#something something banking on ford being as unchangeable as he is

[an-urgent-appeal]

I don't want bill and ford to be happy together but I want them to both fantasise about it iykwim

[loud-yet-silen-blog]

100 Greatest Quotes Of All Time

Quotes are valuable. They are knowledge, and wisdom and insight. Greatest Quotes offer us the opportunity to learn through others. Sometimes hearing the words of a famous or successful person is enough to help us accept an idea and put it into action.

The article: Greatest Quotes Of All Time presents Famous Motivational, Beauty, Life, Love Quotes.

Whenever you feel Down and need a good dose of inspiration from great Legend’s minds, read these Greatest Quotes and feed your brain with inspiring quotes.

These Greatest Quotes about Love, Life, Education, Friendship and much more might motivate and improve your mind. These quotes which are written by Great Legends, Authors, Celebrities will be inspired you. Check Them Out!

“The secret to staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly, and lie about your age.” - Lucille Ball

"If you want to make your dreams come true, the first thing you have to do is wake up." - J.M.Power

"Success is a state of mind. If you want success, start thinking of yourself as a success." - Dr.Joyce Brothers

“No change of circumstances can repair a defect of character.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

“It is possible to store the mind with a million facts and still be entirely uneducated.” - Alec Bourne

“All happy families resemble one another. Each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” - Leo Tolstoy

“Love is friendship, set on fire.” - Jeremy Taylor

"An idea can turn to dust or magic, depending on the talent that rubs against it." - Bill Bernbach

“Don’t go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first.” - Mark Twain

“Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time, more intelligently.” - Henry Ford

“Everything we do affects other people.” - Luke Ford

“As a child of God, I am greater than anything that can happen to me.” - Abdul Kalam

“Music is the wine that fills the cup of silence.” - Robert Fripp

“Love is, above all else, the gift of oneself.” - Jean Anouilh

"Do first things first, and second things not at all." - Peter Drucker

“Education is when you read the fine print. Experience is what you get if you don’t.” - Pete Seeger

“Never burn bridges. Today’s junior jerk, tomorrow’s senior partner.” - Sigourney Weaver

“It is not beauty that endears; it’s love that makes us see beauty.” - Leo Tolstoy

“The secret to staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly, and lie about your age.” - Lucille Ball

“Always be nice to your children because they are the ones who will choose your rest home.” - Phyllis Diller

“As the family goes, so goes the nation and so goes the whole world in which we live.” - Pope John Paul II

"The only people who find what they are looking for in life are the fault finders." - Foster's Law

“Friendship may, and often does, grow into love, but love never subsides into friendship.” - Lord Byron

“Love is like a virus. It can happen to anybody at any time.” - Maya Angelou

"Defeat is not bitter unless you swallow it." - Joe Clark

“The only way not to think about money is to have a great deal of it.” - Edith Wharton

“If you don’t make mistakes, you’re not working on hard enough problems.” - Frank Wilczek

“Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.” - Benjamin Franklin

“It means, people who are in high and responsible positions, if they go against righteousness, righteousness itself will get transformed into a destroyer.” - Abdul Kalam

“A bank is a place where they lend you an umbrella in fair weather and ask for it back when it begins to rain.” - Robert Frost

"There is no education like adversity." – Disraeli

“Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies.” - Aristotle

“A happy family is but an earlier heaven.” - George Bernard Shaw

“Never underestimate a child’s ability to get into more trouble.” - Martin Mull

“He who rejects change is the architect of decay. The only human institution which rejects progress is the cemetery.” - Harold Wilson

“It is difficult, but not impossible, to conduct strictly honest business.” - Mahatma Gandhi

“Everything has its beauty, but not everyone sees it.” - Confucius

“No one is so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm.” - Henry David Thoreau

"Life is a shipwreck but we must not forget to sing in the lifeboats." – Voltaire

“Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.” - Mark Twain

“Education is like a double-edged sword. It may be turned to dangerous uses if it is not properly handled.” - Wu Ting-Fang

“Before God, we are all equally wise – and equally foolish.” - Albert Einstein

"Positive anything is better than negative thinking." - Elbert Hubbard

“It is not a lack of love, but a lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages.” - Friedrich Nietzsche

Get More Quotes:- Mahatma Gandhi Quotes

“Money won’t create success. The freedom to make it will.” - Nelson Mandela

“We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.” - Martin Luther King.

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act but a habit.” - Aristotle

"Those who wish to sing, always find a song." - Swedish Proverb

“Life is one grand, sweet song so start the music.” - Ronald Reagan

“Love is the irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired.” - Mark Twain

“The sole equality on earth is death.” - Philip James Bailey

“Don’t handicap your children by making their lives easy.” - Robert A. Heinlein

“Success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” - Winston Churchill

“That which doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.” - Friedrich Nietzche

“Never leave that till tomorrow which you can do today.” - Benjamin Franklin

“The only rock I know that stays steady, the only institution I know that works is the family.” - Lee Iacocca

“Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own.” - Robert Heinlein

"If you're going through hell, keep going." - Winston Churchill

“Love doesn’t make the world go round; love is what makes the ride worthwhile.” - Elizabeth Browning

“Democracy does not guarantee equality of conditions. It only guarantees equality of opportunity.” - Irving Kristol

“You know the only people who are always sure about the proper way to raise children  Those who’ve never had any.” - Bill Cosby

“Children are our most valuable resource.” - Herbert Hoover

"You must be the change you want to see in the world." - Mahatma Gandhi

"To avoid criticism do nothing, say nothing, be nothing." - Elbert Hubbard

“Life is not divided into semesters. You don’t get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you find yourself.” - Bill Gates

“Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change.” - Confucius

“The greatest discovery of all time is that a person can change his future by merely changing his attitude.” - Oprah Winfrey

“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” - George Bernard Shaw

“The only true wisdom is knowing that you know nothing.” - Socrates

“Happiness is having a large, loving, caring, close-knit family in another city.” - George Burns

“If you cannot get rid of the family skeleton, you may as well make it dance.” - George Bernard Shaw

"The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook." - William James

"Talent is formed in solitude, character in the bustle of the world." - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“Beauty is only skin deep, but ugly goes clean to the bone.” - Dorothy Parker

"Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do." - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“The only stable state is the one in which all men are equal before the law.” - Aristotle

“Change the changeable, accept the unchangeable, and remove yourself from the unacceptable.” - Denis Waitley

"Sooner or later, those who win are those who think they can." - Richard Bach

"Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better." - Samuel Beckett

"There are only two rules for being successful. One, figure out exactly what you want to do, and two, do it." - Mario Cuomo

“All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.” - George Orwell

“Nobody can give you freedom. Nobody can give you equality or justice or anything. If you’re a man, you take it.” - Malcolm X

“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” - Mahatma Gandhi

“The secret of business is to know something that nobody else knows.” - Aristotle Onassis

“By working faithfully eight hours a day you may eventually get to be a boss and work twelve hours a day.” - Robert Frost

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” - Margaret Hungerford

“Beauty, without expression, tires.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes but don't quit." - Conrad Hilton

"There are two primary choices in life: to accept conditions as they exist, or accept the responsibility for changing them." - Dr. Denis Waitley

"Setting an example is not the main means of influencing others; it is the only means." - Albert Einstein

"The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra." - Unknown

"Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do." - John Wooden

“Money isn’t the most important thing in life, but it’s reasonably close to oxygen on the ‘gotta have it’ scale.” - Zig Ziglar

“Music in the soul can be heard by the universe.” - Lao Tzu

“Eighty percent of success is showing up.” - Woody Allen

“Eighty percent of success is showing up.” - Woody Allen

“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” - Eleanor Roosevelt

“Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.” - Henry Ford

“I believe in equality for everyone, except reporters and photographers.” - Mahatma Gandhi

"Life is "trying things to see if they work" - Ray Bradbury

I hope you will enjoy all the Greatest Quotes to inspire yourself.

Read More:- 30 Second Video Status

[nyranfoyle-blog]

The Diary of Chloe R——-

Editor’s Note:

The following is a series of diary entries written in the Fall of 2017 by Chloe R——-. The last entry is dated one day before her death, which occurred on the occasion of her thirteenth birthday, November 27, 2017. All names and identifying information have been omitted or altered out of respect for the R——- family’s privacy. This document is for educational purposes only.

***

September the first,

If the definition of insanity were a sincere belief in the supernatural our world will be one monumental mad house. And it’s not like I’m ruling that out, but if we use the standards forwarded by the medical and cultural authorities of our time only a tiny minority would qualify as insane. Today the doctors came over. Usually we go to them, but these were special circumstances. They informed me in clear, unmistakable language that I am a certified member of the aforementioned minority. In my excitement I forgot to ask for a subscription to the newsletter.

More soon,

Chloe

September the fifth,

I did a little experiment. For seventy-two hours I acted as if the diagnosis our doctors gave me was the gospel truth. I exercised my (long neglected) capacity for faith. It occurred to me that if insanity could explain Harriet’s presence I should give it a chance. I had to second-guess my assumption that the answer I preferred was the objective truth. The experiment was and wasn’t useful. I became more sure of my sureness about my state of being. I am not insane.

September the ninth,

Harriet agrees with me about my sanity, of course. I know in the way I always know. No matter how much hell I raise she won’t open her mouth to speak. Maybe it was spite motivated her unchangeable resolution to communicate with me through the Tele Path, I don’t know. It was blue today, and it glowed especially bright. How thoughtful, Harriet. You’ve upended my life entire, but you want me to feel your sympathy. Meanwhile I was fantasizing about stabbing you in the face. Maybe I would have tried, but the last thing I need is more bad luck.

More soon,

Chloe

September the fifteenth,

Alex had his birthday party this afternoon. Somehow Mimi and Papa found out, and they were preposterously reverential to me all day to make me feel better. Mimi was delighted when her treacherous network of spies informed her that Alex cried and punched a hole in his baseball-themed birthday cake on account of my absence. Why would I care? Mimi and Papa’s assumption that because the big things are going wrong the little things are especially important makes no sense. Could it be that they’ve given up on their sickly orphan granddaughter? And now that they’ve forfeited the only fight that matters they are trying to gaslight me by focusing on matters entirely meaningless? Even for me that’s dark. No, the only acceptable explanation is they just don’t understand. I have no room for Alex in my mind right now. I need to keep my eye on the ball.

More soon,

Chloe

September the twenty-sixth,

We’ve been haggling for days on end. I hardly sleep. Somehow I’ve lost more weight. Where did it come from? Did I shed an internal organ? It doesn’t matter. Nothing matters. Negotiations are hopeless. Harriet and Chloe. Israelis and Palestinians. That is if the Israelis were constantly trying to convince the Palestinians they were star-crossed lovers, not mortal enemies, whilst continuing apace with their occupation of the West Bank (I wrote that for illustration purposes only, I have no idea what’s really happening in the Middle East, none of my affair, none of my concern). Some wise person once said “no one loves the man whom he fears.” As true as that is for men and men, it goes double for girls and monsters.

More soon,

Chloe

September the thirtieth,

Another doctor today. Young. Female. We acted out our little play in the mirror. I have it down to the letter, and she didn’t do so bad for a first performance. I described every wild hair and stinking pore on Harriet’s twisted body while the Lady Doctor pretended to take notes. She was probably doing a crossword puzzle. Smug bitch.

More soon,

Chloe

October the ninth,

Try this on for size: a delusion is a delusion when only one person can see it, while a God is a God when no one ever has. Joseph Smith claimed he walked with Jesus, and to this day the prevailing wisdom outside the confines of his cult is that he was either a quack, or more likely a con man. Faith is willful self-delusion. If it comes anywhere close to reality believers get nervous, not excited. It’s like getting a valentine from a cute boy. If you open it, no matter what it says, it’s just a scrap of paper. This is why so many mothers suicide themselves after having babies. Whatever form it takes, reality is a letdown. The powerful have to protect their faith, so when someone introduces them to reality they break out the straitjacket.

More soon,

Chloe

October the sixteenth,

Lady Doctor. Back again. She wanted to watch me negotiate with Harriet. Okay. She sat crosslegged on the floor and squinted in a patronizing attempt to see the Tele Path. It was blood red. Harriet can be as mad as she wants. She can hiss, spit, snarl. Her mood isn’t going to make any difference. Neither will Lady Doctor, but she pretends to be very interested.

More soon,

Chloe

October the twenty-first,

Strange day. Lady Doctor. She must have asked me a hundred questions as I listened to her muffled voice from the Tele Path. I had to remind myself not to respond in a shout. At first it was the standard headshrinker routine. Is Superman real? That one never leaves the rotation. I guess they think it’s funny. In any case, Lady Doctor started asking about Mom and Dad. They were personalized questions, but I had heard them all before. They’ve long since cracked the case. My parents die and I respond by developing a dangerous imaginary friend. When I tell them Harriet entered the fold long before the fire they develop spontaneous hearing damage. At a certain point Lady Doctor’s questions shifted. It was subtle. I’m sorry about your family. Do you ever dream about them? Yes. Good dreams or nightmares? Good. Do you get nightmares? Pretty soon that was all we were talking about. I described every dream and every nightmare I could remember. Lady Doctor was very fixated on the Gray Woman. A recurring player in my subconscious. Sometimes she’s a witch. Sometimes she’s my mother. Sometimes she’s a trash can, I don’t know. Oddly enough, I couldn’t think of a single dream without her. None of this was particularly interesting to me, but it was to Lady Doctor, and more importantly, it was to Harriet. She feigned impatience, but this was something else. She was lashing out. Stalking back and forth like she had to pee. Gnashing her teeth furiously and cutting herself where the top fangs hit her bottom jaw. At one point it almost looked as if she was going to speak. I have no idea why she had this reaction. All I know for sure is tomorrow I’ll wake up bleeding.

More soon,

Chloe

November the tenth,

It wasn’t difficult to find a book on lucid dreaming. There were so many. The real challenge was choosing between them all. In the end I went with one that reads like a textbook. “Lucid Dreams” by Dr. Anthony Ford, phd. Mimi hovered over me like a vulture at the booksore. Thank God she doesn’t know about Amazon. I would’ve had to wait days. As it happened I was able to read the entire book before going to bed that night. I’ve had weeks of practice since then. I’m not a pro yet, but I’m getting there. Soon I’ll be able to find the Gray Woman. She’s been conspicuously scarce recently. Isn’t that something?

More soon,

Chloe

November the eighteenth,

I got the bitch. Without a word of warning I wrapped my hands around her wrinkled throat. She tried laughing, then pleading, then cursing, then crying. Guess if it worked, go ahead. There were eyes shining all around us in the dark. It felt like forever. I was squeezing as hard as I could, but I’m only small, after all. First the Gray Woman went purple, then she went limp. I let go a few minutes later, after I heard a loud pop. Her face was familiar, but I had never seen her in the material world. She was too real to be an invention. Just like Harriet. How could my mind conjure up something so complex? I studied her face and hands for a long time. One by one the prying eyes were disappearing. Show’s over, guys. I went back the next night and most of the Gray Woman was right where I left her. Something had done a very thorough job relieving her of her innards. She smelled horrendous, so I lit a match and burned her to a crisp. It was a beautiful fire. I’m almost sure there was green in it. Harriet hasn’t opened the Tele Path since. I guess she thinks the silent treatment is some sort of punishment. Whenever I catch a glimpse of her in a window or a drinking glass she has her back to me.

More soon,

Chloe

November the twenty-sixth,

Tomorrow is going to make me puke. I don’t know what Mimi and Papa have planned. The doctors and the lawyers decided months ago. As long as there were no more incidents I could stay home until after my birthday. In hindsight I wish I’d just ask them to take me in September. Why expend so much energy covering up the scratches? For a party? It’s something about girls. They love big occasions. Every Disney film is about some grand ball. Girls put on shows, they obsess over holidays. Almost like they’re trying to make up for something. Whatever it is, I never had it. I don’t like attention. Or parties. It’s not that I dislike people. I think I dislike noise. I’m going to ask Mimi and Papa to cancel their plans for tomorrow. It’s my birthday, I can be dark and brooding if I want to. I think I’ll to to D——- B——- on my own and climb the rock. It’s so quiet there. All you hear is the wind. It’s the best place in the world to pretend I’m alone.

More soon,

Chloe

***

Editor’s note:

The next day, November 26, Chloe R——- went missing. Her body was discovered ten days later at a local nature preserve. There were dozens of lashes and festering wounds on the face and torso. The entire body was bruised and battered. The throat was hanging by a thin strip of tissue. Medical examiners estimate she was clawed and beaten for at least an hour before succumbing to blood loss. Multiple forensics experts were invited to review the case. By universal agreement, Chloe R——-‘s death was deemed a suicide.

This document is the intellectual property of the University of Pennsylvania Psychology Department. It may not be reprinted or otherwise distributed without the written consent of the department chair.

[jesusvasser]

First Drive: 2018 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon

MOUNT PROSPECT, South Island, New Zealand — We’re well above 5,000 feet, the sky a wash of cobalt blue and El Greco’s clouds as the helicopter banks hard toward a gray summit amid the endless range of snow-dappled peaks. Closing in, our pilot slows to a hover, gingerly easing down to a “landing site” that looks more like a minefield. The uneven ground is littered with jagged rocks, tufts of slippery grass, and bus-sized boulders—with sheer drop-offs on every side. “You’d never get up here without a whirlybird,” I think to myself as the skids finally touch down, “unless maybe you’re a mountain goat.”

It’s then that I notice four new 2018 Jeep Wrangler Rubicons parked on tall rocks nearby, a band of brothers in silhouette, their military-inspired profiles as unmistakable today as an original Jeep was back in World War II. Mountain goats, all right—just made in metal.

On the drive in New Zealand, St. Antoine enjoyed lots of “Jeep swimming.”

A decade ago in Zambia, Africa, I was among the first to drive the then-new JK-platform Wrangler. Being a former owner of the previous model, the much-loved TJ, the JK was something of a shock: taller, dramatically wider with a new V-6 replacing the time-tested PowerTech inline-six, and a huge new four-door Unlimited version joining the lineup. Compared to my trim, nimble two-door TJ, the Unlimited JK looked like a battleship. It seemed so … big. Unwieldy, even. Could this giant even squeeze through the narrow Death Valley trails I’d so easily traversed in my TJ?

I needn’t have worried. Despite some knocks from purists (who will always knock any change to the Wrangler), the JK proved a hit. Whereas the TJ sold roughly 80,000 units Stateside in 2006, by 2017 Jeep regularly sold about 200,000 JKs a year.

Now comes the Jeep I first glimpsed high up on that New Zealand mountaintop, the all-new, 2018 JL edition. As always, Jeep engineers and stylists unveiled their new baby with a mixture of pride and nerves. After all, the Jeep faithful are an unforgiving lot. To them, any modifications to the battle-tested Wrangler formula are as contemptuous as adding Alfred E. Neuman’s face to Mount Rushmore. (We’re looking at you, square-headlight 1987 YJ.) The cry is always, “Don’t eff it up by changin’ it!” And in the JL’s case, there are a lot of changes. But put those pitchforks down. I’m one of the Wrangler faithful myself, and after driving the new JL through some of New Zealand’s most spectacular wilds—the same mountainous, river-crossed landscapes that served as the backdrop for “The Lord of the Rings” movies and the forthcoming “Mission: Impossible 6”—I’m here to tell you: The JL is a sublime piece of work, an upgrade over the JK in almost every way.

Although Jeep had only top-range Rubicon models on hand for our New Zealand drives, the two-door JL will be available in Sport, Sport S, and Rubicon trims, and the new four-door Unlimited will be available in those three versions plus a new Sahara edition.

The JL has grown compared with its predecessor, but importantly, it doesn’t feel bigger. Wheelbase has increased 1.4 inches on the two-door and 2.4 inches on the four-door, and overall length has grown 2.5 and 3.5 inches, respectively. Overall height is up an inch, and width is essentially unchanged. The truly important stats, though, are these: Approach, breakover, and departure angles on the Rubicon are all significantly improved, and ground clearance is up almost an inch (the Rubicon now rides on standard 33-inch BF Goodrich KO2 all-terrain tires on 17-inch wheels). Water fording is doable up to 30 inches, and the JL can tow as much as 3,500 pounds (when properly configured).

Those are the numbers. Here’s the big picture: The new JL is the best-looking Wrangler in years. “Like you, I’m a big fan of the TJ and the old CJ,” says Mark Allen, head of Jeep Design and the owner of a comprehensively modified TJ. “See the JL’s keystone-shaped grille … and the way the outboard slats wrap around the headlights? That’s pure CJ. Also, while everybody else seems to be raising beltlines, I lowered the JL’s. So every piece of glass is larger. Better visibility.”

Allen then leads me around to the side and points to the roll cage. “The sport bars are now welded to the body and painted in body color,” he says. “Because of some big focus group? Nope. I just like the way it looks.” He also points out a new header bar between the A-pillars, which allows the windshield to fold down while keeping the rearview mirror in place. Wrangler chief engineer Brian Leyes then jumps in: “And the body doesn’t just look good. Overall aero is improved by 9 percent.”

The big roof panel in the new zipperless soft top is fitted to a folding frame that can be lowered with one hand or removed entirely.

The JL sheds more than 100 pounds over the JK, thanks to aluminum in the doors, hood—the Rubicon gets a vented “power hood”—fenders, and windshield frame plus a magnesium-cast rear swing gate. New, high-mounted trapezoidal fender flares allow the Rubicon to accept up to 35-inch tires with no modifications. Daytime running lights encircle the headlamps; Jeep calls it a halo effect. On the Rubicon, you can opt for LED headlights, square taillights, and foglamps. Turn signals are mounted atop the front of the fender flares. The doors now feature the proper Torx bit tool size stamped right into the hinges—making removing and reattaching them a no-brainer. A new half-door will be available sometime in 2019.

Up top, the available three-piece Freedom hard top has been improved with lighter panels and easier-to-use latches. A body-color hard top is optional on the Rubicon (and the Sahara). The optional convertible soft top is now zipper-free. Instead, the rear plastic windows simply slip out of channels they snap into, and then the big roof panel can be easily flipped back and down with a single hand. Brilliant. Finally, later in 2018 Jeep will offer an optional Sky One-Touch power top with a central canvas panel that retracts fully at the touch of a button. None of the Jeeps on hand had the Sky roof, but I predict it will be a hit.

The JL’s cabin is thoroughly updated to meet the demands of the “always connected” 21st century: Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, abundant USB ports, navigation, and SiriusXM with traffic. The fourth-gen Uconnect system even offers an optional 4G Wi-Fi hot spot so you can surf websites right from your camp table. The attractive space also includes a dash painted to match the seat stitching, available keyless entry and standard push-button start, and the ability to call up a whole bunch of vehicle info (such as pitch and roll) on the display screen. A new optional 8.4-inch hi-res touchscreen with pinch and zoom is the largest ever offered on a Wrangler. And, yes, it’s been “mist tested” to endure at least a nonmonsoon amount of rain and keep right on displaying. (As always, the interior can be hosed out and drained via plugs in the floor.)

Jeep will offer two engines at launch: the same 3.6-liter DOHC V-6 found in the JK (now with engine stop-start) and a new 2.0-liter turbo four. The V-6 comes standard with an all-new six-speed manual shifter, with a new optional eight-speed automatic (standard on the turbo four). Coming in 2019 is the engine Jeep enthusiasts have long clamored for: a 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V-6 making 260 horsepower and—start drooling—442 lb-ft of torque. The diesel will include engine stop-start and be available only with the eight-speed auto. Can’t wait.

In New Zealand I first got to sample a manual V-6 JL Unlimited. It’s a happy combo, the 285-horsepower six revving smartly amid the transmission’s well-spaced gears. That said, having owned a manual TJ—the optional automatic for my ’97 was a three-speed—I’m not sure I’d go manual today. As I discovered when trying one later, the eight-speed automatic is just so sweet. With more ratios, it seems always to be in the right gear. It’s smooth and smart, shifting well on its own. And on one really challenging boulder climb (in the rain!), we effortlessly surmounted a course that would’ve been 10 times more difficult with a clutch pedal.

The big news underhood is the new 16-valve, direct-injection, twin-scroll turbo four. It makes less power (270 horses) than the V-6 but considerably more torque (295 lb-ft at just 3,000 rpm). It’s also uncannily quiet (I once walked right past it and didn’t even realize it was running) and well-mannered. Like the V-6, the turbo completed the rock climb without breaking a sweat. And on some limited highway sections (most were off-road), it was subdued, pulling well from low revs, never strained. Frankly, I didn’t expect to like it as much as I did. It’ll be interesting to sample one back in the “real world.”

This new JL is a slam dunk. It’s more comfortable on-road, more capable off-road, safer, easier to configure, better-looking, better-performing, and more fuel-efficient.

On-road, some suspension changes, including retuned springs, contribute to a solid, confident feel I never experienced in my TJ. Body roll is minimal, and the ride is controlled without being unduly harsh. I didn’t get an opportunity to try the two-door on pavement, but off-road it handled rough terrain with none of the “pogo bucking” of older, shorter-wheelbase Jeeps. It was, in fact, completely comfortable. (And, I must say, the two-door really looks fantastic.) The turning circle is improved on the JL, enabling it to snake through tight mountain bends that the JKs along with us could only manage by stopping, backing up, and re-turning into the corner.

The beautiful new cockpit includes a dash painted to match the seat stitching, the ability to call up info such as pitch and roll on the display screens, electronic diff locks (the red square at lower center), and a sizable new touchscreen.

JL Rubicons are equipped with a standard Rock-Trac 4×4 system with a 4:1 4LO ratio, Tru-Lok front and rear locking differentials, Dana 44 front and rear axles, and electronic sway-bar disconnect. The new Sahara, meanwhile, will offer the Wrangler’s first-ever two-speed transfer case with full-time AWD. With the automatic, the Rubicon’s crawl ratio is an amazing 77.2:1 (even better with the manual), meaning it can creep like a sloth over just about anything in its path. The Tru-Lok diffs, easily accessed via dashboard switches, are a godsend when the terrain gets slick and muddy (as it did on our drive), while disconnecting the electronic sway bar (via a dash button) over rough roads does wonders for reducing (or even eliminating) big jostles and head toss.

This new JL is a slam dunk. It’s more comfortable on-road, more capable off-road, safer (Jeep boasts more than 75 security features), easier to configure, better-looking, better-performing, and more fuel-efficient than its predecessor—for hardly any more money. Jeep says the Rubicon two-door manual V-6 will likely start around $40,000. Expect the turbo four-door Rubicon Unlimited (available only as an eight-speed) to go for about $43,500.

The folks at Jeep have accomplished the seemingly impossible. Somehow, the new JL Wrangler manages to be more advanced and sophisticated than the JK while at the same time radiating a more classic and old-school vibe. For Jeep fans, that’s a very good thing, indeed.

2018 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Specifications

ON SALE January 2018 PRICE $40,000 (base, est) ENGINES 2.0L DOHC 16-valve turbo I-4/270 hp @ 5,200 rpm, 295 lb-ft @ 3,000 rpm; 3.6L DOHC 24-valve V-6/285 hp @ 6,400 rpm, 260 lb-ft @ 4,800 rpm TRANSMISSIONS 6-speed manual, 8-speed automatic LAYOUT 2- or 4-door, 5-passenger, front-engine, 4WD SUV EPA MILEAGE 18/23 mpg (city/hwy) (4-door, 3.6L auto) L x W x H 166.8 (188.4) x 73.8 x 73.6 in (4-door) WHEELBASE 96.8 (118.4) in (4-door) WEIGHT 4,175-4,485 lb (4-door, 3.6L auto) 0-60 MPH 7.5 sec (est) (4-door, 3.6L auto) TOP SPEED 115 mph (est) (4-door, 3.6L auto)

IFTTT

[eddiejpoplar]

First Drive: 2018 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon

MOUNT PROSPECT, South Island, New Zealand — We’re well above 5,000 feet, the sky a wash of cobalt blue and El Greco’s clouds as the helicopter banks hard toward a gray summit amid the endless range of snow-dappled peaks. Closing in, our pilot slows to a hover, gingerly easing down to a “landing site” that looks more like a minefield. The uneven ground is littered with jagged rocks, tufts of slippery grass, and bus-sized boulders—with sheer drop-offs on every side. “You’d never get up here without a whirlybird,” I think to myself as the skids finally touch down, “unless maybe you’re a mountain goat.”

It’s then that I notice four new 2018 Jeep Wrangler Rubicons parked on tall rocks nearby, a band of brothers in silhouette, their military-inspired profiles as unmistakable today as an original Jeep was back in World War II. Mountain goats, all right—just made in metal.

On the drive in New Zealand, St. Antoine enjoyed lots of “Jeep swimming.”

A decade ago in Zambia, Africa, I was among the first to drive the then-new JK-platform Wrangler. Being a former owner of the previous model, the much-loved TJ, the JK was something of a shock: taller, dramatically wider with a new V-6 replacing the time-tested PowerTech inline-six, and a huge new four-door Unlimited version joining the lineup. Compared to my trim, nimble two-door TJ, the Unlimited JK looked like a battleship. It seemed so … big. Unwieldy, even. Could this giant even squeeze through the narrow Death Valley trails I’d so easily traversed in my TJ?

I needn’t have worried. Despite some knocks from purists (who will always knock any change to the Wrangler), the JK proved a hit. Whereas the TJ sold roughly 80,000 units Stateside in 2006, by 2017 Jeep regularly sold about 200,000 JKs a year.

Now comes the Jeep I first glimpsed high up on that New Zealand mountaintop, the all-new, 2018 JL edition. As always, Jeep engineers and stylists unveiled their new baby with a mixture of pride and nerves. After all, the Jeep faithful are an unforgiving lot. To them, any modifications to the battle-tested Wrangler formula are as contemptuous as adding Alfred E. Neuman’s face to Mount Rushmore. (We’re looking at you, square-headlight 1987 YJ.) The cry is always, “Don’t eff it up by changin’ it!” And in the JL’s case, there are a lot of changes. But put those pitchforks down. I’m one of the Wrangler faithful myself, and after driving the new JL through some of New Zealand’s most spectacular wilds—the same mountainous, river-crossed landscapes that served as the backdrop for “The Lord of the Rings” movies and the forthcoming “Mission: Impossible 6”—I’m here to tell you: The JL is a sublime piece of work, an upgrade over the JK in almost every way.

Although Jeep had only top-range Rubicon models on hand for our New Zealand drives, the two-door JL will be available in Sport, Sport S, and Rubicon trims, and the new four-door Unlimited will be available in those three versions plus a new Sahara edition.

The JL has grown compared with its predecessor, but importantly, it doesn’t feel bigger. Wheelbase has increased 1.4 inches on the two-door and 2.4 inches on the four-door, and overall length has grown 2.5 and 3.5 inches, respectively. Overall height is up an inch, and width is essentially unchanged. The truly important stats, though, are these: Approach, breakover, and departure angles on the Rubicon are all significantly improved, and ground clearance is up almost an inch (the Rubicon now rides on standard 33-inch BF Goodrich KO2 all-terrain tires on 17-inch wheels). Water fording is doable up to 30 inches, and the JL can tow as much as 3,500 pounds (when properly configured).

Those are the numbers. Here’s the big picture: The new JL is the best-looking Wrangler in years. “Like you, I’m a big fan of the TJ and the old CJ,” says Mark Allen, head of Jeep Design and the owner of a comprehensively modified TJ. “See the JL’s keystone-shaped grille … and the way the outboard slats wrap around the headlights? That’s pure CJ. Also, while everybody else seems to be raising beltlines, I lowered the JL’s. So every piece of glass is larger. Better visibility.”

Allen then leads me around to the side and points to the roll cage. “The sport bars are now welded to the body and painted in body color,” he says. “Because of some big focus group? Nope. I just like the way it looks.” He also points out a new header bar between the A-pillars, which allows the windshield to fold down while keeping the rearview mirror in place. Wrangler chief engineer Brian Leyes then jumps in: “And the body doesn’t just look good. Overall aero is improved by 9 percent.”

The big roof panel in the new zipperless soft top is fitted to a folding frame that can be lowered with one hand or removed entirely.

The JL sheds more than 100 pounds over the JK, thanks to aluminum in the doors, hood—the Rubicon gets a vented “power hood”—fenders, and windshield frame plus a magnesium-cast rear swing gate. New, high-mounted trapezoidal fender flares allow the Rubicon to accept up to 35-inch tires with no modifications. Daytime running lights encircle the headlamps; Jeep calls it a halo effect. On the Rubicon, you can opt for LED headlights, square taillights, and foglamps. Turn signals are mounted atop the front of the fender flares. The doors now feature the proper Torx bit tool size stamped right into the hinges—making removing and reattaching them a no-brainer. A new half-door will be available sometime in 2019.

Up top, the available three-piece Freedom hard top has been improved with lighter panels and easier-to-use latches. A body-color hard top is optional on the Rubicon (and the Sahara). The optional convertible soft top is now zipper-free. Instead, the rear plastic windows simply slip out of channels they snap into, and then the big roof panel can be easily flipped back and down with a single hand. Brilliant. Finally, later in 2018 Jeep will offer an optional Sky One-Touch power top with a central canvas panel that retracts fully at the touch of a button. None of the Jeeps on hand had the Sky roof, but I predict it will be a hit.

The JL’s cabin is thoroughly updated to meet the demands of the “always connected” 21st century: Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, abundant USB ports, navigation, and SiriusXM with traffic. The fourth-gen Uconnect system even offers an optional 4G Wi-Fi hot spot so you can surf websites right from your camp table. The attractive space also includes a dash painted to match the seat stitching, available keyless entry and standard push-button start, and the ability to call up a whole bunch of vehicle info (such as pitch and roll) on the display screen. A new optional 8.4-inch hi-res touchscreen with pinch and zoom is the largest ever offered on a Wrangler. And, yes, it’s been “mist tested” to endure at least a nonmonsoon amount of rain and keep right on displaying. (As always, the interior can be hosed out and drained via plugs in the floor.)

Jeep will offer two engines at launch: the same 3.6-liter DOHC V-6 found in the JK (now with engine stop-start) and a new 2.0-liter turbo four. The V-6 comes standard with an all-new six-speed manual shifter, with a new optional eight-speed automatic (standard on the turbo four). Coming in 2019 is the engine Jeep enthusiasts have long clamored for: a 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V-6 making 260 horsepower and—start drooling—442 lb-ft of torque. The diesel will include engine stop-start and be available only with the eight-speed auto. Can’t wait.

In New Zealand I first got to sample a manual V-6 JL Unlimited. It’s a happy combo, the 285-horsepower six revving smartly amid the transmission’s well-spaced gears. That said, having owned a manual TJ—the optional automatic for my ’97 was a three-speed—I’m not sure I’d go manual today. As I discovered when trying one later, the eight-speed automatic is just so sweet. With more ratios, it seems always to be in the right gear. It’s smooth and smart, shifting well on its own. And on one really challenging boulder climb (in the rain!), we effortlessly surmounted a course that would’ve been 10 times more difficult with a clutch pedal.

The big news underhood is the new 16-valve, direct-injection, twin-scroll turbo four. It makes less power (270 horses) than the V-6 but considerably more torque (295 lb-ft at just 3,000 rpm). It’s also uncannily quiet (I once walked right past it and didn’t even realize it was running) and well-mannered. Like the V-6, the turbo completed the rock climb without breaking a sweat. And on some limited highway sections (most were off-road), it was subdued, pulling well from low revs, never strained. Frankly, I didn’t expect to like it as much as I did. It’ll be interesting to sample one back in the “real world.”

This new JL is a slam dunk. It’s more comfortable on-road, more capable off-road, safer, easier to configure, better-looking, better-performing, and more fuel-efficient.

On-road, some suspension changes, including retuned springs, contribute to a solid, confident feel I never experienced in my TJ. Body roll is minimal, and the ride is controlled without being unduly harsh. I didn’t get an opportunity to try the two-door on pavement, but off-road it handled rough terrain with none of the “pogo bucking” of older, shorter-wheelbase Jeeps. It was, in fact, completely comfortable. (And, I must say, the two-door really looks fantastic.) The turning circle is improved on the JL, enabling it to snake through tight mountain bends that the JKs along with us could only manage by stopping, backing up, and re-turning into the corner.

The beautiful new cockpit includes a dash painted to match the seat stitching, the ability to call up info such as pitch and roll on the display screens, electronic diff locks (the red square at lower center), and a sizable new touchscreen.

JL Rubicons are equipped with a standard Rock-Trac 4×4 system with a 4:1 4LO ratio, Tru-Lok front and rear locking differentials, Dana 44 front and rear axles, and electronic sway-bar disconnect. The new Sahara, meanwhile, will offer the Wrangler’s first-ever two-speed transfer case with full-time AWD. With the automatic, the Rubicon’s crawl ratio is an amazing 77.2:1 (even better with the manual), meaning it can creep like a sloth over just about anything in its path. The Tru-Lok diffs, easily accessed via dashboard switches, are a godsend when the terrain gets slick and muddy (as it did on our drive), while disconnecting the electronic sway bar (via a dash button) over rough roads does wonders for reducing (or even eliminating) big jostles and head toss.

This new JL is a slam dunk. It’s more comfortable on-road, more capable off-road, safer (Jeep boasts more than 75 security features), easier to configure, better-looking, better-performing, and more fuel-efficient than its predecessor—for hardly any more money. Jeep says the Rubicon two-door manual V-6 will likely start around $40,000. Expect the turbo four-door Rubicon Unlimited (available only as an eight-speed) to go for about $43,500.

The folks at Jeep have accomplished the seemingly impossible. Somehow, the new JL Wrangler manages to be more advanced and sophisticated than the JK while at the same time radiating a more classic and old-school vibe. For Jeep fans, that’s a very good thing, indeed.

2018 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Specifications

ON SALE January 2018 PRICE $40,000 (base, est) ENGINES 2.0L DOHC 16-valve turbo I-4/270 hp @ 5,200 rpm, 295 lb-ft @ 3,000 rpm; 3.6L DOHC 24-valve V-6/285 hp @ 6,400 rpm, 260 lb-ft @ 4,800 rpm TRANSMISSIONS 6-speed manual, 8-speed automatic LAYOUT 2- or 4-door, 5-passenger, front-engine, 4WD SUV EPA MILEAGE 18/23 mpg (city/hwy) (4-door, 3.6L auto) L x W x H 166.8 (188.4) x 73.8 x 73.6 in (4-door) WHEELBASE 96.8 (118.4) in (4-door) WEIGHT 4,175-4,485 lb (4-door, 3.6L auto) 0-60 MPH 7.5 sec (est) (4-door, 3.6L auto) TOP SPEED 115 mph (est) (4-door, 3.6L auto)

IFTTT

[jonathanbelloblog]

First Drive: 2018 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon

MOUNT PROSPECT, South Island, New Zealand — We’re well above 5,000 feet, the sky a wash of cobalt blue and El Greco’s clouds as the helicopter banks hard toward a gray summit amid the endless range of snow-dappled peaks. Closing in, our pilot slows to a hover, gingerly easing down to a “landing site” that looks more like a minefield. The uneven ground is littered with jagged rocks, tufts of slippery grass, and bus-sized boulders—with sheer drop-offs on every side. “You’d never get up here without a whirlybird,” I think to myself as the skids finally touch down, “unless maybe you’re a mountain goat.”

It’s then that I notice four new 2018 Jeep Wrangler Rubicons parked on tall rocks nearby, a band of brothers in silhouette, their military-inspired profiles as unmistakable today as an original Jeep was back in World War II. Mountain goats, all right—just made in metal.

On the drive in New Zealand, St. Antoine enjoyed lots of “Jeep swimming.”

A decade ago in Zambia, Africa, I was among the first to drive the then-new JK-platform Wrangler. Being a former owner of the previous model, the much-loved TJ, the JK was something of a shock: taller, dramatically wider with a new V-6 replacing the time-tested PowerTech inline-six, and a huge new four-door Unlimited version joining the lineup. Compared to my trim, nimble two-door TJ, the Unlimited JK looked like a battleship. It seemed so … big. Unwieldy, even. Could this giant even squeeze through the narrow Death Valley trails I’d so easily traversed in my TJ?

I needn’t have worried. Despite some knocks from purists (who will always knock any change to the Wrangler), the JK proved a hit. Whereas the TJ sold roughly 80,000 units Stateside in 2006, by 2017 Jeep regularly sold about 200,000 JKs a year.

Now comes the Jeep I first glimpsed high up on that New Zealand mountaintop, the all-new, 2018 JL edition. As always, Jeep engineers and stylists unveiled their new baby with a mixture of pride and nerves. After all, the Jeep faithful are an unforgiving lot. To them, any modifications to the battle-tested Wrangler formula are as contemptuous as adding Alfred E. Neuman’s face to Mount Rushmore. (We’re looking at you, square-headlight 1987 YJ.) The cry is always, “Don’t eff it up by changin’ it!” And in the JL’s case, there are a lot of changes. But put those pitchforks down. I’m one of the Wrangler faithful myself, and after driving the new JL through some of New Zealand’s most spectacular wilds—the same mountainous, river-crossed landscapes that served as the backdrop for “The Lord of the Rings” movies and the forthcoming “Mission: Impossible 6”—I’m here to tell you: The JL is a sublime piece of work, an upgrade over the JK in almost every way.

Although Jeep had only top-range Rubicon models on hand for our New Zealand drives, the two-door JL will be available in Sport, Sport S, and Rubicon trims, and the new four-door Unlimited will be available in those three versions plus a new Sahara edition.

The JL has grown compared with its predecessor, but importantly, it doesn’t feel bigger. Wheelbase has increased 1.4 inches on the two-door and 2.4 inches on the four-door, and overall length has grown 2.5 and 3.5 inches, respectively. Overall height is up an inch, and width is essentially unchanged. The truly important stats, though, are these: Approach, breakover, and departure angles on the Rubicon are all significantly improved, and ground clearance is up almost an inch (the Rubicon now rides on standard 33-inch BF Goodrich KO2 all-terrain tires on 17-inch wheels). Water fording is doable up to 30 inches, and the JL can tow as much as 3,500 pounds (when properly configured).

Those are the numbers. Here’s the big picture: The new JL is the best-looking Wrangler in years. “Like you, I’m a big fan of the TJ and the old CJ,” says Mark Allen, head of Jeep Design and the owner of a comprehensively modified TJ. “See the JL’s keystone-shaped grille … and the way the outboard slats wrap around the headlights? That’s pure CJ. Also, while everybody else seems to be raising beltlines, I lowered the JL’s. So every piece of glass is larger. Better visibility.”

Allen then leads me around to the side and points to the roll cage. “The sport bars are now welded to the body and painted in body color,” he says. “Because of some big focus group? Nope. I just like the way it looks.” He also points out a new header bar between the A-pillars, which allows the windshield to fold down while keeping the rearview mirror in place. Wrangler chief engineer Brian Leyes then jumps in: “And the body doesn’t just look good. Overall aero is improved by 9 percent.”

The big roof panel in the new zipperless soft top is fitted to a folding frame that can be lowered with one hand or removed entirely.

The JL sheds more than 100 pounds over the JK, thanks to aluminum in the doors, hood—the Rubicon gets a vented “power hood”—fenders, and windshield frame plus a magnesium-cast rear swing gate. New, high-mounted trapezoidal fender flares allow the Rubicon to accept up to 35-inch tires with no modifications. Daytime running lights encircle the headlamps; Jeep calls it a halo effect. On the Rubicon, you can opt for LED headlights, square taillights, and foglamps. Turn signals are mounted atop the front of the fender flares. The doors now feature the proper Torx bit tool size stamped right into the hinges—making removing and reattaching them a no-brainer. A new half-door will be available sometime in 2019.

Up top, the available three-piece Freedom hard top has been improved with lighter panels and easier-to-use latches. A body-color hard top is optional on the Rubicon (and the Sahara). The optional convertible soft top is now zipper-free. Instead, the rear plastic windows simply slip out of channels they snap into, and then the big roof panel can be easily flipped back and down with a single hand. Brilliant. Finally, later in 2018 Jeep will offer an optional Sky One-Touch power top with a central canvas panel that retracts fully at the touch of a button. None of the Jeeps on hand had the Sky roof, but I predict it will be a hit.

The JL’s cabin is thoroughly updated to meet the demands of the “always connected” 21st century: Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, abundant USB ports, navigation, and SiriusXM with traffic. The fourth-gen Uconnect system even offers an optional 4G Wi-Fi hot spot so you can surf websites right from your camp table. The attractive space also includes a dash painted to match the seat stitching, available keyless entry and standard push-button start, and the ability to call up a whole bunch of vehicle info (such as pitch and roll) on the display screen. A new optional 8.4-inch hi-res touchscreen with pinch and zoom is the largest ever offered on a Wrangler. And, yes, it’s been “mist tested” to endure at least a nonmonsoon amount of rain and keep right on displaying. (As always, the interior can be hosed out and drained via plugs in the floor.)

Jeep will offer two engines at launch: the same 3.6-liter DOHC V-6 found in the JK (now with engine stop-start) and a new 2.0-liter turbo four. The V-6 comes standard with an all-new six-speed manual shifter, with a new optional eight-speed automatic (standard on the turbo four). Coming in 2019 is the engine Jeep enthusiasts have long clamored for: a 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V-6 making 260 horsepower and—start drooling—442 lb-ft of torque. The diesel will include engine stop-start and be available only with the eight-speed auto. Can’t wait.

In New Zealand I first got to sample a manual V-6 JL Unlimited. It’s a happy combo, the 285-horsepower six revving smartly amid the transmission’s well-spaced gears. That said, having owned a manual TJ—the optional automatic for my ’97 was a three-speed—I’m not sure I’d go manual today. As I discovered when trying one later, the eight-speed automatic is just so sweet. With more ratios, it seems always to be in the right gear. It’s smooth and smart, shifting well on its own. And on one really challenging boulder climb (in the rain!), we effortlessly surmounted a course that would’ve been 10 times more difficult with a clutch pedal.

The big news underhood is the new 16-valve, direct-injection, twin-scroll turbo four. It makes less power (270 horses) than the V-6 but considerably more torque (295 lb-ft at just 3,000 rpm). It’s also uncannily quiet (I once walked right past it and didn’t even realize it was running) and well-mannered. Like the V-6, the turbo completed the rock climb without breaking a sweat. And on some limited highway sections (most were off-road), it was subdued, pulling well from low revs, never strained. Frankly, I didn’t expect to like it as much as I did. It’ll be interesting to sample one back in the “real world.”

This new JL is a slam dunk. It’s more comfortable on-road, more capable off-road, safer, easier to configure, better-looking, better-performing, and more fuel-efficient.

On-road, some suspension changes, including retuned springs, contribute to a solid, confident feel I never experienced in my TJ. Body roll is minimal, and the ride is controlled without being unduly harsh. I didn’t get an opportunity to try the two-door on pavement, but off-road it handled rough terrain with none of the “pogo bucking” of older, shorter-wheelbase Jeeps. It was, in fact, completely comfortable. (And, I must say, the two-door really looks fantastic.) The turning circle is improved on the JL, enabling it to snake through tight mountain bends that the JKs along with us could only manage by stopping, backing up, and re-turning into the corner.

The beautiful new cockpit includes a dash painted to match the seat stitching, the ability to call up info such as pitch and roll on the display screens, electronic diff locks (the red square at lower center), and a sizable new touchscreen.

JL Rubicons are equipped with a standard Rock-Trac 4×4 system with a 4:1 4LO ratio, Tru-Lok front and rear locking differentials, Dana 44 front and rear axles, and electronic sway-bar disconnect. The new Sahara, meanwhile, will offer the Wrangler’s first-ever two-speed transfer case with full-time AWD. With the automatic, the Rubicon’s crawl ratio is an amazing 77.2:1 (even better with the manual), meaning it can creep like a sloth over just about anything in its path. The Tru-Lok diffs, easily accessed via dashboard switches, are a godsend when the terrain gets slick and muddy (as it did on our drive), while disconnecting the electronic sway bar (via a dash button) over rough roads does wonders for reducing (or even eliminating) big jostles and head toss.

This new JL is a slam dunk. It’s more comfortable on-road, more capable off-road, safer (Jeep boasts more than 75 security features), easier to configure, better-looking, better-performing, and more fuel-efficient than its predecessor—for hardly any more money. Jeep says the Rubicon two-door manual V-6 will likely start around $40,000. Expect the turbo four-door Rubicon Unlimited (available only as an eight-speed) to go for about $43,500.

The folks at Jeep have accomplished the seemingly impossible. Somehow, the new JL Wrangler manages to be more advanced and sophisticated than the JK while at the same time radiating a more classic and old-school vibe. For Jeep fans, that’s a very good thing, indeed.

2018 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Specifications

ON SALE January 2018 PRICE $40,000 (base, est) ENGINES 2.0L DOHC 16-valve turbo I-4/270 hp @ 5,200 rpm, 295 lb-ft @ 3,000 rpm; 3.6L DOHC 24-valve V-6/285 hp @ 6,400 rpm, 260 lb-ft @ 4,800 rpm TRANSMISSIONS 6-speed manual, 8-speed automatic LAYOUT 2- or 4-door, 5-passenger, front-engine, 4WD SUV EPA MILEAGE 18/23 mpg (city/hwy) (4-door, 3.6L auto) L x W x H 166.8 (188.4) x 73.8 x 73.6 in (4-door) WHEELBASE 96.8 (118.4) in (4-door) WEIGHT 4,175-4,485 lb (4-door, 3.6L auto) 0-60 MPH 7.5 sec (est) (4-door, 3.6L auto) TOP SPEED 115 mph (est) (4-door, 3.6L auto)

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[ardconsultancy]

New Post has been published on ARD Consultancy

New Post has been published on http://www.ardconsultancy.co.uk/june-market-commentary-3

June Market Commentary

As we wrote last year, ‘It is tempting to think that Brexit is the only game in town.’ Cross out ‘Brexit’ and replace it with ‘General Election’ and the sentiment holds good. But the rest of the world keeps turning – or in May, grinding to a halt as the WannaCry ransomware attack hit more than 250,000 computers in more than 100 countries, with our own NHS being particularly badly hit.

Once the computers were back up and running, UK growth for the first quarter of 2017 was revised down, whilst US growth for the same period was revised sharply upwards. In France, new President Emmanuel Macron presumably had a small sip of champagne to celebrate his victory over Marine Le Pen.

Who knows what Kim Jong-un drinks, but he may have raised a glass of it to toast another successful missile test in North Korea, further adding to tensions in the Far East.

As to world stock markets, four of the major markets that we cover made good gains in May, whilst two – Russia and Brazil – suffered significant falls. As always, let’s look at the world’s various regions in more detail.

UK May started with the now regular dose of bad news for traditional British retailers as Sainsbury’s profits fell by 8.2%. House prices were also heading in the same direction, with the Halifax reporting that prices fell by 0.2% in the three months to April, the first quarterly fall since November 2012.

The news was even worse if you are a diesel car owner, with a warning that many cars bought on finance deals could be heading for negative equity as their resale value continues to fall.

BT deepened the gloom by announcing plans to shed 4,000 jobs and the EY Item Club forecast that the UK jobless numbers would start to rise in 2018. The rate is currently 4.7% but the forecasting group is expecting an increase to 5.4% next year and 5.8% in 2019. In particular the Item Club’s report singled out Scotland, where it said automation posed a threat to 1.2m jobs.

By the middle of the month, the Bank of England had cut its growth forecast for the UK economy from 2.0% to 1.9% for this year, with Governor Mark Carney warning of a spending squeeze as inflation rises and real wages fall. Energy price rises saw the UK’s inflation figure up to 2.7% for April.

As we noted above, UK growth for the first quarter of the year was revised down from 0.3% to 0.2% and Government borrowing rose more than expected in April – it spent £10.4bn more than it received in April (£1.2bn more than in April 2016) as tax revenues stalled.

Something else which emphatically stalled was British Airways planes. The company was hit by what it described as a ‘massive system outage’ over the bank holiday weekend, leading to chaos at Heathrow and Gatwick – and ultimately to millions of pounds in compensation.

Despite all the gloom around in May the FTSE-100 index of leading shares enjoyed a good month. It broke through the 7,500 barrier for the first time and closed the month up 4% at 7,520.

Brexit There was little to report on the Brexit front in May. There were, of course, a lot of words, negotiating positions and posturing, but with substantive talks due to start eleven days after the UK General Election May was something of a ‘phoney war.’

One interesting development was a poll in Germany which showed 88% of those asked, were in favour of the UK paying its debts to the EU, which are currently put at between £50bn and £100bn depending on who you believe. More than any other European nations the Germans want the EU to adopt a tough negotiating stance. With new French President, Emmanuel Macron, also saying he does not want the EU to compromise we can expect the two sides to be a long way apart when the negotiations begin.

Europe A bad month all round for national carriers as Alitalia went into administration at the beginning of the month, albeit with the approval of the Italian government.

Emmanuel Macron comfortably defeated Marine Le Pen to become France’s youngest leader since Napoleon, but the level of abstentions and spoiled ballot papers suggested that Monsieur ‘None of the above’ would have had a real chance of winning had he been on the ballot paper.

The Euro predictably strengthened on the news of Macron’s victory – and the German economy predictably produced another thumping surplus. Figures for March showed exports at €118.2bn while imports climbed to €92.9bn. These were the highest figures ever recorded and gave a trade surplus of €25.3bn for the month. Angela Merkel said the surplus was due to the weak euro.

Meanwhile, Portugal, one of the countries originally considered likely to follow the same economic path as Greece, was pronounced back to fiscal health by the EU, as its budget deficit fell below 2% of GDP last year.

It was a quiet month for Europe’s major stock markets: the German DAX index was just 1% higher at 12,615 while the French index – having anticipated a Macron victory last month – was virtually unchanged at 5,284.

US POTUS – the President of the United States – continues to make waves, headlines and enemies in equal measure. Last month, found him in Saudi Arabia signing trade deals which were worth an initial $110bn and may ultimately rise to $350bn. He promised to slash government spending on health and education and signalled the start of renegotiations of NAFTA – the North American Free Trade Association.

He did take time off to fire FBI director James Comey and global stock markets briefly fell in the ensuing turmoil which all led to the ‘will he be impeached?’ speculation. Never a dull moment…

Away from the peace and calm of the White House the unthinkable happened: sales of iPhones fell. Apple sold fewer iPhones in the first three months of the year – just the 50.8 million – which was down 1% on the same period in the previous year. Apple CEO, Tim Cook, said it wasn’t really a fall, just a “pause” as customers waited for a new phone to be launched.

But there was no pause for Facebook as it reported profits of just over $3bn in the first quarter – up 76% year-on-year as it nears 2 billion users worldwide.

There was however, gloom for the US retail sector – or at least that part of it which trades from bricks and mortar stores. US retail sales were up 4.5% compared to a year ago, but all the growth was online with the US Commerce Department reporting an 11% year-on-year increase. In contrast, ‘traditional’ retailer JC Penney reported a 3.5% fall for the first quarter, with Macy’s and Nordstrom also reporting declining sales.

There was more gloom as Ford – facing weak sales and declining profits – offered voluntary redundancy to 15,000 workers in a bid to shed 1,400 jobs worldwide. But there was some good news at the end of the month as US growth for the first quarter of the year was revised upwards from 0.7% to 1.2%.

Wall Street reacted to the mix of good and bad news as you might expect: having started the month at 20,941 the Dow Jones ended it at 21,009 for a rise of just 68 points.

Far East May did not get off to a great start in China, with news that output had slowed in the country’s factories and mines. There was better news a few days later as China’s first domestically built passenger plane – built by the state owned Comac – made its maiden flight in Shanghai. Better news, that is, unless you are Boeing and Airbus…

Of even more long term significance was the launch of China’s ‘Belt and Road’ trade plan – an investment of $124bn in an ambitious economic plan to rebuild ports, roads and rail networks. The plan – which aims to expand links between Asia, Africa and Europe – was first unveiled in 2013 and has been described as a new Silk Road.

Elections were held in South Korea, which saw Moon Jae-in become the new president, but it was someone not bothered by trivialities like elections that captured the headlines. As we noted above, North Korea launched a successful missile test, to the widely photographed delight of Kim Jong-un. This put immediate pressure on President Moon, who had campaigned for better relations with the North.

Attention switched back to China at the end of the month as ratings agency Moody’s – worried by the ‘debt mountain’ – cut China’s credit rating for the first time since 1989. For those of you who like credit ratings, it was cut by one point from A1 to Aa3.

The Shanghai Composite index duly took note, falling 1% in the month to 3,117. However, it was the only Far Eastern market to fall, with Japan up 2% to 19,651 while the market in Hong Kong rose 4% to 25,661. Star of the show, though, was South Korea: clearly, the stock market approved of President Moon at it rose 6% to close May at 2,347.

Emerging Markets As we wrote in the introduction, two of the world’s major emerging markets had poor months in May. The Russian stock market fell by 6% to close the month at exactly 1,900 – it is now down by nearly 15% for the year as a whole, having started 2017 at 2,233.

In Brazil, trading on the stock market was briefly halted mid-month following corruption allegations against President Michel Temer – long since seen as the man to ‘clean up’ the country. Trading was stopped with the market down 10%, as the President was forced to deny allegations that he had given his consent to paying off a witness in a huge corruption scandal. There are plenty of those in Brazil, so expect to hear more of this story. Meanwhile, the stock market finally closed the month down 4% at 62,711.

There were no such worries in India where the stock market enjoyed an excellent month. Having started May at 29,918, it finished the month up 4% at 31,146.

And finally… Prime Minister Theresa May was roundly condemned for refusing to appear on the BBC’s election debate. Meanwhile in Oxfordshire, a retired politician smiles and slips into his new ‘man cave’ to begin work on his memoirs.

Yes, our former leader, David Cameron, has splashed out £25,000 on a ‘shepherd’s hut’ which he intends to use as a writing room. Unfortunately, competition in the Cameron household appears to be just as fierce as in the Palace of Westminster: Cameron’s son, Arthur, has apparently won the battle to be the first to sleep in the hut. Hopefully, our former leader will soon be able to return to his writing room, as the nation waits with bated breath for his memoirs, reputedly worth £1.5m.

So a splendid return for Mr Cameron on his £25,000 investment. But if he wants really stellar returns he should perhaps invest his money with the Church of England, who apparently made a 17.1% return on their investments last year and whose fund has averaged 9.6% over the last 30 years – comfortably beating many expensively managed city funds and comprehensively outstripping the top-rated Yale University endowment fund.

As we all know in financial services, ‘past performance is not necessarily a guide to the future.’ Or perhaps it is with a little Divine Fund Management…