A Jeep Might Be the Best Brand to Blast Through a Climate Disaster

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Usually, when a vehicle has been in a flood, it’s completely wrecked because the water in the intake causes too many mechanical problems. However, a few models might be able to handle the watery conditions, such as the Jeep Wrangler. Additionally, according to the New York Post, Stellantis has some ideas in the works to create submersible vehicles through the Jeep brand. What does that mean? Let’s take a look. 

What Jeep models can do today 

A Jeep Wrangler military model | Michal Fludra/NurPhoto via Getty Images

One reason why it’s not too far-fetched of an idea is that the current Jeep Wrangler Xtreme Recon can already travel through 33.6 inches of water, which is almost three feet in depth. Rival vehicles don’t even come close. The Ford Bronco can only handle a depth of 23.6 inches compared to Wrangler Xtreme Recon. 

Additionally, there are Jeep owners that have tackled driving their Jeeps in some pretty deep depths. This has been when using a gas-powered engine so that an electric vehicle could accomplish reliable performance in even deeper water and worse conditions.

How Jeep will combat climate disaster

We’ve seen news articles about flooding in various parts all over the world. Vehicles driving through flooded areas with a foot or two of water will often stall out and get swept up in the flood, damaging the vehicle, if not totaling it altogether. The costs associated with that can go pretty high, depending on the severity of the damage. 

Jeep is planning a revolutionary vehicle that can withstand floods and far worse climate-related conditions. In fact, the vehicle they’re planning is reportedly going to be able to travel underwater like a submarine. Stellantis’ CEO has even shared that its future Jeep models will drive underwater around 2030 if all goes well. 

To accomplish this, the Jeep would need to be fully electric because an underwater vehicle wouldn’t function with air intakes or exhausts. As long as all the equipment, especially the battery pack, is sealed in a waterproof container, the Jeep will have no issue driving underwater. Since the company plans to build all-electric models for each of its SUVs by 2025, it appears that Stellantis is well on its way to covering this crucial issue.

Is there a need for Jeeps to work in water?

It seems driving Jeeps in water won’t just be a recreational activity. According to NASA, scientific studies show a surge in coastal flooding is on its way and could hit states along the coastlines by the 2030s. Climate changes have affected sea levels worldwide, causing high tides to get higher in some areas. 

The main purpose of a Jeep is to go off-roading, which means it can travel over rocky terrain, through mud and waterholes, and access some of the most remote areas around. With its heavy structure and rugged suspension, you should have no problem getting around an area devastated by floodwaters. Additionally, a Jeep that can travel underwater isn’t likely to have any problems getting around when rising water levels start flooding cities along the coast. Furthermore, submersible Jeep models could essentially help save the lives of others that are trapped in floodwaters as well. 

Boats are usually the route most often taken when trying to get around a flooded area. However, if Jeep follows through with a model that can travel like a submarine, you might be driving around heavily flooded streets in the next decade or so. 

RELATED: The Jeep Wrangler and the Other Best Off-Road Vehicles You Can Buy Used

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The Jeep Gladiator Just Stole the Tacoma’s Bright Idea

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Nothing keeps our attention like battling pickup trucks, and one mids-sized model just made a shocking decision. We’re fans of both the Jeep Gladiator and the Toyota Tacoma, but the 2021 Jeep Gladiator just copied the Tacoma’s move. 

The 2021 Jeep Gladiator is going Gecko Green

2021 Jeep Gladiator in Gecko Green | Jeep

Jeep has always been about offering personalization and customization options. That’s why you can add some flair to your 2021 Jeep Gladiator with the new shade of vibrant Gecko Green. But this shade of bright green paint can only be ordered until early October. 

The Gecko Green color also reminds us about the Toyota Tacoma’s new shade of Electric Lime. The new paint color is reserved for the 2022 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro and will replace the shade of Classic Army Green. 

For the record, the Tacoma decided to go bright green first. Maybe this made the Jeep Gladiator ‘green with envy’. However, both of these trucks haven’t gone Hulk about the issue yet. The Jeep Gladiator features a slightly darker shade of bright green, making it easy to set apart from the Tacoma. 

You can add Gecko Green paint to your Jeep Gladiator for $245. Nacho and Cheif Blue serve as the other special-run colors for the year. Other Toyota Tacoma colors include Lunar Rock, Barcelona Red, Voodoo Blue, Super White, Midnight Black, and Silver Sky. 

What’s new for the Gladiator? 

2022 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro in Electric Lime
2022 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro in Electric Lime | Toyota

Aside from the new shade of Gecko Green, the 2021 Jeep Gladiator will have a special upgraded Corning Gorilla Glass windshield available. This is a $95 option that can be ordered straight from the factory. 

Jeep shared that the combination of ultra-thin Gorilla Glass inner ply with a 25 percent thicket outer ply makes this windshield ultra-durable and lightweight. It should be three times more resistant to chips and cracks from off-road debris that hard-core Gladiator owners are likely to encounter. 

Not much is changing for the 2022 Jeep Gladiator. It will carry over the same engine options and features. It’s still pretty new, so it doesn’t need a mid-cycle refresh or an interior update yet. But we could get a few surprises later in 2022. 

Rumors also suggest that the Jeep Gladiator 4xe will make its debut soon. If it gains the same hybrid powertrain from the Wrangler 4xe, then it will have 375 hp, 470 lb-ft of torque, and 25 miles of all-electric range. 

What’s new for the 2022 Toyota Tacoma? 

If the 2021 Jeep Gladiator doesn’t get your motor running, then the 2022 Toyota Tacoma also serves as a tremendous off-roading option. The new Trail Edition includes a rear locking differential, custom grille with bronze lettering, bronze-colored 16-inch wheels, skid plates, and a factory-installed lift kit. 

The TRD Pro is getting a new suspension lift kit that adds 1.5-inches instead of only 1-inch. The rear is be lifted by .5 inches. New forged upper control arms will improve the suspension travel and rebound stroke. 

We wonder if more trucks will go green. This could become a trend. Are y’all for bright green trucks, or is it like a frog-colored plague? These vibrant green rides will be hard to miss on the road and in the wilderness either way. 

RELATED: Is the Jeep Gladiator EcoDiesel on the Chopping Block?

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Watch: CHP Cruiser Allegedly Flees Scene After Hit-and-Run

by Gabrielle DeSantis

An alleged hit-and-run by a California Highway Patrol cruiser is being investigated after the incident caught on camera was revealed. It happened in East Los Angeles during a Friday night cruise-in on Whittier Blvd. KTLA-TV in LA revealed the video and that the boy’s mother is seeking justice for her injured son. So far the CHP has not responded to queries about the alleged accident. 

Why was the CHP there?

People take photos and view classic cars. Cruising is back in a major way in Southern California. | Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times/Getty

Riding his bicycle on Whittier Blvd, 14-year-old Isaac Cota can be seen riding through car show traffic. A CHP cruiser slowly moves forward in an intersection. The Highway Patrol was on Whittier Blvd. to coordinate traffic backing up from the cruising. 

As Cota rides in front of the cruiser it moves forward hitting the boy. The bad part is that it appears to show the cruiser backing up and driving away instead of stopping to help the boy. According to his mother, he limped back home injured after the incident. 

Some tried to report what happened to other CHP

Whittier Blvd.
Whittier Blvd Merchants Association inaugurates the Latino Walk of Fame, with the first plaque on Whittier Blvd. | Getty

This happened on June 27, 2021. Community activists and the boy’s mother claimed the officer didn’t stop to help the boy. They also say several people tried to report the incident to other officers patrolling the area, but not one officer would take a report. 

Luckily, it was caught by spectators on the cruise. Unfortunately, relations between the police and cruisers on Whittier Blvd have been contentious for decades. Disclosure: I used to cruise Whittier and am quite familiar with those poor relations.

“He was distraught, he couldn’t even focus his eye vision on me,” his mother told KTLA. “It was horrible, you could tell that something was wrong and he couldn’t talk correctly, he was slurring his words,” she said. Now she says even a month after it happened he still has a concussion and a shoulder injury. 

Those interviewed are outraged

CHP cruiser
A California Highway Patrol car stands guard | Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Several people familiar with the incident were interviewed and as one would expect they were outraged. “It was absolutely disgusting to see the video of them just hitting him and taking off,” one witness said.  “And they didn’t even try to find out where his parents were or seek medical attention for him.” 

Community activists want the driving officer’s name revealed and terminated from the CHP. Without a response from the CHP, it is hard to determine what will happen next. Hopefully, it will do an internal investigation and we can hear from the driver. 

Admittedly, from the video, it is not entirely visible what happened. Maybe others have videos and will come forward to show a better view of the incident. 

RELATED: Last Ford Highway Patrol Crown Vic Gets Dumped

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2022 Ford Maverick: Ford Heading Toward a Build-to-Order Strategy for New Cars

by Gabrielle DeSantis

As the automotive industry struggles to keep up with demand due to the semiconductor chip shortage, is there a better solution for new cars? If you have seen the news lately or been to a car dealership, the options are sparse. With the 2022 Ford Maverick one of the more popular new cars slated for release next year, is this the right move?

Ford will change the way we buy the 2022 Ford Maverick

2022 Ford Maverick | Ford Motor Company

According to Reuters, Ford is taking a different approach to new car sales in 2022. Ford notes that the higher-priced cars and trucks have helped increase revenue throughout this tumultuous year. Ford Chief Executive Jim Farley told Reuters, “We are really committed to going to an order-based system and keeping inventories at 50 to 60 days’ supply.”

What exactly does this mean? Buyers can see a specific vehicle and a certain trim level at the local dealership but won’t be able to drive it off the lot the same day. Farley says the company is wasting money on incentives that don’t incentivize anyone. The build-to-order process is how most companies in Europe function, and it seems to work just fine.

This is also an easy way for buyers to get the car desired. If the buyer knows the color, trim level, accessories, and other optional add-ons, buyers can order the vehicle with these exact options. This is where the 2022 Ford Maverick comes into play.

How this will impact the 2022 Ford Maverick sales

The global pandemic changed how many Americas operated, including the car buying process. Instead of driving to and from dealerships, why not order a car online like clothing or groceries? Is the process of going to a dealership to haggle that important? Ford found that it is not that important.

In the case of the 2022 Ford Maverick, Ford plans to offer higher-end trims on dealership lots. The base model trims and hybrid trims will likely not see a dealership floor unless specifically ordered, The Drive reported.

That means if you were looking for the base model 2022 Ford Maverick for $19,995, you might have to order it. Ford anticipated most people would buy the 2.0L 250 hp Ford Maverick priced at $22,575. The automaker also expects the all-wheel drive option priced at $24,795 will be a big seller. Ford estimated that the sales of these options would account for 65% of production during the first run between those two trim options. That leaves around 35% of production for the cheaper hybrid model.

How the car buying process will chang post-pandemic

It makes sense that Ford doesn’t necessarily want to push the sub-$20,000 2022 Ford Maverick vehicle. It makes for a good story and headline, but $20,000 cars don’t do very much for overall revenue. This also makes the strain on production less intense. Ford will be able to make the vehicles that people want to purchase or already have bought instead of leaving unwanted cars on the lot.

The new Ford Express Buy service allows buyers to build the car exactly as the buyer wants and price it out. Ford Credit can then approve the buyer’s credit, and the vehicle can be ordered from the comfort of home. Ford also offers Ford Blue Advantage for selling used cars online and Ford Digital Store for new car buying.

The new 2022 Ford Maverick will still be a popular vehicle, even if the base model isn’t on lots. In fact, it is a pretty clever way to get people into a more expensive truck once buyers see it in person. Good play, Ford.

RELATED: The 2022 Ford Maverick Won’t Go Over $37k With Every Added Spec

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