door, taillamp guards, tubular side steps, exterior mirrors, tow hooks, door handles, hood hinges, and overlays for the front fascia. The Liquid Charcoal Pearl Coat exterior paint color is not available from the factory, either.

The Wrangler Ultimate’s interior also gets the show car treatment with seats upholstered in a mesh fabric and trimmed in dark slate gary Nappa/Province leather bound with a heavy black leather baseball stitch. There are additional orange trim pieces on the steering wheel, shift knob and passenger handlebar, while the floor shifter appears to have a wooden trim piece, as well.

For the days when you are not driving off road there is a MyGIG hard drive-based multimedia system with LCD screens for each rear passenger seat. To help the Wrangler get over those rocks, a 392 cu.in Hemi crate motor has also been installed under the hood giving it that extra boost of power that makes this Jeep go.

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This new concept was bestowed with the name of Gladiator as a remembrance on the Jeep pick-ups in the 1960’s and the military looking Jeep trucks of the 1950’s. But don’t think that this vehicle is all bark and no bite. Beneath that big monster hood lies a 2.8 liter diesel, which means that the Jeep will sound as macho as it looks.

Besides a powerful engine, the vehicle is also equipped with four-wheel drive and solid front and rear axles. The rear axle is not located by leaf springs useing coil-over dampers. The cab has the usual rear-hinged access door on the passenger side, but driver’s side access to the rear seat is via a small “dog door” roughly two feet square, not leaving much room for full sized people.

The cab rear window powers down, the rear-seat squab tucks down to the floor, and the rear bulkhead then slides forward, like a drawer, to increase the cargo bed to a full eight feet in length.

Regardless of whether or not that trick could be engineered for production, this good-looking pickup would be a great, and fitting, addition to the Jeep line, which we can hope to see in 2008.

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Oddly enough, the newest model in the line has been crafted to look like it’s the oldest. With its sharp-edged lines, an upright windshield, bold front grille and overall boxiness, the Commander was designed to pay homage to classic Jeeps. In truth, it looks a lot like the long-running Cherokee, which was only recently supplanted by the current Liberty. The Commander has a stepped roofline, which increases headroom.

Four adults can ride in comfort, five in a pinch, with easy ingress and egress. Only smaller children will want to ride (or be able to climb easily back into) the Commander’s third-row seat. Inside, the Commander sports a two-tone instrument panel that features large, round gauges and unique steering-wheel and shifter-knob designs. Both the second- and third-row seats can fold forward to form a flat surface. The top Limited model includes a conventional sunroof and twin skylights over the second row of seats, replete with sunshades.

The Commander is mechanically similar to the Grand Cherokee. The base model comes standard with a tepid 210-horsepower, 3.7-liter V6. A larger 4.8-liter V8 that generates a passable 235 hp is optional on the base model and standard on the Limited version. A potent 5.7-liter Hemi V8 with 330 hp is optional only on four-wheel-drive Limited models. It has “displacement on demand,” which deactivates half of the cylinders in less demanding driving situations to help boost fuel economy.

Even with this feature, the Hemi V8 gets a disappointing 13 miles per gallon in city driving and 18 mpg on the highway (estimated). Fuel consumption for the base V6 motor is estimated at 16 mpg city and 19 mpg highway. And for the mid-level 4.8-liter, the estimates are 14 mpg city and 19 mpg highway. All three engines are mated to five-speed automatic transmissions that include manual-shift capability. Base models tow up to 3,500 pounds. Commanders with the mid-level V8 can tow 6,500 lbs. and Hemi-equipped models can tow a whopping 7,200 lbs.

Like all Jeeps, the Commander is designed to handle serious off-road use, even though most owners will never, or rarely, use the vehicle in this way. It has nearly nine inches of ground clearance and front and rear overhangs designed to allow the Commander to climb and descend steep grades.

Notable options for the otherwise well-equipped Commander include rain-sensing wipers, SmartBeam adaptive headlamps, heated power seats, a tire pressure monitoring system, side-curtain airbags for all three rows, navigation system, wireless hands-free cell phone communication system and an audiophile Boston Acoustics stereo with Sirius Satellite Radio.

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The Compass should run the same 2.4-liter I-4 from the Patriot and Caliber, but we would expect some power massaging beyond the estimated 170 horsepower predicted for the optional sport package. The second-generation continuously variable transmission is also found in the concept Compass, as will be we’re guessing a six-speed manual transmission.

This is a completely new segment for Jeep and will be an important test as to whether buyers are interested in a Jeep vehicle that doesn’t have some type of trail-rated capabilities. We’re told to look for the sporty car-based rally star to compete with Toyota’s Scions, the Pontiac Vibe, and Mazda 3, with a considerable price advantage.

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The extra-cost Selec-Trac 4WD can be left engaged on dry pavement; it’s available only with automatic transmission. Both 4WD systems have low-range gearing. Antilock 4-wheel disc brakes and traction/antiskid control with rollover sensors are standard. Curtain side airbags with rollover deployment are optional. Other available features include navigation system, sunroof, leather upholstery, heated front seats, and wireless cell phone link.

The 2008 Liberty receives what sources portray as a major makeover. It’s said to include improvements developed for the related Dodge Nitro, though we think Liberty will stay close to its present size and price points. Look for the current 3.7 V6 to be replaced by the newer 3.8-liter unit from Jeep’s redesigned Wrangler. Specifics should be available soon, so keep checking back with us.

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Compared with the Compass, the Patriot that debuted in New York is more in keeping with Jeep tradition; its exterior styling is strongly reminiscent of the popular Jeep Cherokee that went out of production in 2001. Jeep claims the Patriot is as off-road ready as its other, larger SUVs and that the Patriot is the most off-road-capable SUV in the compact segment (this presumably excludes the Wrangler).

Although front-wheel drive is standard, the Patriot offers two optional four-wheel-drive systems. Buyers who opt for the more-expensive Off-Road package get an extra inch of ground clearance, larger wheels and tires, a low range, skid plates, hill-descent control, and a full-size spare. A five-speed manual is standard on front-wheel-drive models; four-wheel-drive models get a CVT. The Patriot will slot into the lineup below the Liberty, and that means its sticker should start in the mid-to-high teens.

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Once on the sidewalk, the new Jeep drove across the street, up the stairs and scaled a mountain that had been constructed to showcase the traditional Jeep capabilities of the brand new Wrangler.  The 2007 Jeep Wrangler then continues in the direction of the original Jeep, the 1941 Willys MB, by offering more off-road capability and carries on the 4-wheel-drive leadership of the Jeep brand.

The new Wrangler offers increased ground clearance, larger wheels and tires, enhanced Dana front and rear solid axles, available next-generation Command-Trac and Rock-Trac transfer cases, new electric axle lockers, and an electro-disconnecting front sway bar.
The 2007 Wrangler also delivers more on-road refinement with an all-new frame that is 100 percent stiffer, a 2-inch-longer wheelbase, a 3.5-inch-wider track, lower spring rates, advanced shock tuning, and increased jounce and rebound travel.

The increased dimensions add up to more interior space, including 4.6 inches more hip room and 5.1 inches more shoulder room. The Wrangler offers more open-air options than before with a new three-piece modular hardtop, a Sunrider soft-top, and dozens of different door, top and windshield combinations.  The 2007 Wrangler receives more power with a new 3.8-liter V6 engine that delivers 205 horsepower and 240 lb-ft of torque. New four-wheel ABS is standard on all new Wranglers.

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The only engine available in the 2007 Compass is a 172-hp 4-cyl. It teams with a 5-speed manual transmission or a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) with near-infinite drive ratios. The AWD system lacks low-range gearing but has a dashboard switch to lock in a 50/50 front/rear torque split to improve slippery-surface traction.

Standard are ABS, curtain side airbags, and an antiskid system with rollover sensors. Front-drive versions get traction control. Available features include front side airbags, heated seats, and leather upholstery. A fold-flat front passenger seatback is optional, as are reclining split rear seatbacks.

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DaimlerChrysler will be performing a campaign on the vehicles to address an issue with the vehicle’s heated seats, which can malfunction and lead to a fire. The problem is said to be related to the company’s use of a “thin film” carbon resistive element, which replaced the traditional wirewound heating elements.

Approximately 111,000 vehicles are said to be affected, and there have been 32 instances of fire reports so far, with “a few” injuries.  DaimlerChrysler doesn’t know of any crashes related the the failing heated seats.

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