JK-8 Conversion Kit: Jeep Steps Back into the Pickup Industry.

Jeep has been repeatedly asked by enthusiasts when there would be a pick-up model. At this year’s Moab Jeep Safari, loyal Jeep buyers got their wish, the JK-8 conversion kit.


Mopar, Chrysler’s in-house parts unit, has begun selling the kit that will change a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited into a pickup truck. With an estimated time of 12 to 16 hours of body shop work, the permanent change is getting Jeep enthusiasts excited.

For a price of $5,499 you get the kit that includes steel body panels, a 44 by 50 in bed, a fiberglass hardtop, and sport bar extensions. It also comes with a 3-year/36,000 mile warranty. The kit is available for the long-wheelbase, four door Unlimited version of the Wrangler.

Inspired by the Jeep Scrambler pickup from the 1980s, a favorite among enthusiasts, and will be available at Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram Dealerships. The kit turns the Wrangler Unlimited four-door SUV into a two-door pickup that still has off-road capabilities. Buyers now have the option of owning a Jeep pickup-truck for the first time since the Comanche was discontinued in 1992.

The kit is among the latest and more involved customized packages that the automotive world is heading to. To gain profits, many makers are increasing their accessories business.

The Jeep Wrangler and Jeep Wrangler unlimited are some of the most accessorized vehicles. On average, a new owner spends more than five-hundred dollars on Mopar accessories. With the introduction of the JK-8 kit it adds even more of an opportunity to customize their Wrangler. Living true to their motto, “It’s a Jeep Thing”.

2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee Awarded "Best Buy" Title

In 2011, the all new Jeep Grand Cherokee has been awarded Consumers Digest's "Best Buy" title. By providing SUV lovers with the perfect combination of flawless on-road performance, legendary four-wheel drive, and vastly improved fuel efficiency, drivers can experience what everyone is raving about!

What separates this year’s Grand Cherokee is the combination of the all-new Quadra-Lift air suspension system and the new Selec-Terrain system. The Quadra-Lift suspension system delivers unprecedented off-road capabilities. The Selec-Terrain system allows the driver to choose the drive system that best matches their driving conditions.



Every surface of the all-new Jeep Grand Cherokee is new and treated for aerodynamics. This improves fuel efficiency and puts more fluidity into the design while delivering an 8.5 percent improvement in drag compared with the previous model. The front includes Jeep’s classic seven-slot grille, round headlamps and trapezoidal wheel arches. The removable lower front fascia delivers improved fuel economy, on-road performance and off-road capability. From the side, Jeep Grand Cherokee features an athletic, muscular profile.

The new 2011 Grand Cherokee combines premium SUV on-road performance and legendary Jeep ruggedness to produce a top of the line crafted vehicle that can allow a driver to push toward greater heights.

Jeep Crosses the 1 Million Mark on Facebook

Jeep accomplished a feat no other domestic brand has been able to achieve; they have successfully gained over 1 million fans on Facebook. This is a major social media milestone; their fans exceed those of other domestic brands by more than 450,000.

They are one of the few automakers worldwide that has exceeded the 1 million mark. In 2010 the Jeep brand experienced triple digit growth in its fan base on Facebook, and stated that “The brand continues to foster a vibrant and innovative social community for its passionate fans and owners.”

Jeeps 1 million fans proves that it is clearly one of the most well-known and loved brands throughout the world. This year they celebrate their 70th anniversary and their strong fan base shows why they have been successful for so long.

The Jeep brand uses other social media as well, including Twitter, You Tube and foursquare web sites. Jeep was the first automotive brand to have an official profile on foursquare.com. The Jeep You Tube channel is on the list of top 10 sponsored channels with over 4.3 million views.

Jeep is clearly onto something with its social media use. They are setting the precedents for both domestic and foreign automakers.

2011 Car of the Year

The North American Car of the Year award is one of the most coveted awards in the auto industry. This year’s winners will be announced at the 2011 North American International Auto Show in Detroit on January 11, 2011.

The three finalists in the car category are, not surprisingly, the Chevrolet Volt extended-range hybrid, the all-electric Nissan Leaf and the Hyundai Sonata as a conventional or hybrid sedan. In the truck segment the Ford Explorer, Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango are the three finalists. The cars were chosen from a sample of 27 and the trucks from 14.

The cars were judged by a panel of 49 automotive journalists from the United States and Canada. The cars were judged on innovation, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction and value. The winners of 2010 were the Ford Transit Connect in the truck category and the Ford Fusion Hybrid for the car segment.

Popular Cars by Region

What determines which type of car you drive? Most people would say style, individual needs, and budget are the three main factors that influence their purchase decision when buying a new car. However, where you live is apparently a major factor too.

This makes sense, when you consider that people who live in different areas of the country generally live different lifestyles, and therefore have different wants and needs. A recent study has confirmed this, by naming the top five best selling cars in each of the four major regions of the United States (Northeast, Midwest, South, and Western regions).

So, what are people driving in your part of the country? Do you fit the list, or do you break the mold?

Northeast Region
1. Nissan Rogue
2. Mercedes E-Class Sedan
3. Honda CR-V
4. Chevrolet Malibu
5. Jeep Grand Cherokee

Midwest/Central Region
1. Chevrolet Silverado 1500
2. Ford F-150
3. Cadillac SRX
4. Toyota Camry
5. Chevrolet Impala

Southern Region
1. Chevrolet Camaro
2. Ford F-150
3. Toyota Tundra
4. Lexus ES350
5. Dodge Ram 1500

Western Region
1. Toyota Prius
2. Lexus IS Sedan
3. Honda Fit
4. Audi A4/S4
5. BMW 3 Series Sedan