2012 Jeep Wrangler Dragon Design Concept

Jeep®Wrangler “Dragon” Design Concept Debuts at 2012 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition
• Jeep Wrangler “Dragon”design concept blends two powerful icons
• Jeep brand portfolio on display reflects presence in three core SUV segments for China market

Today, the Jeep® brand introduced the Jeep Wrangler “Dragon” design concept at the 2012
Beijing International Automotive Exhibition. The concept integrates two icons together in one: the Wrangler, as the off-road icon of the Jeep brand, and the honored Chinese dragon. Belief holds that both possess incredible capabilities, making them a perfect combination.

According to the Chinese Zodiac, this is the Year of the Dragon, which is held with high regard in Chinese culture. The dragon symbolizes strength and power and is an aspirational character normally associated with royalty and good fortune. It was these characteristics that inspired the upscale design of the Jeep Wrangler Dragon concept.

“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 Mike Manley, Chief Operating Officer for Asiaand President and CEO – Jeep Brand, Chrysler Group LLC. “The Wrangler Dragon design concept is the first Jeep vehicle designed specifically with Chinese elements in mind and showcases the opportunity for special editions that might be available for China in the near future.”

Jeep Wrangler Dragon Design Concept
The Jeep Wrangler Dragon design concept is based on a China-market Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon painted black with a black body-color three-piece hard top. From there, the designers incorporated numerous bronze-gold details – a color associated with the dragon. These bronze-gold details can be found inside the front grille slats, headlamp surrounds and Jeep badging front and rear.

The unique 18-inch five-spoke alloy wheels are matte black with a bronze-gold high-gloss outer edge and feature 35-inch off-road tires. Other bronze-gold touches include a pad-printed engine cover, bolts for the fuel-filler door and the taillamp assembly, a Chinese dragon character side badge and wheel center caps.

The exterior also has black highlights such as painted fenders, a gloss-black applique on the front bumper, and a tone-on-tone dragon decal that starts on the hood and runs down the driver’s side of the vehicle. There is also a dragon motif on a unique carbon-fiber insulator mounted under the hood and on the gloss-black spare tire cover. Final exterior touches include a Mopar® fuel-filler door and a black-finish LED exterior lighting package that features aftermarket projector headlamps, fog lamps, turn lamps and taillamps.

Moving to the interior, the black and bronze-gold theme continues with black leather seating surfaces with bronze-gold accent piping and stitching. Magic Wand metallic leather is on the side bolsters and the sides of the head restraints, while a laser-etched dragon pattern is on the face of the head restraints. Dragon-scale patterned bronze-gold leather covers the outside edges of the seats and front center arm rest.

Other interior touches include high-gloss piano black instrument panel bezels, bronze-gold accent trim on the steering wheel spokes, instrument cluster, passenger-side dashboard grab handle and door handles,and gold accent stitching on the leather-wrapped door bolsters. Finishing the interior modifications are dragon tags on the front and rear floor mats.

Chinese dragons symbolize potent and auspicious powers, particularly control over water, rain and winds and their more severe weather phenomena. Dragons are symbols of the natural world, adaptability and transformation – divine creatures capable of doing anything.

While debuting as a design concept at the Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, the Jeep Wrangler Dragon could become a production model if demand is great enough.

Jeep Wrangler for 2012 in China
Jeep Wrangler – the most capable and recognized vehicle in the world – becomes even more capable both on- and off-road for 2012, courtesy of an all-new, more fuel-efficient and more powerful 3.6-liter V-6 engine, as well as a new automatic transmission – both of which it shares with the award-winning Jeep Grand Cherokee (In Europe, Jeep Wrangler is also powered by a 2.8-liter turbo diesel engine).
Chrysler Group’s 3.6-liter Pentastar® V-6 engine – winner of the prestigious Ward’s 10 Best Engines award in the U.S. – delivers 284 horsepower DIN (209 kW)and 347 N•m (256 lb.-ft.) of torque. The improvement, when compared to the previous 3.8-liter V-6 engine, is over 40 percent in horsepower and 10 percent in torque.

2012 Jeep Wrangler interior highlights include a recently redesigned instrument panel and storage areas with improved ergonomics and upgraded materials. A lockable console and upgraded door armrest areas boast comfortable touch points, while a redesigned center stack is easier to reach and operate. Heated power mirrors are available, and drivers and passengers enjoy enhanced visibility courtesy of larger rear windows.

2012 A Kahn Design Jeep Restoration Challenge

The Afzal Kahn JEEP restoration challenge

Just how did Afzal Kahn’s team of savvy designers persuade the principal British designer to take time out of his busy schedule to oversee the transformation of a vehicle with 75,000 miles on the clock?

As you can imagine, this was no mean feat. Afzal had no control over the type of vehicle which was delivered to him. The design team simply sourced the vehicle and asked him to get on with it.
And as expected, Afzal Kahn delivers this high-impact military edition Jeep with such clout; it is safe to say that this military grey metallic game-changer would not look out of place with London, Chelsea or New York centric drivers, rock climbers and off-roaders at the helm, nor would it look weary in a Daniel Craig inspired 007 movie.

Under the Kahn expedition vehicles umbrella, the ‘Chelsea truck company’s Wrangler Jeep Military edition includes a meshed front grill, gold finished calipers, quad exhaust system, rear wheel cover, smoked side lights and repeaters, petrol flat cap in billet mat black, mud flaps hardwearing, aluminum machined foot pedals, smoked side lights and repeaters, sat-navigation, reverse camera, blue tooth, dial facia clocks and LED driving lights and to finish it all off, the compulsory branded rear wheel cover.
Furthermore, a commitment to fostering cutting edge technology ensures, should customers wish, for the blank rear window sections and LED lights to be made available in bullet-proof glass. Furthermore, depending on the level of protection required, a superior type of glass, more advanced than the sort of glass which is used to protect world statesmen, is also available.

Inside is the ‘bespoke touch’, this particular vehicle comes with red quilted leather seats, dial facia clocks and more. However, we always provide our customers with what they want. And Afzal Kahn could, for example, design for you a vehicle with an exterior the colour of your jeans and an interior with seats akin to the shade of, let’s say, a grey t-shirt. Customers could also change the colour of the clock, or ask for anything else, the world is their oyster, so to speak.

Kahn wheels sit perfectly, on any vehicle, conveying the essence of the vehicle’s identity. Created using state-of-the art manufacturing and materials technology, the Kahn RS wheels are available in 9 x 20 in silver or black and fit all original centre caps.

With simple clean lines, soft organic surfaces on the edge of the spoke and a purposeful mechanical centre, the RS wheels are synonymous with elegance and innovation.

A. Kahn Design is for the individual who will not submit to a life of uniformity and who will only accept perfection. Dedicated to the creation of luxury bespoke vehicles, we redesign the ordered monotony of mass produced vehicles and rebuild them into individually tailored creations.

2012 Jeep Liberty - Review

The Jeep Liberty is boxy and rugged. And while we're becoming accustomed to seeing carlike vehicle masquerading in trail clothes, that's not at all the case here: The 2012 Jeep Liberty remains mostly truck. But for families who plan on spending most of the time on pavement—and with the trail-focused Renegade model dropped—the Liberty's appeal is limited because of its poor fuel economy and lack of comfort.

Looking tough and traditional—though a bit slab-sided from some angles—the Jeep Liberty appearance hasn't changed much over the years. A few years ago, Jeep amped up the macho-man appeal and added chunky details to look even more trail-tough. The Liberty's styling inside keeps to that role with a stark and simple look, although there are more hard plastics than in most crossovers this size.
The Liberty's powertrain can move the Liberty quickly enough, but we have no kind words for it. The 210-horsepower, 3.7-liter V-6 engine is torquey enough, but its rather low-revving, raspy, and not altogether smooth character just barely fits in with the Liberty's more rugged character. Because it's a low-revver, relatively speaking, it manages just fine with the somewhat rough-shifting four-speed automatic. But this powertrain's true downfall is gas mileage; at 15/21 mpg with 4WD, the Liberty is no more fuel-efficient than a full-size SUV.

Off-roading remained one of the best reasons for choosing the Liberty over a more easygoing crossover model, yet Jeep has, puzzlingly, dropped the trail-focused Renegade model for 2012. Two 4WD systems remain offered: Selec-Trac II is a full-time system that's also off-road capable but better oriented for snowy roads, while Command Trac is a part-time system intended for trail-running.

At first impression, the 2012 Jeep Liberty feels relatively well laid-out—as well as airy, given the tall greenhouse. Seats feel skimpy, though, and don't offer much support. But there's enough space in back, even for adults on a weekend trip, for instance. And the story is pretty good if you plan to haul cargo and gear: The cargo floor is low, too, and the seats fold neatly.
But there's still plenty to make the Liberty an unappealing choice in today's market, which is brimming with well-designed, family-friendly utility vehicles. The Liberty's on-the-road ride and refinement are probably the biggest turn-offs of this vehicle. There's a fair amount more interior road and wind noise than in more carlike compact crossover vehicles. And as a tall, narrow vehicle with a pitchy ride, the Liberty results in lots of 'head toss' on rough roads, or even choppy freeways, and blemished road surfaces seem to upset the composure of occupants just as much as they seem to upset the Liberty's grip.
Safety features are respectable in the 2012 Liberty, but the federal government hasn't tested it under the new ratings system, and the IIHS gave it a worrisome 'marginal' in side impact and 'acceptable' in rear impact. Base Sport, more luxurious Limited, and new Limited Jet trims are offered. Limited Jet models offer a spiced-up appearance, with big 20-inch aluminum wheels, chrome molding, and other black and bright trim throughout, plus a leather-wrapped steering wheel and alarm system. Limited models are dressed up with a a long list of equipment over the sport, including leather upholstery, heated front seats, steering-wheel audio controls, a Bluetooth hands-free interface, and a garage-door opener. There are plenty of cool options, such as a music hard drive system, a new Garmin nav system, rain-sensing wipers, and a Sky Slider sunroof, if you don't mind the higher price tag.

For 2012, Jeep has dropped prices on Liberty Jet models by $795, and it's added a Bluetooth hands-free interface (with voice command), a garage-door opener, overhead console, and rear park assist as standard equipment on all models.