
2004 Ford auto show logo
2004 New York Auto Show
Index (4/5/04)
Jeep highlights new Grand Cherokee and
Liberty
spinoffs
In what is the
largest exhibit ever created for an Auto Show by Jeep, the division showcased a
series of new vehicles at the Greater 
Jeep Grand Cherokee
New York International Auto
Show at what it calls " Camp
New
York ." The most notable introduction brought the third
generation of the Grand Cherokee, featuring a more refined look, more capable
on-road and off-road handling, and the first Jeep to feature a Hemi-powered
engine. The 5.7-liter Hemi version puts out 325 horsepower and 370 pound feet of
torque. The Hemi package will debut Chrysler’s new "multi-displacement system,"
a technology that shuts down four cylinders when power demands are light. The
system is expected to reduce fuel consumption up to 20 percent, and should
resonate with consumers at a time when gasoline prices are roaring towards
record levels. Meanwhile, a more fuel-stingy 4.7-liter V-8 also will be
available, along with a base 3.7-liter V-6, with 210 horsepower and 235 pound

2005 Jeep Liberty Renegade
feet of torque. All three engine variations are mated
to a five-speed transmission. A Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo trim level has also
been added.
The expansive
—
and expensive —
exhibit at New York’s
Jacob
Javits
Center was justified, according
to Jeep officials because the Northeast is the brand's top market —
comprising 19 percent of total sales. The off-road recreation provided a
backdrop for the new, 2005 Liberty Renegade, featuring a more
rugged design and flatter hood. It rides on 16-inch all-terrain tires. Also
unveiled was the 2005 Liberty Diesel, the first-ever mid-size SUV with
a diesel engine for sale in the United States. The 2.8-liter diesel has 160 horsepower
and 295 pound feet of torque, and will have 25-percent better fuel economy than
the gasoline Liberty. (Al
Vinikour)
Jeep lowers the bar
Right now, all Jeep models need be
“Rubicon ready,” a demanding standard that effectively requires every product
the Chrysler division offers to be capable of handling the torturous trail in
California’s High Sierra. That’s made Jeep the SUV brand of choice for serious
off-roaders, but it’s also limited the automaker’s appeal to less demanding
customers, since it adds cost and limits such features as seating capacity —
there will be no three-row version of the new
Grand Cherokee, for example. Now, with plenty of potential buyers shopping
elsewhere, Jeep may be ready to lower the bar, at least on some models,
according to Joachim Eberhardt, DaimlerChrysler's global sales vice president.
"We used to mandate Rubicon capability, but we've added a new dimension," said
Eberhardt. Looking ahead, Jeep vehicles will be judged for their ability to
surpass the best competitors in a segment, such asToyota's
car-based RAV4 “soft-roader.” Said Chrysler’s marketing chief, "That will allow
us more flexibility.” It has long been expected Jeep might want to enter that
small, low-priced crossover segment, but Eberhardt suggested, "There's room to
go up and there's room to go down," he responded. (Martha Hindes)
Land Rover’s great
expectations

Land Rover LR3
Land
Rover
presented its LR3, the third generation of the Discovery. On that occasion,
Matthew Taylor, managing director of Land Rover, announced that with the new
ute, the US market
is expected to become the largest market for Land Rover. “By the end of 2005
Land Rover will have grown bigger in the
US market
than in the ‘home’ market, the United Kingdom. In
2003 the sales in the UK
amounted to 50,000 while those in the
USA were
35,000. “That is still a considerable difference, but with another new product,
we might achieve that.” Taylor
wouldn’t confirm what new product he meant, but TheCarConnection has learned
that Land Rover has plans to bring out a small version to replace its
Freelander, which will be renamed the LR2. It would arrive in two years and be
roughly the size of the Hyundai Tucson or Suzuki Vitara. A concept version could
appear at the upcoming Paris Motor Show. (Henny Hemmes)
Lots of room

Jaguar XJ8 LWB
Jaguar had a
double dose of news to reveal in New York . The first was the long-wheelbase version
of the XJ sedan that debuted last summer. As with the original, shorter model,
the XJ LWB is equipped with anormally-aspirated 390-hp, 4.2-liter V-8 with
six-speed ZF automatic as the standard version. The LWB is five inches longer and weighs only
53 pounds more than the shorter sedan. Jaguar now offers the longest wheelbase and
overall length in its class, providing a lot of head room and leg room on the
rear seats. The automaker also showed a prototype XJ, dubbed Concept Eight,
developed by Jaguar Cars’ Advanced Design. It adds in new luxury elements,

Jaguar Concept Eight
a new
in-car entertainment technology, and new performance styling details. There are no
laptops, plasma screens or satellite links, but handmade carpets, champagne,
Waterford
crystal, and essential oils to allow the passengers to enjoy the ride. Chief of
Advanced Design Julian Thomson said, “The Concept Eight exudes British good taste
and calmness with a very relaxed and contemporary feel.” The full-length tinted
glass is surrounded by a strip of LED interior lighting providing a red glow
visible from the roof, the center console, and under the front seats. The Jaguar
designers also used wood and leather, but the wood has a matt finish and the
leather on the lower instrument panel, doors, and console is nubuck that is
buffed on the grain side for a velvety surface. One of the most notable exterior
touches is the glossy “gills” on the front quarter panels. With Concept Eight,
Jaguar aims to show a modern attitude towards the glamour of an expensive limo.
(
Henny Hemmes)
Volvo targets, kids, women (and men), and art
aficionados

Volvo YCC in NY
The
other Ford division, Volvo, brought to
North America the YCC
concept first shown in
Geneva earlier
this year. During its European debut, Volvo noted that the car was developed by
ladies for ladies. But facing criticism that this was a rather sexist attitude,
Volvo tweaked its message and in
New
York , it suggested that the gull-winged prototype

Volvo Lego
was designed by ladies for ladies
—
and
gentlemen. Whatever the potential market, the YCC boasts such features as a
ding-resistant, full-body rubber bumper, door sills that roll out to keep
clothing from getting dirty while entering or exiting, and a sealed engine
compartment. The designers felt women, er, men and women, tend to forget to do
things like change their oil, so a warning signal sounds when it’s time to head
for the repair shop.
Alongside the YCC, Volvo
unveiled
a kid-friendly version of the XC90 that is one hundred–percent
recyclable, corrosion-friendly...and constructed of Lego modelling bricks. How many bricks were used to build a
full-size SUV? The correct answer will be announced at the vehicle dedication
ceremony at Legoland in California on May
1. On the other side of the YCC was a V50 in bright colors in neo-pop cubism
style, designed by the Mexican artist Romero Britto. The station wagon will be
auctioned later this year, with the proceeds benefiting Best Buddies. Best
Buddies is a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the lives of people
with intellectual disabilities by providing opportunities for one-to-one
friendships and integrated employment. The special edition fits into the Volvo
strategy that was started with the new S40: ‘for life’. (Henny
Hemmes)
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