Facing serious trouble in its home U.S. market, Chrysler is looking overseas for its salvation. Hoping to find an outlet for its Jeep Wrangler SUV in India or elsewhere in Asia, Chrysler is talking with a range of companies, including Tata Motors and Fiat.

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The production version of the Jeep J8 (pictured) was revealed at Euro Jeep Camp 2008, a customer event in Northern Germany this week. The J8 marks the Jeep brand’s return to commercial and military vehicle production with a thoroughly modern vehicle designed to meet the needs of both non-government organizations and government agencies.

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While out in the Mojave testing the new Subaru STI, our buddy Rich Truesdell not only came upon a fleet of 2009 Acura TLs, but caravan of Mopars. There were "several Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8s, a Dodge Challenger, with a camouflaged Jeep Grand Cherokee towing a trailer in tandem with a Mercedes ML towing a similar trailer." The ML was a tipoff that this could be a Grand Cherokee with the Mercedes-shared turbodiesel engine. But when the vehicles passed by, they knew they were listening to a Hemi under that hood. So maybe it is just an upgraded Hemi that was being load-tested against a similarly powerful ML550.

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Times are tough in Detroit these days as each of the Big 3 saw drastic drops in sales for the month of May. It's not surprising, then, to see that Chrysler, Dodge and Ford have increased incentives in an effort to get those cars off its dealer's lots. For instance, prospective buyers for the Hemi-powered Chrysler 300C can now choose either $4,000 cash back or $2,000 plus Chrysler's $2.99 gas promotion, known as Let's Refuel America. Choosing Chrysler's full-size SUV, the Aspen, will net you $4,500 cash back or $1,000 in cash, plus the Let's Refuel deal.

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Chrysler's restructuring plan and new plan for product development named Project Genesis is facing some expected criticism from many dealers. However, others are praising the cost-cutting, model-trimming and dealer-consolidation program that's happening as a result. As Chrysler pressures its traditional dealer network to sell all three brands (Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge) under one roof – without any financial assistance to help those already struggling with slow sales – many dealers are having a difficult time with the expense of investing in larger facilities to meet the Project Genesis requirements.

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Jeep Australia has announced today that it will launch an updated 2008 model Wrangler with a host of additions to the standard vehicle line-up. The biggest update is the much anticipated CRD off-road group which can be optioned to any turbo diesel model.

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The Mercedes G-Class is like the tux and tails -- its remains in vogue no matter what's happening in the world around it. And like the tux, it looks pretty much like it did when it first arrived, and changes to it still don't come quickly.

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Now that the newly-designed Wrangler has gained an optional extra set of doors, those wanting a little extra passenger-carrying capability with their off-road ready rough-and-tumble ride have been able to get it in the Unlimited model.

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In an effort to increase sales of gas-guzzling sedans, SUVs and pickups, Chrysler announced today that it will offer a gas card to immediately lower their gas price to $2.99 a gallon.

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We been hearing for several weeks now that Mahindra & Mahindra would probably be displaying their new diesel hybrid powertrain at the SAE World Congress next week and now we have official confirmation. Mahindra won't actually have a booth at the conference but will be on hand at the FEV booth. FEV is an engineering company that helps automakers develop their powertrains. FEV and Mahindra today announced that the two companies are working together to accelerate the development of a hybrid system for the Appalachian pickup and Scorpio SUV. The two trucks will hit the U.S. market in 2009 with a conventional 2.2L turbodiesel power-plant. The press release from FEV indicates the diesel hybrid will launch in Asia first.

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For Americans who have never driven in Europe, it might be hard to imagine driving through six countries on a single tank of fuel. In the U.S. it would be hard to drive through six states on a single fillup. British hypermiling enthusiasts John and Helen Taylor set out to see just how far they go in a pair of Jeeps, in this case a Compass and Patriot. The official range of those too models is 473.5 miles. Unlike the U.S. versions, these European Jeeps are equipped with 2.0L diesel engines rated at 36mpg (Compass) and 35mpg (Patriot) combined.

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Jeep’s headline display at the Detroit Auto Show will be the Trailhawk concept, a SUV that’s supposed to be at home both on and off the road. The design is a mish-mash of previous Jeep concepts and other SUVs, but the Trailhawk does have a few redeeming qualities. Firstly, there’s the innovative roof system, which is made up of two glass panels directly above the driver and passenger. A third glass is located above the rear passengers, and all three are removable for open-air cruising. The concept rides on a 116-inch wheelbase and comes with massive 22” wheels. Power comes courtesy of a 3.0L BLUETEC diesel engine from Mercedes that develops 215hp and 376 ft-lbs. of torque.

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General Motors continues to add flex-fuel capability to their fleet in a bid to reach their publicly-stated goal of selling at least half of their vehicles with biofuel capability by 2012. The latest member of the team to be able to run on any mix of gasoline or E85 is the Chevy HHR. The HHR will have E85 capability on both the 2.2L and 2.4L EcoTec four cylinder engines. This is the first four cylinder flex-fuel engine that GM has offered in the U.S. market. The 2.4L engine was already equipped with variable valve timing and for 2009, the that feature gets added to the smaller engine as well.

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The redesigned Escape compact SUV is one of the few bright spots in financially troubled Ford's (F) lineup. While most other Ford models got clobbered last year, the Escape's sales rose 5.2%, to 165,596. The Escape is selling well, I suspect, because it was redesigned for 2008 and many buyers like its buff new appearance, improved interior, and lower price. I like the Escape, too, and would consider buying one—though probably not the '08. Don't get me wrong. The '08 Escape is an attractive and inexpensive choice for shoppers who are trading down to a smaller vehicle and prefer a compact SUV over a more car-like crossover vehicle. It comes in three trim levels: The XLS, XLT, and the Limited. There's also a hybrid-powered version.

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Daihatsus given warranty boost
They're known for their attractive new prices, but Daihatsu models could now be even more desirable on the used market – because the company is offering its Terios SUV and Sirion supermini with a five-year warranty.
The unlimited mileage package will mean added peace of mind for customers buying from second-hand forecourts – even on three-year-old high-milers. Daihatsu has made the move to compete with rival brands such as Hyundai.

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