The Jeeps Of 2007
A long, long time go, God created the world….and it
revolved. Then, in 1940, Karl Probst created the Jeep…and it
rocked!!!
In 1939 the US Military was looking for a new multi purpose vehicle to
replace the motorcycle and the other vehicles they used. They invited 135
automobile companies to bid for a contract to build such a vehicle. The
specs given were a payload capacity of 600 lbs, a wheelbase of less than 75
inches, a fold down windshield, total vehicle weight of below 1200 lbs, and,
most importantly, it had to be a four wheel drive.
3 companies entered their bids, Bantam, Willy Overland and Ford. Bantam
enlisted the help of Karl Probst and, as stated, in 1940, produced a working
prototype, the “Old Number One”, named the Bantam Blitzbuggy. The other two
companies soon followed with their own prototypes, the Willys Quad and the
Ford Pygmy. Willys was the one to win the contract, however Ford was also
given a contract to help meet the high demands of the military for WWII.
Willys later renamed their jeeps the MA and MB, while Ford called theirs the
GP and GPW.
Some say the name “Jeep” evolved from the Ford GP. Another theory is that
the name came from Popeye’s magical sidekick named Jeep, who could do almost
anything. Whatever the origin of the name, it stayed, and gained enormous
popularity over the years.
In 1942 Ford even built a limited number of amphibious Jeeps, called the
Seep. This little vehicle was basically an MB with a boat tub on the bottom
and a PTO propeller. They were not the most seaworthy things but one highly
modified Seep called Half Safe did manage to cross the Atlantic in 1950, and
then went on to circumnavigate the world.
Jeeps started with the CJ series in 1945. These early Jeeps were
commonly referred to as the “flatfenders” because their front fenders were
flat across the front, even with the grill. The round fenders were
introduced with the CJ5 in 1954. The series went on till CJ7, one of the
most popular, which started its 10 year run in 1976. In 1987 the CJ7 was
replaced by the YJ, more commonly known as the Wrangler. Though it saw
plenty of upgrades and redesigns over the year, the Wrangler stayed to
become the most widely popular model of all Jeeps, and retains its position
till date.
2007 Wrangler
The 2007 Jeep Wrangler broke cover at the North American International Auto
Show. It continues in the direction of the original Jeep, the Willys MB, by
offering more off-road ability and enhances the 4 wheel drive leadership of
the brand.
The new Wrangler offers more on-road refinement with an all new frame, a 2
inch wider wheelbase, lower spring rates, advanced shock tuning, a 3.5 inch
wider track and increased jounce travel. It also offers increased ground
clearance, enhanced Dana front and rear solid axles, larger wheels and
tires, optional Comand Trac and Rock Trac transfer cases, and electro
disconnecting front sway bar and new electric axle lockers.
The 2007 Wrangler is powered by a new 3.8 liter V6 engine, with 205
horsepower and 240 lb-ft of torque. New four-wheel ABS is standard on all
the 2007 releases. The increased dimensions mentioned above provide more
interior room with 4.6 inches more hip space, and 5.1 inches more shoulder
room. Also, the new Wrangler now offers more open air options than earlier
with a new three piece modular hard top, a Sunrider soft top and dozens of
different door, top and windshield combos.
2007 Patriot
Another 2007 release of Jeep is the Patriot, a midsize SUV. Unlike every
other Jeep before it, the Patriot is not a hardcore off-road machine. Base
Patriots are front wheel drive, have no low range gearing and are built for
the street. Freedom Drive I, the all wheel drive, is optional, and works
like most compact SUVs by engaging the rear wheels when the front tires
slip. Powered by a 2.4 liter four cylinder engine, the Patriot has 172
horsepower and 165 pound feet of torque. You can opt for the standard five
speed manual transmission or the Continuously Variable Transmission, CVT,
which claims to get 6-8% better mileage than a traditional four speed
automatic.
Of course, a Jeep is not complete without off-road capabilities. To match up
to this prerequisite, the Patriot is also offered with the Freedom Drive II
Off Road Package, for buyers who intend to do some serious off-roading.
It includes the standard all wheel drive with a continuously variable
transaxle that gives the Patriot on-demand low range gearing. The package
also includes Hill Descent Control, 17 inch wheels and tires, skid plates,
tow hooks and off-road antilock brakes. Patriots with the off road package
also sit 1 inch higher than the standard model. The interior of the Patriot
is loaded with practical gear. It has standard size airbags, a 60/40 split
rear bench seat that folds flat and a vinyl floor in the cargo area.
Overall, we can confidently say that the 2007 models of the Jeep, both the
Wrangler and the Patriot are worth looking forward to. Jeep has lived up to
its commitment of providing hardy vehicles, with innovations to add to its
comfort. |
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