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Cars and Cars- Karachi Memoirs

Cars and Cars

By:  Naveed Qazi

Probably it was a 1952 model Buick.  In those days mostly American or European cars plied on the streets of Pakistan.   Cars were not very common and whoever could afford one in those days would buy an American made Chevrolet, Desoto, Ford, Buick, Dodge or some premium brand like a Cadillac or a Mercedes from Germany.  The year was 1962, when I was born, and I was told that I came home in our Buick, which my dad had in those days.  Further details about the car are not available.  My paternal grandfather had a Desoto in those days.  This car was also popular in those days but later the brand died its own death.  Most of the American cars were luxurious and huge in size. Since petrol prices were not too much an issue, the cars did well in Pakistan.  On the Jeep front, Willys and Ford were the popular ones.  These were mostly used during world war and then became very popular with the civilians and you even find the restored versions from the 50’s still plying on the local roads.  

After a couple of years later, (and what I recall or have been told), we bought a Hillman Minx.  This was a British car.  I very vaguely remember the car as I was very small but the vivid memory that I have of our next car was a Vauxhall Viva, which was a two door car and made in England.  We kept this car till the year 1974.  The sixties however, went through a lot changes as far as car preferences were concerned.  Some of the brands which became popular and replacing the American Car market share in Pakistan, were of course Mercedes Benz, basically by those who could afford it.  In those days the popular models were the 180, 190 Diesel, 200 petrol and the 220S, the large bodied one.  This was the stunner and an all-time favorite.  The next in line category was the Opel Rekord and Volkswagen from Germany.  Two cars that really became popular in Pakistan.  The Rekord continued to be produced till the mid-eighties, then it was discontinued.  This was a large and roomy family vehicle.  The VW as was commonly known, was the small two door everyman’s car.  The peculiar thing about the VW Beetle, was it had the engine in the rear which would heat up in high temperatures in Pakistan.  The Beetle was a classic and was discontinued somewhere in the eighties (around) but again started in two thousand or so.  This car remained very popular the world over. 

Italians are known for their car designs to this day.  With the global sales of cars going up, they came out with the Fiat, which also became popular in our part of the world.  The small baby-like model was fiat 500 and 600, a small two door tiny vehicle.  The slightly bigger one was the Fiat 1100 D and 1100 R, in the mid-sixties, the 850 fastback coupe version, and later on the powerful 124 was introduced.  This car would run on Hi-Octane in those days and the Karachiites found it to be a fast powerful car.  The car was imported into Pakistan till around 1974 and later on, as it lost its popularity, was not imported in.  The Fiat 125P, which was manufactured in Poland was brought in the year 1975, but was a disaster and did not gain popularity at all.  I remember the 850 which my uncle bought in 1967, for around Rs. 16000/- or so.  The prices of regular cars available in Pakistan was in this range.

Some cars from France were also imported in the sixties, into Pakistan.  These enjoyed a more of a niche market and were sold in very small numbers.  These were the Peugeot, Renault and the Citroen.  The Renault 4. Which had the gear coming out of the dashboard, was imported by the government in 1975, but again, like the Fiat 125P, did not get popular at all.  

In the car market of course, the British did not stay far behind.  In the fifties and sixties, we saw a plethora of vehicles coming from UK.  The popular amongst them were the Vauxhall, Hillman, Ford models like Prefect, Consul, Cortina, Anglia, Morris and Austin.  The luxury brand, Rolls Royce and the Jaguar could be counted on fingertips in Pakistan due to their high price.  I remember our Hillman, our Vauxhall Viva, and mypaternal grandfather’s Vauxhall Victor of early sixties very clearly.  I also clearly recall the Triumph Herald, which was owned by an uncle of mine.  It was a light yellow colored one and pretty slick, two-door version.  The roly-poly Morris Minor was also very popular and I remember people in my greater family owning one.  I also remember a small Austin, two door version, was owned by my grand uncle and he would sit in front with his chauffeur.  The mini-Austin was also an all-time favorite, amongst car lovers, specially the Cooper version.   An outlier in the Karachi car space was the Skoda, manufactured in the Czech Republic.  It came and went.  

In the mid-sixties there came another change worth noting.  The government put up a few assembly plants for manufacturing cars.  The first one that I recall, was for manufacturing the Dodge Dart in around 1964 or 1965.  This model of Dodge Dart was manufactured in 1965 to 1967, (as I remember) and then production was stopped for some reason.  This was again resumed in 1969 in which the new shape of the Dart was manufactured, which continued till 1971. This was a very popular model and was the VIP and luxury car in those days.  Most of the senior government officials including Ministers, were given this car for use.  The other car that was manufactured locally was the Vauxhall Victor 2000. Another luxurious and large size car of those days, mostly used by senior officials.  The production was discontinued after 1973.  I remember both these vehicles very well as my uncle who was a senior in the government service had both of them.  The front seat of the Dodge was large and full, known as the bench seat, as was with most cars in those days, with a three speed column shift.  I remember driving this car in our lane somewhere around 1973, when I was only 11 years old.  My cousin Safdar, let me sit with him and drive partially in our quite lane in PECHS.  This was really a thrilling moment of my life.

Around 1966 a major intervention that I would term as the game-changer, came to Pakistan.  This was the entry of the Japanese cars in our market that actually changed the global car market, including Pakistan.  The Toyota Corona, a 1500 CC car was introduced in Pakistan for the first time.  The price was kept at around Rs. 17000/-.  Initially people were vary of the new breed of cars produced by Japan, but once the trend picked up, there was no stopping.  The Japanese cars were good on fuel and more reliable as compared to the other vehicles which were imported earlier.  Toyota instantly became the leader of the Japanese revolution.  The other models from other manufacturers were the Datsun (now Nissan) Bluebird and the Mazda 1500.  The Mazda was designed Giorgetto Guigaro, an Italian designer working for Bertone. Oh, what a design, sleek and sporty.  This immediately captured a niche market and became reasonably popular.  This 1500 continued till around 1971 and alter got converted to 1600 after 1972.  (Became the 616 and later 626).  

The Japanese continued with capturing the Pakistan market with the Corona till around 1972 and also introduced the Toyota corolla 1200 CC was also targeted for the economy-loving segment.  The Datsun also launched its 1200 version which was very efficient on fuel, and became the favorite Taxi car in Karachi.  The Mazda also came out with the 1000 and 1200model in the same period.  The government of Pakistan, somewhere in late 1973 or early 1974, imported vehicles from japan and issued permits to relevant people for purchasing the same.  The cars which were imported included a full range of Toyota vehicles, comprising of Toyota Crown, 2000 CC, Mark II, 2000 CC, Corona 1500 CC and Corolla 1200 CC, all 1974 models.  The Crown was targeted towards high end customers who wanted a luxurious vehicle, the Mark II for those who wanted power and a sporty look, the Corona for light comfort while the corolla for people who wanted a compact car with a good fuel economy.  The Mazda included a 1300 CC one, while Datsun was the 120Y.  Since the last few years Japanese vehicles had captured some market share and all the imported cars became very popular in no time.  In fact, since open import of cars were not available, the cars were being sold at a premium in the secondary market.    Till now air-conditioning was not a standard feature in the cars, and it continued like this for quite some years.   A second lot of imports by the government was done in 1977 and additionally, cars like Mazda 808, Mazda 929, and Datsun 260C were also imported, while cars like Mark II, Crown and Corona were dropped.  

We luckily obtained a permit in 1974 and opted to buy a Toyota Corolla in mustard yellow color.  We took delivery of the car and put in some seat covers and also installed a cartridge player with good speakers for music.  Than in 1977 again, we obtained a permit for a Mazda 808 and got it in Jackal Brown color.  Till now Japanese cars were the name of the game. Since we were nostalgic about old American cars, we also bought a used 1971 model Ford Torino, column shift, with a V8 302 cubic-inch engine.   This was in the year 1978. We continued with this car till 1984, and sold it off as it had become a white elephant.  During this period all the American car lovers would collect at Uncle Nazeer Shaik’s house in PECHS.  He was a connoisseur of American cars and had a garage at his house with a full repair facility for them.  I clearly remember meeting the big car lovers there and exchanging notes. I have a clear picture in mind of all the Ford’s, Oldsmobile’s, Chevy’s, Plymouth’s, Dodge’s, Caddy’s, and others. 

The next wave of change was brought about in around 1979 when the government allowed import of reconditioned cars by the private sector.  A few year old cars in a variety of metalliccolors, with good quality fabric seats, air-conditioning, fancywheel caps or fancy mag-wheels, wide radial tires and other accessories, branded as deluxe and hi-deluxe were introduced.  Even the variety of models and brands increase massively.  The car market accordingly progressed with the private sector players importing or people booking and getting cars on the gift scheme or bringing it back if they had worked for a specific period abroad.  The entry by Honda was also made in the Pakistan market by introducing the all Luxurious brand Accord in 1982 which immediately became popular in the upper segment.  The Honda Civic was also introduced in 1984 which immediately started giving a tough time to the Corolla.  

In 1982 the government introduced the Suzuki 800 FX, a small compact car, and also set up an assembly plant with Suzuki for manufacturing the cars locally.  The roll out of the locally manufactured Fx was in 1984, and immediately this car became very popular with the economy loving, sub-compact segment.  Completely Knocked Down Kits (CKD Kits) were imported and cars were assembled locally.  Some basic parts used in the car were also started being manufactured locally so that reliance on the imported parts could be deleted over time.  So the era of local assembled cars, along with imported ones started.  So now the market had a choice of sub-compact cars, and additionally Toyota and Honda also put up their assembly plants in the early nineties.  The hot-sellers were the Toyota Corolla and the Honda Civic and market was immediately captured by them. The demand was then met by the local assemblers by providing the market with reasonable good quality, luxurious vehicles, in which air-conditioning, power windows, automatic transmissionand other accessories became standard. 

The mid-eighties also saw the evolution of the market towards 4 wheel drive SUV’s.  The Launch of the 3 door and 5 door, Mitsubishi Pajero played an important role in bringing the Jeep revolution.  This became a hit immediately and especially the political people, rich businessmen and industrialist and landowners opted for it immediately.  This vehicle became a status symbol in those days.  Toyota also stepped in by launching the 3 door and 5 door version of the Land Cruiser II series.  The 3 door version was bought by the police department and also the army.  .  I was in Faisalabad in 1993 and I remember getting the Mitsubishi Pajero, 5 door, inter-coolerturbo from the bank as my official vehicle.  Later I purchased the vehicle and used it for a total of 10 years plus.

The auto market of Pakistan accordingly moved ahead.  The market was continuously fed by the local manufactures and some imports made by the people from abroad.  Luxury vehicles like Mercedes, BMW, Audi, Range Rover, etc. started to be seen on the roads.  The trend further increased as the government gave some import duty concessions for importing second hand vehicles.  So now a lot Prado’s, Land Cruisers belonging to the 4 wheel drive SUV front, became very visible on the roads.  Additionally the Mercedes’s and luxury German vehicles also became common with the affluent class.  The trend continued for quite some years, until very recently, when the government placed some restrictions on their import and also increased some imported duties. This resulted in the luxury cars becoming very expensive and non-affordable, to a major segment of the market,which were earlier able to afford the same.  However, some new plants set up by Korean manufacturers have also been set up and initially are focusing small SUV’s. 

This is the history of the Pakistan car market as observed by me since the day I was born.  Moving form big to small, fossil fuel to hybrid and electric, city to off-roaders and so on.  Where do we go from here?  I think we will move along with the global trends towards environment friendly vehicles.  This form of transport is definitely there to stay, at least for the next few decades if not more.

[autoengineforsale]

Willys l134 Engine For Sale

The Willys L134 Engine For Sale is an iconic motor that was produced by the Willys-Overland Motors company from 1941 to 1965. This engine was used in the Jeep CJ-2A, CJ-3A, M38, and other Willys models. The L134 engine is known for its durability, reliability, and its unique design.

This engine is a 134 cubic inch, inline-four engine that has an overhead valve configuration. It produces 60 horsepower at 4,000 RPM and 105 lb-ft of torque at 2,000 RPM. It has a bore of 3.125 inches and a stroke of 4.375 inches. The L134 engine is designed to run on regular gasoline and has a compression ratio of 6.48:1.

The Willys L134 engine is a great choice for those who are looking to restore or rebuild a classic Willys vehicle. It is a powerful and reliable motor that can handle a variety of driving conditions. There are many L134 engines available for sale online and from specialty parts dealers.

When purchasing an L134 engine, it is important to ensure that it is in good condition and has been properly maintained. Some L134 engines may require rebuilding or refurbishing before they can be used in a vehicle. Additionally, it is important to make sure that the engine is compatible with the specific make and model of the Willys vehicle.

Overall, the Willys L134 engine is a unique and powerful motor that is a popular choice among Willys enthusiasts. Whether you are restoring a classic Willys vehicle or simply looking for a reliable engine, the L134 is a great option to consider, https://autoengineforsale.com/willys-l134-engine-for-sale

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Find used BMW M3 inventory at a TrueCar Certified Dealership near you by entering your zip code and seeing the best matches in your area. See prices, photos and find dealers near you. View our BMW of Bayside inventory to find the right vehicle to fit your style and budget! New BMW i4 or iX for Sale near Mandeville, LA. Find 26,222 used BMW as low as $2,500 on Carsforsale. If you're interested in scheduling a test drive, you can call us. View our Peake BMW inventory to find the right vehicle to fit your style and budget! M57 For Sale. Are you wondering, where is Brian Harris BMW or what is the closest BMW dealer near me? Brian Harris BMW is located at 12336 Airline Highway, Baton Rouge, LA 70817. PRICE AS TESTED $93,795 (base price: $77,795) ENGINE TYPE Chapman provides an extraordinary BMW purchasing experience for Arizona customers who are searching for a luxury performance vehicle.

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1952 Willis 1/4 ton Military Jeep M38 - A1 Serial No.Search BMW cars for sale under $5,000 near you. TrueCar has 598 used BMW M3 models for sale nationwide, including a BMW M3 Sedan and a BMW M3 CS. You can call our Sales Department at 83, Service Department at 22, or our Parts Department at 22. Visit us near Baltimore! Special BMW M4, Subaru Outback or Toyota FJ Cruiser for Sale near Redmond, OR. New BMW 5 Series, M3 or iX for Sale near Great Neck, NY. Awards:… 2017 Hyundai Tucson Sport Jackie Cooper BMW offers the latest BMW models, simple financing and quality automotive service. View our Peake BMW inventory to find the right vehicle to fit your style and budget! Len Stoler Auto Group in Owings Mills, MD offers new and used BMW, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, Hyundai, Jeep, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Ram and Toyota cars, trucks, and SUVs to our customers near Baltimore. Start by checking out our inventory, and once you find a model you like, you can contact us to schedule a test drive.

[47burlm]

You’ve come a long way babe !!

April 30,1948

The Land Rover, a British-made all-terrain vehicle that will earn a reputation for its use in exotic locales, debuts at an auto show in Amsterdam on April 30, 1948.

The first Land Rover, known as the Series 1, was the brainchild of Maurice Wilks, the head designer for the British car company Rover, of which his brother Spencer Wilks was the managing director. Maurice Wilks used an old American-made Willys-Overland Jeep to do work at his farm in England. However, the Jeep was plagued by mechanical problems and Wilks decided to design a more reliable vehicle. He intended it to be used for farm work and be more versatile than a tractor. The resulting Land Rover, known as the Series 1, had a boxy, utilitarian design, four-wheel drive and a canvas roof. Such features as passenger seat cushions, doors, a heater and spare tires were initially considered extras and cost more. The rugged Land Rover was well-received by the public and ended up being used not just for agricultural work, but by police forces, military organizations, aid workers in remote places and travelers on expeditions where road conditions were poor or non-existent. In 1976, the 1 millionth Land Rover rolled off the assembly line in Solihull, Birmingham, England.

In 1970, the Range Rover, a more comfortable, luxurious version of the Land Rover, launched. The Discovery, a less expensive version of the Range Rover made its public debut in 1989; it was marketed to a younger, less conservative audience than Range Rover buyers. By that time, the company had experienced ownership changes: In 1967, Rover became part of Leyland Motors (later called British Leyland). British Aerospace later acquired Land Rover. In 1994, BMW acquired the Land Rover business. Next, in 2000, the Ford Motor Company purchased Land Rover for $2.7 billion. In 2008, Ford, which was experiencing a sales slump due to the worldwide economic crisis, sold Land Rover, along with another British-based brand, Jaguar, to Tata Motors of India for some $2.3 billion.

[somar78]

A Brief History of the Jeep CJ Series – Everything You Need To Know

First There Was the “Blitz Buggy” and a War to Win

The beginning of the Jeep CJ dates back to the origin of the “Jeep” itself, a story that began on 11th July 1940 when the US Department of War sent out an urgent request for a manufacturer to design and build a prototype quarter ton four wheel drive “scout car” within 49 days, and to produce an initial run of 70 vehicles within 75 days.

All this urgency had been caused by Time Magazine’s “Man of the Year” for 1938 who had gone on to start a war in Europe in 1939 when he sent his troops on a Blitzkrieg invasion of Poland.

Only American Bantam, which had originally been called American Austin and had in its past been a branch of Austin of England, stepped up to the plate and produced a design, a prototype, and an initial production run of their “Bantam Reconnaissance Vehicle (BRC), otherwise soon to be known as the “Blitz Buggy” because its planned use was to be in turning the Nazi Blitzkrieg tactic back against them, not on its own of course, but in concert with tanks, aircraft and all the materiel of mechanized warfare.

In the events that followed the American Bantam design would be given to Ford and Willys and they would go on to create their own General Purpose scout cars based on the American Bantam prototype, and by the war’s end it would be Willys-Overland who continued production of the diminutive general purpose scout car that had come to be called the “Jeep“.

The American Bantam design did not only father the Jeep, but it also went on to be the design inspiration for Britain’s Land Rover and also for the Japanese Toyota Land Cruiser.

A Jeep for the Civilian Market

The earliest beginning of civilian use for the Jeep was begun in 1942 by the US Department of Agriculture. They tested both Willys and Ford versions of the Jeep in typical farming applications at their facility in Alabama and found that they actually worked surprisingly well in the role of farm tractor as well as being a general purpose vehicle.

For tractor work they needed lower gearing and a draw-bar, and the clutch would need beefing up, but otherwise they had great potential.

Aware of this, and also aware that  the Jeep had become a much appreciated vehicle by servicemen, Willys-Overland could see the sales potential of a “Civilian Jeep” and by 1944 they began work on creating one.

Beginning with the existing military MB Jeep the guys of Willys design and engineering departments began creating prototypes which reportedly included such fittings as a canvas top, a draw-bar, and a tail-gate. This is generally known as the “CJ-1” although it never entered production and the number and exact design specifications remain unknown to the present day.

The Prototype Jeep CJ-2 and CJ-2A (1944-1949)

Work on the Jeep CJ-1 first generation prototypes developed into what became known as the CJ-2 second generation in 1944. Willys thinking appears to have been to create an agricultural civilian Jeep and it was in December 1944 that they were granted the trademark “AGRIJEEP”.

This name would appear on a dashboard plate of some of the Jeep CJ-2 prototypes. These CJ-2 prototypes were not available for retail sale but about 40-45 were constructed and trialed. The CJ-2 prototypes were fitted out with reference to the Department of Agriculture recommendations which included their being fitted with tail-gate, draw-bar and a range of mechanical and dimensional changes.

The bodywork changes made to the CJ-2 also included the rear wheel-wells being changed so the front seats could be enlarged and moved rearwards so that tall drivers could be comfortable, re-locating the spare wheel to the side of the vehicle, and both full and half canvas tops: the half canvas top leaving the load area at the rear exposed while the front two seats were under cover. The body also had driver’s side tool indentations.

Mechanical changes were varied but commonly included the axle gearing being lowered from the military 4.88:1 down to a more agricultural 5.38:1, and the Model 18 transfer case gearing also being changed from 1.97:1 down to 2.43:1. The gearbox was changed from the three speed T-84 to a stronger T-90 which used a column shift instead of the military floor shift. The clutch was also upgraded to an 8½” unit.

The 60hp  “Go-Devil” engine was treated to a different carburetor and ignition system, and for power take-off use a King-Seeley engine governor was fitted. The power take-off was left facing.

One of the most visual differences on these CJ-2 Jeeps was the fitting of large cast brass “Jeep” badges on many of the early ones, located on the windscreen cowl, either side of the hood/bonnet, and on the rear. Willys began trying to trademark the “Jeep” name as early as 1943 and were up against opposition from Amercian Bantam, so they used the “Jeep” name prominently on the CJ-2 vehicles as a proof of usage.

As it turned out Willys did not actually manage to take ownership of the Jeep name until 1950, after American Bantam had gone out of business. Later CJ-2 had the cast brass badges replaced with “Jeep” stamped into the bodywork, such as into the windscreen cowl.

The follow on model from the CJ-2 was the CJ-2A which went into production on July 17th, 1945. This was the first full production civilian Jeep and it was designated as the Willys-Overland CJ-2A “Universal Jeep”.

Although the trademark “AGRIJEEP” had been granted in 1944 Willys decided not to use it but rather went with “Universal Jeep” so as not to limit its market. This was still very much a model that needed to test the waters to see just who would be lining up to buy these useful little vehicles.

The CJ-2A had a seven slot front grille and headlights mounted onto the front panel rather than recessed into it: for a practical civilian vehicle everything done to make things easy to remove and repair was going to be appreciated by hands-on practical customers. Otherwise the CJ-2A was equipped as per the specifications of the pilot series CJ-2 complete with L-184 “Go-Devil” engine and T-90 gearbox.

The CJ-2A base model was fitted only with a driver’s seat, a single vacuum operated windscreen wiper on the driver’s side, a hand operated single windscreen wiper on the passenger side, and a rear view mirror on the driver’s side. To equip the base model for the customer’s use a comprehensive list of optional equipment was available which included a front passenger seat, rear seat, center rear view mirror, either half or full canvas top, front and/or rear power take-off, belt pulley drive, capstan winch, King-Seeley engine governor, rear hydraulic lift, snow plow, generator, arc welder, mower, heavy duty springs, twin vacuum actuated windscreen wipers, heavy duty hot climate radiator, radiator brush guard, chaff screen, driveshaft guards, and dual tail-lights.

For agricultural use the CJ-2A was also offered with a 265lb weight mounted behind the front bumper to balance the vehicle for plowing. The prototype CJ-2 had been fitted with four optional weights adding up to about the same amount but mounted on the front bumper for this application.

The CJ-2A models were painted in a variety of color schemes while the CJ-2 had been military olive drab. The earliest CJ-2A were built using left over parts for the Jeep MB, with this petering out around mid 1946 after which the Jeeps were made to a standard using parts made specifically for this model.

In total 214,760 Jeep CJ-2A were produced with production ending in 1949.

The Jeep CJ-3A and CJ-3B (1949-1968)

The CJ-3A was a slightly upgraded version of the CJ-2A. The engine, gearbox and transfer box remained the same with the vehicles having a Dana 25 front axle and a Dana 41 or 44 rear axle.

The windscreen was made as one piece with a vent at the bottom, and the wiper mechanisms were moved from the top of the windscreen to the bottom. The suspension was upgraded and the rear wheel-well was shortened which enabled moving the driver’s seat a couple of inches further to the rear for tall drivers. Also for tall drivers the roof height for the canvas top was raised and the waterproofing of the soft tops was improved.

The CJ-3A was in production up until 1953 and 131,843 were made.

In 1953 Willys-Overland was bought by Kaiser Motors and they removed the “Overland” from the company name.

This was the year the Willys CJ-3B was introduced fitted with the more powerful F-head 134.2 cu. in. Hurricane engine, which produced 72hp @ 4,000rpm with 114lb/ft of torque @ 2,000rpm. This engine was of the same capacity as the “Go-Devil” but was physically taller and so required the hood/bonnet line to be raised up so it would fit, giving the CJ-3B a taller grille and hood and a distinctly different appearance.

The CJ-3B was made between 1953 and 1968 and 155,494 were made in the United States (a total of 196,000 if we include those made overseas in Turkey by Türk Willys, in India by Mahindra, and Spain by VIASA).

The Jeep CJ-5 and CJ-6 (1955-1983)

Despite the fact that it is usual for the debut of a new model to herald the end of production for the previous one this was not to be the case for the Jeep CJ-3B: it remained in production while the new CJ-5 and CJ-6 models made their way onto the showroom floor.

Willys, and their new owner Kaiser Motors were feeling their way with what the buying public would open their checkbooks for and so, as the old saying reminds us “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it”, they decided to keep the old and seemingly much loved older model going while they tested the waters with the new one. The sort of people who were buying the CJ-3B were not the sort of people who wanted change for change sake, in fact that was the sort of thinking they would not tolerate.

Although it would seem logical that the next production Jeep would be called the CJ-4 this was not to be the case. Just one prototype called the CJ-4 was made and it was a cross between a CJ-3 and the coming CJ-5. The vehicle was fitted with a Willys Hurricane engine and had a curved body style like that which would appear on the CJ-5.

The CJ-4 prototype was made sometime during 1950-1951 and was subsequently sold to an employee. What is interesting about that single CJ-4 prototype is that it shows Willys were looking to modernize the utilitarian Jeep with a view to making it more stylish. It would appear that they had realized that the Jeep was not just an agricultural/industrial utilitarian vehicle but that it had the potential to create a new sporting utility vehicle market.

Enzo Ferrari is reported to have said that “the Jeep was the only true American sports car” and we can see in Willys re-design the aim of turning this Second World War “Blitz Buggy” into a sports utility vehicle.

The CJ-5 was the short wheelbase of this new sports version, with dimensions remaining similar to the previous model Jeeps, but the CJ-6 was a long wheelbase, from 1955-1972 measuring 101″, and from 1972-1985 103½”, a change made necessary to fit new larger engines under the hood. both versions featured comfortable fitting bucket seats and more stylish rounded bodywork, which was also made of thicker gauge steel giving the vehicles a solid and “built like a tank” look and feel about them.

Kaiser Willys began to differentiate the engine choices in the CJ-5 and CJ-6 when in 1961 they began to offer the British four cylinder Perkins 192 cu. in. (3.15 liter) diesel which produced 62hp @ 3,000rpm and 143 lb/ft of torque at 1,350 rpm. We suspect that Willys could see that for the British Land Rover the diesel engine was a quite popular choice, and the four cylinder Perkins had earned for itself a good name, especially among commercial vehicle operators. So, rather than spending the significant sums of money required to design an engine of their own Willys bought engines with a known track record and support network for their CJ-5 and CJ-6.

It took a full ten years from the introduction of the CJ-5 and CJ-6 before Kaiser Willys were willing to take the gamble and begin to offer more sports oriented engines for their new sporty CJ-5 and CJ-6. 1965 was the year that Kaiser purchased the rights from Buick to manufacture their 225 cu. in. (3.7 liter) V6 “Dauntless” engine which churned out a whopping 155hp, about double the power of the four cylinder Hurricane engine. The gamble paid off and within three years three quarters of the CJ-5 and CJ-6 vehicles sold were equipped with that Dauntless engine: Jeep customers liked power!

During this time Willys began offering the Jeep with power steering, something that made maneuvering the weight of that V6 rather more easy.

1970 saw Kaiser Willys being purchased by American Motors Corporation (AMC) and the new owners decided they wanted to phase out the use of engines from other manufacturers and instead to fit their own. AMC had a different vision for the humble Jeep and that vision was for it to cease to be an agricultural and industrial workhorse, and instead for it to become a trendy sports vehicle.

AMC were keen for the Jeep to become something trendy like the Volkswagen Beetle but without the nasty Nazi skeleton in the closet: and for the surfing aficionados the Jeep would be a lot less likely to get bogged in the beach sand than a Volkswagen.

So it was that in 1971 GM Buick purchased their manufacturing rights back from AMC and, undaunted, used their freshly re-acquired “Dauntless” engine in some vehicles of their own. For 1972 the AMC “Torque Command” straight six cylinder 232 cu. in. (3.8) engine supplanted the aging “Hurricane” four, and for those in “California Dreamin'” the larger 258 cu. in. (4.2 liter) was the standard (optional elsewhere), both engines breathing through a single-barrel Carter YF carburetor.

Not only were the new big six cylinder engines installed as standard in the new sporty Jeep models AMC also offered their 304 cu. in. (5.0 liters) V8 for those with a “need for speed” and a wallet deep enough to keep the thirsty little gas guzzler from emptying its fuel tank. The V8 gave the once agricultural Jeep the power to weight ratio of a muscle car, albeit with a rather higher center of gravity, but no doubt there were those who took their Jeeps to the local drag strip to find out what they’d do.

Structurally the car was changed significantly for the fitting of the new engines. The open box-frame chassis was given six riveted cross members for additional rigidity. The wheelbase was increased from 81″ to 83.5″ while the fenders and hood grew by 5″. The firewall was moved 2″ rearwards and a new larger fuel tank was fitted at the rear between the frame rails, replacing the original one that had been under the drivers seat.

For the CJ-5 and CJ-6 the “Powr-Lok” limited slip differential was upgraded to the “Trac-Lok” in 1971 and, because a power take-off would not be needed on a sports vehicle, it was omitted from the list of options, no doubt to the annoyance of some potential customers. But on the plus side the more powerful Jeep was treated to a 25lb lighter but stronger Dana 30 fully floating open knuckle front axle which gave the vehicle a 6′ smaller turning circle.

1973 saw the new AMC “Quadra-Trac” full time four wheel drive system fitted, This system featured a center lockable differential and of course also continued to provide high and low range gears. In 1975 for the 1976 model year the CJ-5 and CJ-6 were upgraded again. The open box frame chassis was mostly boxed in and the cross members were welded and the side-rails were of heavier gauge steel. Changes to the dashboard included a single combined speedometer, temperature and fuel gauge with the option of a steering column mounted tachometer, or a factory fitted AM radio. For those in cold climates a “Cold Climate Package” was offered which provided an engine block heater for those who were living or traveling in areas where freezing of the engine oil and coolant were all too real probabilities.

1979 was the year the base model engine was changed to the 258 cu. in. (4.2 liter) in-line six cylinder breathing through a twin barrel Carter carburetor.

The CJ-5 and CJ-6 were made in a veritable plethora of special editions, essentially to promote the vehicle as something sporty and stylish, and in an effort to be constantly coming up with “and now for something completely different” to appeal to the checkbooks of an American public which AMC appears to have believed constantly needed new pretty temptations.

These various special editions included the four versions of the “Tuxedo Park” between 1961 and 1965, a “Camper” for 1969-1970 and a 462 performance package also for 1969, three versions of the “Renegade” from 1971 to 1983, the 1973 “Super Jeep”, 1977-1983 “Golden Eagle”, the 1979 “Silver Anniversary” one thousand units limited edition commemorating the CJ-5’s 25th Anniversary, the 1980 “Golden Hawk” and the 1980-1983 “Laredo”.

The Jeep CJ-7 (1976-1986)

The CJ-7 was to be the last of the line for the Jeeps that could trace their lineage from the World War II Jeep. The CJ-7 was ten inches longer than its CJ-5 sibling with a wheelbase of 93½” and underneath that longer and more curved bodywork was a new chassis design consisting of two parallel longitudinal rails stepped out at the rear to put the suspension as far out as possible for stability. The CJ-5 had received some negative publicity from those claiming it was prone to rollover, which it arguably wasn’t, certainly not more than any other vehicle that featured the necessary off-road ground clearance with the resulting higher center of gravity.

The CJ-7 was made for a modern generation of American consumers who were getting more and more used to manufacturers making life more easy for them. It was available with either manual or automatic gearbox, both mated to the Quadra-Trac all wheel drive system with high and low range so you could “climb every mountain” or highway cruise on Route 66 with equal aplomb: and if the going got muddy or the way was treacherous and icy then that full time four wheel drive helped keep the Jeep going where the driver was pointing it instead of demonstrating an ability to do a pirouette like a ballerina.

The CJ-7 was made in various special editions also including the Renegade, Golden Eagle, Golden Hawk, Laredo, and Limited. The last special edition was the Jamboree Commemorative Edition made for the 30th Anniversary of the Rubicon Trail.

The Jamboree Commemorative holds the title for being the most heavily optioned up Jeep ever made, at least up to that point. That last special edition was fitted with a dashboard plaque that read “Last of a Great Breed – This collectors-edition CJ ends an era that began with the legendary Jeep of World War II”.

The Jeep CJ-8 “Scrambler” (1981-1986)

The Jeep CJ-8, otherwise known as the Jeep Scrambler is perhaps most famous as President Ronald Reagan’s Jeep. This model was a long wheelbase version of the CJ-7 and so it also shared the distinction of being one of the last of the Jeeps that began with the World War II ones. In production from 1981 until 1986.

The CJ-8 Jeep Scrambler was arguably one of the most adaptable and practical of all the Jeeps ever made. The cab top was removable and the rear section was not a flat tray but rather a utility box, with the vehicle also coming with a roll bar just behind the driver and passenger seats.

This very practical Jeep was fitted with an old fashioned part time four wheel drive system, complete with front free-wheeling/locking hubs. This would have been done to optimize the vehicle’s highway fuel consumption. The usual gearbox was either a four speed or five speed manual with the three speed automatic being an option.

The End of a Story that is Not Yet Over

The CJ-8 was the end of the line for the Civilian Jeeps, the last of the breed that had begun in the dark days of 1940 when the US Department of War realized that the thing they had been hoping against hope to avoid was coming upon them like a freight train with no brakes.

It had been American Bantam who had stepped up to the plate and come up with the design for a vehicle that would not only help win the war, but that would go on to create a new concept for civilian vehicles, the four wheel drive. The American Bantam “Bantam Reconnaissance Car” would go on to be the father not only of the Willys Jeep in both military and civilian models, but also the British Land Rover, and the Japanese Toyota Land Cruiser.

The Civilian Jeep in all the “CJ” models was the American car that carried the flag and brought four wheel drive freedom and adventure to hundreds of thousands of people. It was a farm vehicle, mining vehicle, government vehicle, sports car, fishing and shooting wagon, and fashion icon, and it was even transport for a US President. It was and still is the car that best epitomizes “The Land of the Free”.

Picture Credits: Willys, Kaiser, AMC, Ronald Reagan Library, Netherlands National Archive.

The post A Brief History of the Jeep CJ Series – Everything You Need To Know appeared first on Silodrome.

source https://silodrome.com/history-jeep-cj/

[autoparts-miles123]

The Best Used Jeep Engines For Your Car Or Truck

The Best Used Jeep Engines for Your Car Or Truck can provide you with plenty of power for your vehicle. These popular engines have low mileage and have been in existence for many years. They are an excellent choice for those who want to save money on their engine purchase. To ensure the quality of these Jeep engines, you can choose from the following three options. These used parts are a great value and can add many years of service to your car or truck.

The most popular used Jeep engine for sale today is the 4.7L HEMI V8. This engine can deliver 305 horsepower and 334 lb-ft of torque. These vehicles are known for their versatility, and their engine makes them an excellent option for any car or truck. These engines can also be cleaned and reconditioned to get them in perfect working condition. They are a great option for those who want to add power to their vehicles.

The most reliable way to buy a used engine is from a reliable dealer. Always look for a guarantee or warranty when buying a used car or truck engine. These companies are trustworthy and will provide a warranty if you purchase their product. In addition, make sure the seller provides a warranty on the parts you purchase. Once you've made your decision, you can start looking for a replacement Jeep engine for your vehicle.

Willys engines are one of the most famous and reliable used car engines. It's the engine that powered almost all WWII Jeeps, including the Model 77 car. It was cheap to buy, but offered a high mileage. The Willys engine was nicknamed the "Go Devil" due to its efficiency and high performance. Its popularity with the army helped it earn the nickname. The Willys engine was a great choice for off-roading.

Whether you're looking for a Wrangler or a Comanche, there's a Willys engine for your car. This is the engine that powered almost every Jeep in WWII. This model had a 2.5L inline-four-cylinder engine. Its displacement was 241.6 cubic inches and produced 190 hp. Its low-end power was surprising for its time.

The AMC 401 is an uncommon but highly powerful engine. It's one of the best used Jeep engines for your car or truck. Its bore and stroke are 97 and 87 mm, respectively. Its output varied over the production life of the 3.8L EGH. The last ones produced had a 210-horsepower output and were popular for off-roading.

The Willys engine is one of the most popular Jeep engines. This engine was used in almost every WWII Jeep, including the Model 77. It was a cheap car with high mileage, but it still offered a lot of power for its time. It was the first V6 engine to be used in a civilian car. This was the first V6 engine in history that produced 48 hp, and it had a 2.7L EGH engine.

The most popular V8 engine for your Jeep is the AMC 401. This engine is a common choice for replacement. This engine is available in many forms, but it is worth considering the type that is right for your vehicle. It will save you time, money, and trouble and will make your car or truck more powerful. While a V8 is an expensive option, you may still be able to get a better deal with a used Jeep in a different condition.

Another option is to go for a used AMC 401 engine. This engine is a rare find but is capable of producing a powerful and effective engine for your Jeep. These engines are tough and reliable, and should be considered for your car or truck. There are many used engines available on the market. When you buy one, make sure that the seller offers warranty and a guarantee. This will protect you from any issues related to the quality of the engine.

[autoengineforsale]

l134 engine for sale

The L134 Engine For Sale , also known as the "Go Devil" engine, is a four-cylinder gasoline engine that was originally designed and manufactured by Willys-Overland Motors for use in their World War II-era Jeep vehicles. Today, L134 engines are still sought after by Jeep enthusiasts and collectors alike, and there are a number of them available for sale on the market.

One of the key features of the L134 engine is its simplicity and reliability. This engine has a very basic design, with few moving parts and no complicated electronics or sensors. As a result, it is very easy to maintain and repair, making it an ideal choice for anyone looking for a durable and dependable engine.

Another benefit of the L134 engine is its performance. Despite its simple design, this engine is capable of producing up to 60 horsepower and 105 lb-ft of torque, which is quite impressive for a four-cylinder engine. This makes it an excellent choice for off-road vehicles, as well as for people who want a reliable and powerful engine for their daily driver.

If you're in the market for an L134 engine, there are a few things you should keep in mind. First of all, you'll want to make sure that you're buying from a reputable seller who has a good track record of selling high-quality engines. You should also make sure that the engine you're buying is in good condition and has been well-maintained, as this will help to ensure that it lasts for many years to come.

Overall, the L134 engine is a great choice for anyone looking for a reliable and powerful engine for their Jeep or other off-road vehicle. With its simple design, easy maintenance, and impressive performance, it's no wonder that these engines are still in demand today, https://autoengineforsale.com/l134-engine-for-sale

[smoothshift]

Alternate history of motoring - 1st part (1950-55) via /r/cars

Alternate history of motoring - 1st part (1950-55)

Decided to write and post this, starting a little series. It would come in 5-year installements (so the next one will be 1956-60) once a week or so.

1950:

Americas:

Most of the year went as in our timeline.

However, the start of the Korean War in September brought change. Customers, fearing more rationing, started slightly turning towards smaller import cars. While the usual fullsizes strongly remained king, cars like the VW Beetle or Morris Minor gained noticeable ground in the early '51 model year.

Seeing that, the US makers started seeking solutions.

By late November of 1950, GM and Ford already started their work. The Ford Anglia, Consul and Zephyr, as well as the Holden 48-215 and Opel Olympia, got federalized and opened to decent sales for the Holden, Consul and Zephyr, and somewhat weaker for the Opel and Anglia. Still, by the end of the year, it' was decided that the next generations of them would be developed with at least a partial focus on the US market.

In the same vein, the sales of the Henry J rose, though not to British/Australian car levels.

However, Chrysler and the independent makes were faced with trouble, not having such overseas divisions to import cars from. The only exception was Nash, which was already working on the American, a compact car.

Chrysler decided to work around the problem by investing in diesel engines. The plan involved rolling out 3 diesels, a 100 HP 241 ci Hemi V8 (Plymouth, Dodge), a 115 HP 276 ci Hemi V8 (DeSoto), a 135 HP 331 ci Hemi V8 (Chrysler) and a 160 HP 405 ci Hemi V8 (large pickups). The engines were planned to be ready by 1952, shortly after the gas Hemis. A compact car was also in development, but on the back burner.

Meanwhile, Studebaker, Packard, Hudson, Kaiser and Willys merged into United Auto Manufacturing (UAM), in order to survive the competition. They started working on a new, unibody compact to fight the Consul, Zodiac and Holden. They decided to pull off a large gamble by hiring W.E. Deming, the statistician behind the concept of reliability as the main manufacturing axiom, and paying him more than the Japanese offered. (Yes, it means not-so-reliable Japanese cars.) The rationale was that if the UAM can't fight on prices, they would fight on quality.

Europe:

Most automakers were scrambling to make a car for the developed market. While many companies had different approaches, all the vehicles are quite similar - 1000-1300 cc of cubic capacity, 4-door sedan unibody (with some other body options), compact size.

However, many companies approach it differently - for example, Citroen was making the Ami a flat-4 FWD car, the Saab 93 was going to be a 2-stroke FWD machine, while the VW Type 3 was going to have a Beetle-derived rear flat-4 transaxle, notably, with an optional diesel.

The list of makers in that idea included Ford, Opel, Peugeot, Citroen, Renault, Simca, VW, NSU, DKW, BMW, Saab, Volvo, Fiat, Lancia, Alfa Romeo, Austin, Hillman, Standard and others.

Meanwhile, Alfa Romeo revolutionized the performance world by making the Alfetta, a mid-engined performance coupe with a 235 HP 2.0 V6 supercharged engine in the middle. The car was the world's fastest, and achieved notable victories in performance. Other makers, like Jaguar or Aston Martin, started developing similar ones.

Behind the Iron Curtain, the engineers of GAZ in the USSR started working on a relatively affordable, 600 cc small car, with the intent of it being cheap enough for most Soviet car owners.

Asia:

In Japan, the first kei cars, a class of cars limited to 200 cc and 280x120x130 cm, started being produced. Toyota, Nissan, Mazda and Suzuki all entered the class.

China started designing a similar sort of car, but larger and 300cc. While it was called a "people's car", the engineers slowly started seeing this goal as impossible, due to the Chinese society being seemingly too poor for that.

1951:

Americas:

As the war went on, (sub)compacts and imports retained their popularity, which was showed by the fact that Holden, Opels, Fords, VWs and Morrises all received new styling for 1952, as per US custom, and the ongoing projects kept running.

However, seeing the new Alfa's fame, UAM decided to start working on a similar supercar. This was part of a larger development project, involving the development of a new range of fullsize cars - and the supercar was meant to have a similar suspension setup and V8 engine to the new Packards.

But what shook the US auto industry were "Deming system" 1952 UAM cars, which were of better quality than their competitors, though it was offset by a higher price. While the original sales were just OK, an ad campaign and word of mouth helped them. These cars got especially popular in rural areas, where customers wanted simple, reliable cars.

Mopar's new gasoline Hemi V8s were also a good development for the company, burning less fuel than the competors, while having better performance.

Europe:

The new midsize cars, like the Opel Kadett, BMW 1200, Standard 10 or Austin A50 started appearing, with more coming and decent perspectives on the US market.

However, many of the automakers ended up spending a lot on them, and had trouble recouping the costs or continuing development - this especially touched small brands, like BMW, Borgward or Hotchkiss. Also, the sales figures were worse than expected.

What actually sold well, though, was the Citroen 2CV van - a cheap, reliable vehicle that could haul a family. Citroen quickly found itself doing well, and even started exporting to the US, with quite limited success, and other companies started looking at their business model more closely.

Another revolution were the redesigned Opels, Fords, VWs and Morrises - the practice started bringing image-conscious customers towards these brands, and made others think about new '53 styling.

Also, as Hotchkiss started merger talks with UAM, the French goverment started working on its own Jeep-like vehicle, produced by Renault. The Hotchkiss Jeep was something they didn't want made by another country's company.

Behind the Iron Curtain, the USSR temporarily abandoned its economy car project to focus on defense.

Asia:

China took a similar approach to the USSR - abandoned the "people's car" project to focus on defense.

However, the kei car segment was booming - most manufacturers had at least one of these 150 cc cars, and smaller brands started feeling the competition from ones like Toyota, Hino or Nissan.

1952:

Americas:

Faced with rising unionism, UAM began looking into outsourcing production. Finally, in June, they started working on a new investment - a "Deming system" factory in Tijuana, Mexico, in order to bring better quality than the Big Three at lower prices. The factory was meant to produce compacts and subcompacts by Willys, Studebaker and Hotchkiss.

The 1953 model year brought a lot of new stuff.

For one, GM, Ford and UAM all had all-new compacts - the 1953 Holden line, with independent suspension (except for the ute), the FWD Ford Taunus and the Deming system Willys Aero/Studebaker Lark. They ended up selling like hotcakes, stealing buyers from cheaper fullsize models.

Also, Mopar debuted all-new car designs and Hemi V8 diesels. The cars themselves caught on, and the diesels weren't doing bad either, although they were limited to buyers who did not care about the rough operation of these machines.

However, on 28th November 1952, the market suffered a huge downturn. The reason?

Well, President Dewey authorized an atomic attack on Pyongyang. The world stood in shock, and the attack is often seen as the cause of Joseph Stalin's 7th December 1952 fatal heart attack. Car sales quickly fell, and makers lowered R&D expenses to almost zero.

Europe:

More midsize family cars were hitting the showroom floors, and smaller makers found themselves in trouble. Hotchkiss was bought by UAM and BMW went to Mercedes-Benz.

Citroen could have suffered the same fate, but 2CV and HY orders were coming in quickly. Seeing that, other brands also started working on their own economy cars and vans.

The French government, with Hotchkiss now being an US-owned maker, accelerated its work on a "light troop carrier". It was meant to be a Renault 4CV-based light amphibious vehicle, and its similarity to the Schwimmwagen led many to calling it "Le Schwimmwagenoix". It had a lot to do with Ferdinand Porsche working on it, following his late father's design work for Renault.

On the sports car front, Mercedes-Benz and Lancia joined the fight against the Alfetta. The new 320RS and Stelvio were seen as great performance cars, and the Stelvio was exceptionally good, thanks to being engineered by Lancia's new recruit, Enzo Ferrari.

Behind the Iron Curtain, the idea of a "car of the people" appeared in the form of the AWZ P70, a low-power, partially wooden, yet practical FWD minibus. The Western press even showed it as an example of a good car for so little money.

Of course, the atomic bombing of Pyongyang made things... somewhat worse on the economic front.

Asia:

After the Japanese government gave significant incentives for company mergers, they started quickly happening. In fact, by the end of the year, only Toyota, Nissan, Isuzu, Suzuki and Hino were left on the scene.

India started working on its "national car" program. It was meant to be conducted by Hindustan's factory, and the car design was strongly inspired by the new AWZ - and even the Pyongyang attack didn't stop them.

1953:

Global politics:

On 4th January, 1953,the USSR joined the Korean War by dropping a nuclear bomb on Seoul. This started the nuclear war stage of the conflict, with both sides using them.

However, both countries’ leaders knew what dropping a bomb on the rival’s territory would mean and kept the attacks to Korean soil. Nevertheless, further economic stagnation ensued.

What’s more, on 26th February, the Iranian prime minister, Mohammed Mossadegh, would nationalise the country’s oil, shaking the market. The US feared that for some time, but was too tied in Korea to stop him.

Egypt, Jordan and Syria dealt another blow to the oil market with a joint operation to capture the Suez Channel in March, making it harder to export oil. When it comes to producing the black stuff, May’s Arab power struggles after King Ibn Saud’s death did not help. The country went through a 7-month-long civil war, ending with the victory of his son Turki, the continuator of the dynasty.

This also let to the European NATO's near-downfall - the USSR threatened to cut oil supply to any NATO member. The only country to stay was Germany, supported by the US when it came to oil.

24th November brought the start of the peace movenent. A demonstration against the war and related draft in New York turned into a brawl with the police and an ostentatious burning of draft cards. Similar events happened in LA (7th December) and San Francisco (19th December).

Americas:

1953 had some of the worst sales for years, and model year 1954 had the worst opening in years. Still, new car designs were significantly different, in order to draw customers.

It also had compacts and subcompacts gaining even more ground, with Holden even outselling Chevy's debut (that said, Chevy's designs were rather old by the point). This made GM decide to start making Holdens in Van Nuys, and the Ford Taunus also got US manufacturing by the end of the year.

Chrysler's new compacts, the Plymouth Lancer (Chrysler in Australia) and Dodge Coronet, as well as the company's diesels, including a new I6 one, and the purchase of Borgward gave it a well-needed boost.

The compact commercial vehicle segment also shone, with Holden's Half-Ton Ute, Ford 's Transit and VW Transporter fighting for domination.

Nash's compacts were buying it some time, together with redesigned fullsizes.

Seeing that, GM and Ford started independently developing "senior compacts" - cars that would slot between compacts and fullsizes.

Also, imports were making huge inroads in the US. Not only were Holdens, Opels, Fords of Germany , Hotchkisses and Borgwards (though the first had "gone native") sold through Big Four dealers, VWs, Saabs, Morrises, DKWs, etc. were selling better than ever.

Despite the push for economy, a GM dealer from New Orleans, Mike Persia, fitted a Holden Deluxe coupe with Oldsmobile mechanical parts and widened wheelarches, as well as stripping the interior. The car was raced in NASCAR, and achieved great victories there, with Mr. Persia finally selling the design of the Holden TSC (Track Special Coupe) to GM.

In the same year, after the Brazilian president's appeal, Ford and Chrysler pledged to biild factories there, while GM decided to build one in Chile.

Europe:

As in America, the market had a slump, yet the cars were greatly restyled to attract customers to them.

Germany's decision to stay in NATO led to gasoline having to be rationed, which had a bad effect on the German luxury car market. While Mercedes-Benz and BMW survived, Borgward was bought by Chrysler and Ferdinand Porsche sold his company to work for Citroen.

VW, meanwhile, scored a hit with the diesel-optioned Type 3,a Beetle-based, contemporary-styled 4-door sedan.

Meanwhile, the center of luxury was moving to France, with the new Delahaye 400,boasting of a 4.0 V12 and Citroen-licensed hydropneumatic suspension, was launched. It was the fastest luxury car of the time.

Also, Bugatti built the Type 302, a 4.5 V12 mid-engined supercar - the world's fastest, reaching 270 km/h and winning the 1953 LeMans.

This overshadowed Jaguar's new, mid-engined XK170. What's worse, the Jag went through engine trouble during LeMans.

France also completed its new, Renault-based light military vehicle - an amphibious one. However, many experts deemed such things irrelevant in the era of the atomic bomb.

Competitors to the Citroën 2CV in the form of the Ford Brompton (UK) and Harz (Germany), small, yet 4-door FWD vehicles that sold quite well.

The Portugese government decided to start a "national car" program to lower the country's foreign dependence.

Poland also decided to work on such a thing, starting to test microcar prototypes.

Asia:

Japan's car industry kept on developing, with the new Toyota Crown, a contemporary-styled large sedan and rebodied Austin A70, seen as a reach beyond cheap kei cars. Still, the quality was what you could expect from an underdeveloped country.

The Japanese makers started looking towards expansion - Toyota began estabilishing an assembly in Taiwan, and Isuzu had sights set on the French Indochina.

Despite droughts weakening the economy, the Indian national car project kept on continuing.

1954:

Politics:

The Korean War continued, despite protests all across the US.

Its continuing was helped by the fact that many African-Americans enlisted, hoping to use it for societal ascent. The viewpoint was reinforced by the GI Bill being extended to all servicepeople.

While the US had the military upper hand, it was having funding problems, due to many politicians opposing further funding for it, sometimes for racially-charged reasons.

In Europe, the Suez Coalition (Egypt, Jordan, Syria) restarted the sale of oil in March, and a month later, Iran did the same thing.

Noticing their dependence on the Arab nations, European nations started diplomatic efforts to bring about the Euro-Arabian Oil Commonwealth, similar to the already existing one for coal and steel.

Also, France and South Vietnamese forces won the battle of Dien Bien Phu, stopping the Vietcong, and started preparing an offensive.

Americas:

1954 brought an end to the fuel crisis and saw a start to a scrappage scheme, meant to give the army more steel and help the car market, as well as the GI Bill extended to car buying and loans.

The biggest winners were compacts and subcompacts, cheap enough not to require a large investment besides the scrappage money. UAM, with its cheap Mexican manufacturing, and GM’s leasing benefited the most.

Sales were also boosted by all of the Big Four rolling out new, striking fullsize designs for all brands, from Chevrolet to Packard (unibody at Ford and UAM), new GM, Ford and UAM V8s, UAM’s torsion beam suspension, as well as Nash abandoning the segment to focus on compacts and imported Peugeot subcompacts.

That year is also seen as “the American performance car’s birthdate” - Packard rolled out the Talladega, a supercharged V8 supercar that debuted in the 1954 LeMans, and Holden started making the ASC with some roadworthiness changes.

Cadillac began the development of the Eldorado, a sporty 4-door sedan/convertible to fight the new Delahaye.

Opel was removed from the US market, and the Kadett and Olympia models were transferred to Holden, and added to their Australian offerings.

Seeing how the Deming process was kept at a lower cost by Mexican manufacturing at UAM, the rest of the Big Four started working on their own Mexican assemblies.

Europe:

The Citroen 13CV, a groundbreaking luxury car, was released. Not only it had hydropneumatic systems all around, it had striking fastback bodywork with an opening rear window and a drivetrain tuned by Ferdinand Porsche and Maserati brothers. It was meant to be a prelude for the upcoming 6CV, 9CV and 16CV.

At the same time, Delahaye began work on the 2500, a smaller luxury car and a 13CV rival.

The British government instituted an antitrust law, which stopped the planned merger of Morris and Austin. However, these companies made their own mergers - Morris with Lanchester and Daimler, and Austin with Rover. Austin-Rover began adopting the Deming system.

Still, their joint project, a 3-wheeled sub-Minor/A30 economy car, the Mini/A10, hit the market. Unfortunately for them, it was overshadowed by the Hillman Imp, an Alec Issigonis-designed FWD small car with surprisingly good handling.

Jaguar, following financial troubles, went bankrupt, which was a surprise for the performance car world.

Mercedes-Benz, with the new Delahaye, Packard and Bugatti on the market, as well as the Eldorado and 16CV in development, started working on the 400S and 400RS - “new standards in luxury”.

Meanwhile, BMW, their subsidiary, started making a licensed version of the new Fiat 500 - a decision that helped the company’s finances a lot. The Fiat itself also was a success in its native Italy.

The 1954 LeMans was the spot of fierce competition between the new Alfa Romeo Alfetta, Packard Talladega, Lancia Stelvio and Mercedes 320RS. However, the winner was unlikely - it was the Lotus 6, a lightweight mid-engined race car using tuned Jaguar XK120 mechanicals. After the race, Colin Chapman was approached with orders for a road-going version, and by the end of the year, there was one.

Behind the big companies was TVR with its 2000, built in a similar way with Bristol parts, yet not as refined. Still, TVR ended up in a similar situation, and by the end of the year, there was a production 2000.

Asia:

India’s new “national car”, the AWZ-derived Hindustan Premier, ended up being quite successful. Still, it did not motorize the largely-undeveloped country, as its cost was still relatively high.

Meanwhile, Japanese manufacturers Toyota and Nissan developed the Land Cruiser Series 30 and Nissan Patrol, two Land Rover-derived 4x4s. They were quite unrefined, yet successful in developing markets, thanks to the low prices.

1955:

Politics:

The war continued to draw ire, now on both sides of the Iron Curtain. Also, it was so damaging and costly that the participants wanted to end it.

In July, the American scrappage scheme ended and finally, on 27th October, the Tokyo Agreement between 5 leaders, Thomas Dewey, Lavrientiy Beria, Mao Zedong, Kim Il-Sung and Syngman Rhee ended the war and drew the border on the 37th parallel north.

By that time, the Franco-Vietnamese anti-Vietcong offense was already ongoing, with good results for the South.

Americas

Good car sales continued. While the end of scrappage slowed down cheap car sales, the rest of the market made up for that.

UAM showed some new things that changed the US car scene. The first was the '56 "Low Step" series of Studebaker pickup trucks, which used a less bulky frame design to give more space, also offering typical UAM quality, as well as good-value Mexican production. '56's UAM design also showed their new diesels, from Hotchkiss 4-bangers to Hudson/Kaiser V8s, which gave Mopars a run for their money.

Chrysler was falling into financial troubles, as they couldn't get enough sales during the scrappage scene, as Borgwards were relatively expensive, and their cars were showing reliability problems.

GM and Ford's new intermediate vehicles, the RWD Holden Superior (AU-only)/Chevrolet Chevelle/Pontiac LeMans/Oldsmobile 76/78/Buick Special and the FWD Ford Fairbank/Mercury Comet, were also hits, well-slotting between the compacts and fullsizes, offering both I6s and V8s.

Meanwhile, the Holden ASC got a more "civilian" version, the Sport Coupe, with an SBC 281 ci V8, and competitors for either - the Studebaker Sport Lark/Super Lark, with a normal Studebaker V8 and a 374 ci Packard one, respectively.

Also, GM began working on a cheaper, more mass-market alternative to the Packard Talladega, the Corvette, and Ford's Thunderbird was meant to be the same.

This year also had the first Japanese car stateside, the Toyotas: 200, Crown and Land Cruiser. However, all were derided for a lack of refinement, with very few sold in that only year of sales.

Europe:

Diesels kept gaining ground, with Borgward, BMW, Volvo, Peugeot, Citroen (Ami, 6CV, 9CV) and both Austin and Morris Group cars getting them. By then, not only fleet customers were getting such cars - they were getting more and more common on the average driveway.

In the UK, Austin-Rover and Morris were taking two different routes - AR began improving their quality, while also making the '56 designs appealing and introducing the Rover P5, while Morris risked large loans for making new car designs for Lanchester and Daimler, neglecting the 1956s. Rootes Group bought Standard-Triumph.

In Germany, the VW Type 3 was challenged by the new Opel Kadett. Meanwhile, both brands started working on sports csrs using these two's mechanicals.

Citroen revealed the 6CV and 9CV, looking much like the 13CV, but with less complex styling and mechanicals, while work on the 16CV and the range-topping GT continued, with the Porsche-Maserati team leading them.

In Italy, the new Fiat 600 had its premiere, attracting many 600 buyers. On the opposite end of the scale, the 2nd gen Lancia Stelvio surfaced, with a 4.7 V12. It was the fastest car in the world.

However, LeMans had another Lotus victory on the track, showing that the Six wasn't a one-hit wonder. Lotus was working on its own, non-Jaguar engine.

In Poland, the new microcar, Mikrus, debuted as a small 4-door sedan, and was directed to production. The USSR restarted its national car program after the war.

Asia

China resumed its national car program, as defense was no longer as prioritized, and a symbol of the Great Leap Forward was needed.

Meanwhile, in Japan, the economy was growing, and another company expanded - the Dutch colonies had a Hino factory set up, and Suzuki, now talking Citroen 2CV licensing, took its chances in post-nuclear-war Korea, or what was left of it in the south.

That is all for now. Hope you enjoy.

[texasautovalue-blog]

10 Justifiably Discontinued Cars (and 10 SUVs We’d Love to See Back)

It’s Never Nice to See a Car Go – Unless it’s Garbage, Of Course

Every year, automakers are faced with the decision as to which models will be built during the upcoming model years. A lot of things go into such decisions, but profitability and sales volume are huge determiners. If a vehicle isn’t performing well enough in its market and re-styling won’t save it, it’s bound to find itself in the company of countless discontinued cars which grows year in – year out.

It’s an annual dance that automotive manufacturers go through trying to determine what in their lineup will yield the most profit and what is dragging them down. Actually it’s not even that clear cut.

The ultimate objective is to maximize profit and the easiest part of that is to dump a dog. However there are riskier decisions that may involve discontinuing a solid performer in order to promote a newcomer with great potential or dropping an up and comer from the brand altogether to give it a chance to stand on its own. These are mega dollar decisions and the reason for so many empty Maalox bottles in the executive suites.

But, what does that mean for the average consumer? Usually, it means that the models to be discontinued will be discounted. Dealers will be having fire sales to clear their lots and make room for new inventory. The later in the calendar year, the steeper the discounts will become.

First off, we’ll start with a list of long or recently discontinued SUVs that most people would like to see back, and then we’ll move on to some relatively recently discontinued cars, trucks, and SUVs that we might see again after a while or might not see ever again depending on myriad of factors.

10 Discontinued SUVs Everyone Wants to See Back

Reuters and other sources have suggested that Ford, for instance, sees U.S. car market’s future stacked with SUVs. According to them, SUVs will amount to 40 percent of the entire market by 2020, and they see it as perfect opportunity to expand their SUV portfolio.

Of course, first thing that comes to mind when crossing Blue Oval and SUV is the good old Bronco. It really didn’t take a genius to put two and two together and figure out this was the prime time to do so. But, while the iconic nameplate is getting ready to rise and shine again, others aren’t as lucky.

Considering how SUVs seem to be the future of the car markets for foreseeable time, it’s a no-brainer to take a look at some iconic SUV nameplates that were either discontinued a long time ago or relatively recently. Some of them exhibit a serious potential for making a comeback soon (some have already been announced), while others are just wishful thinking but who knows what the future might bring.

10. Hummer

Let us start with one of the more obvious choices. H1, H2, H3 -it doesn’t really matter. All three generations of the Hummer were highly sturdy and capable, and more or less intertwined. One didn’t simply end for another to take swing. The Hummer H1 was available since 1992 and the H3 bowed down in 2010 after the global recession did its part.

This is one of the reasons the Hummer was so special. But everyone that knows about these cumbersome beasts, also knows that they used to offer much more than simply special. Plus, since global recession is more or less behind us, there are no more genuine reasons for them not to be produced.

09. Mitsubishi Pajero

The current Mitsubishi SUV lineup (or Mitsubishi lineup in general) is nowhere near that from 10 or 20 years ago. They are, however, heading in green direction at least – I’ll give them that.

Regardless, the Mitsubishi Pajero (badged as Montero in the States) is still regarded as one of the best vehicles that Japanese manufacturer has managed to assemble. Of course, the Montero had been gone from the U.S. for over a decade now (being discontinued in 2006), but we haven’t forgotten it. Have you?

The Pajero is still alive overseas where it’s still selling better than it ever did in the U.S. Incidentally, low sales (1,609 units in 2006 compared to 24,802 units in 2001) were exactly the reason for its discontinuation.

08. Land Rover Defender

It’s unrealistic to expect the Land Rover returning to their roots with the Defender, but that doesn’t mean we wouldn’t like that. It wasn’t that long they discontinued it, but let’s face it – newer models weren’t the true Defenders for years now anyway.

Their current lineup of SUVs is highly capable and correspondingly luxurious, and there’s simply no place for a bare-bone SUV of old. But, imagine if they actually made one. Of course, it would have been stacked with all the necessary tech, but it wouldn’t have to be as plush as the others. That would help lowering the cost one has to pay in order to drive a Landy. It’s a win win situation in my book.

The next-gen Defender has been announced for model year 2020 and, more importantly, will finally again be available stateside. How the old school sturdiness and new age technology fuse in it, remains to be seen. The last time Defender was available on the U.S. market, Bill Clinton was still in the office. Its short stint on the U.S. market (between 1993 and 1997) was cut due to low profitability.

07. Nissan Xterra

It’s only been a few years without the Nissan Xterra in the markets, but people looking for extreme sturdiness and reliability (at relatively affordable prices) are already missing that SUV. Most of its current or former owners will attest to its indestructibility and capability alike, and there were many who bought it between 1999 and 2015.

Xterra, however, was simply outdated in 2015 when it finally got the axe and that severely affected its sales. It’s not the only Nissan’s vehicle to suffer from the same negligence, but while the Frontier still soldiers on, the SUV is now gone. Given the fact SUV craze is still in its full swing (or yet to take the full swing), we wouldn’t be surprised to see it return. And we certainly wouldn’t mind.

06. Jeep Wagoneer

The Jeep Wagoneer rumors aren’t that scarce or strange. They have been circulating for a while now, and they make sense. Jeep still lacks the true flagship three-row SUV, and the new Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer would be the perfect choice to fill that slot.

Of course, it would probably look much different than we remember it, but the nameplate is what matters. That and exterior wooden panels. Of course, the latter has very slim chance of returning, but it’s our right to dream, isn’t it? The Wagoneer first appeared in 1963 and finally got retired in 1991, making it the longest-running domestic vehicle to be built on the same platform. Being a gas-guzzler (11 mpg combined) during the Gulf War oil shock is the main reason behind its discontinuation.

Although still not official, the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer nameplates have been confirmed for a comeback sometime beyond 2020. That’s great news indeed, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

05. Willys Jeep CJ

It’s been a while since this one was discontinued, but it’s impossible to forget an icon, and Willys Jeep certainly was one. A 42 year long stint of production between 1944 and 1986 only bolsters that statement. Jeep finally discontinued the offspring of the WWII veteran in order to make way for a more contemporary YJ Wrangler.

Of course, it’s impossible to expect the old school bare-boned SUV in a modern era where safety regulations play such an important role. Still, if Wrangler manages, why wouldn’t one slightly rougher version do the same? Moreover, there’s some empty space in Jeep’s portfolio since the Patriot has been discontinued and the Compass might not be long for this world.

04. Chevrolet Blazer

Also known as GMC Jimmy, the Chevy Blazer is one of the best known U.S.-made SUVs to date. Sadly, it hasn’t been around for quite some time. The Blazer first appeared in 1969 and finally got axed in 1995 when it was renamed Tahoe. It was simply a victim of a new corporate strategy which is an anti-climactic end for such a beloved nameplate.

Of course, we now have the Chevy Tahoe and the GMC Yukon, but the second generation Blazer which lasted for almost 20 years is still sorely missed. The Blazer simply had that X factor which its successors lack. It’s similar with Blue Oval’s Bronco and Expedition comparison.

Now, I know that Blazer has made its comeback for MY 2019, but that’s not the Blazer I was referring to above. The new model might be sporty and plushy, but aside from name, doesn’t have anything to do with its iconic predecessor.

03. Toyota FJ Cruiser

Yet again, a car which was axed not so long ago. The Toyota FJ cruiser retired in 2014 (2016 overseas), and left Wrangler as the only rugged, old school off-road SUV on the U.S. market (until the new Bronco finally arrives, that is). Slow sales which never recuperated after the global recession of 2008-09 were the main reason for its discontinuation.

The Japanese are still selling Land Cruisers, but they simply can’t be compared with the compact FJ Cruiser. The FJ had that X factor. That something that made it special. Maybe it were the circular headlamps, or the overall boxy appearance, but I sure wish it was still here.

02. GMC Typhoon

The GMC Typhoon was always different than the rest of SUVs marketed at the time. Two year long production (between 1991 and 1993) and fewer than 5,000 units produced wasn’t exactly the lifespan you’d wish to a car, but the Typhoon was actually meant to be limited. Being a special-edition vehicle, the Typhoon’s life was naturally short and there were no particular reasons for its discontinuation other than that.

It was a performer, and performance-oriented SUVs weren’t really a thing back in early nineties. They are becoming that now, and GMC has something to think about. It’s an expensive process introducing a new SUV to the market – especially a performance-oriented one – but at least they have the name standing ready.

01. Bronco

Considering all the fuss surrounding it, the Bronco is arguably the most wanted comeback vehicle out there. The Expedition is nice and tough, but the Bronco nameplate has some backbone to it that rarely any other SUV nameplate has. Whether it’s the compact models (1965 to 1977) or full-size units (1977 to 1996), the Broncos were highly appreciated among the U.S. buyers. It was a sad day when the Bronco was finally discontinued in favor of a 4-door Expedition which was Blue Oval’s answer to competition – mainly that from GM.

Ford doesn’t have to sell it in white if that’s their problem with the car, but showing some love would be appreciated by everyone – especially by buyers. Come to think of it, a white-exclusive OJ Edition wouldn’t necessarily have to be a bad thing. Just saying.

Anyway, that was my state of mind a few years back and now that the Bronco is finally making a comeback, there’s a sense of nervousness permeating the air around it. What if they screw it up?! Hopefully, the new Bronco will be a different sort of SUV than the new Blazer.

Relatively Recently Discontinued Cars We Might or Might Not See Again

Let’s now focus on some recently discontinued models that we probably won’t be seeing ever again. Some of them, however, have already had a similar stint so not all is lost in their cases. So, say your goodbyes to the ones that are gone and say your prayers for the ones that still might appear.

Volkswagen Touareg

The Volkswagen Touareg was introduced for the 2004 model year. It arrived on an early wave of the craze for upscale crossovers. The Touareg is sportier and more luxurious than most mainstream SUVs, but doesn’t really standout from the other upscale models.

Unfortunately for the Touareg’s future, the added luxury priced it out of many buyers’ range. VW is not going to abandon the segment altogether, though. The company is introducing the Atlas for 2018. The Atlas is being manufactured in North America and is more affordably priced than the Touareg.

While we probably won’t be seeing Touareg in the U.S. any more, it needs to be noted that the nameplate is still very much alive in the rest of the World.

Buick Verano

The life of the Buick Verano has been short (less than 5 years). The first Veranos hit dealerships for the 2012 model year. True to the basic nature of Buick, the Verano was a very comfortable entry-level luxury sedan.

The Verano, unfortunately, is but one victim of the ever-changing tastes of car buyers. Small car sales are down across the North American market. Instead of offering another sedan, Buick plans to fill the niche with the Encore compact crossover SUV, a model that is already popular among buyers and made its debut alongside the now-discontinued sedan back in 2012.

It’s also worth mentioning that the Verano name is still very much active in China.

Chevrolet SS

The Chevy SS is another car with a short life span. Introduced in 2014, the full-size SS crossed the ocean from Australia. GM subsidiary Holden designed the SS as a sporty rear-wheel-drive alternative to the Impala.

The SS offered 415 hp and 415 lb-ft of torque and was fun drive in spite of its size. Sadly, it wasn’t marketed particularly well. Very few people even knew of its existence, let alone wanted to pay the $50,000 sticker price.

Around 13,000 units have been sold over almost five years of sleeper’s tenure on the market. Still, if there was any car that deserved to remain being offered as a niche vehicle, this would be the one. In Australia, the Holden Commodore SS was downsized and is still being offered (continually since 1978).

Volkswagen CC

Introduced in 2009, the Volkswagen CC was a stylish and well-equipped entry-level luxury sedan. Despite its wide array of equipment and solid dependability, the four-door CC was also VW’s lowest-volume car.

Sales started declining rapidly after 2011 and never showed any signs of recuperating, hence the upscale sedan was axed in 2017. They were actually so bad that, at one point, VW sold 40 Jettas for every CC that left a dealer’s lot. VW remains hopeful that it can gain a foothold in the near-luxury four-door market, however.

The Germans will be replacing the CC with the Arteon, but even that business didn’t go down without complications as the new car missed its intended U.S. market train due to complications with emissions testings.

Chrysler 200

All that can be said about the demise of the Chrysler 200 is: “it was about time!” This lackluster replacement for the equally lackluster Chrysler Sebring has needed to be axed since its inception in 2011. This finally happened in 2017.

Sales were decent, but many owners and potential buyers felt the cheap feeling interior and boring styling were disappointing. The sedan segment was just too crowded for poor styling and cheap interiors. Fiat Chrysler had the common sense to put this donkey to bed and add production capability to meet demands for its truck and SUV lines.

However, this move has left the Chrysler lineup seriously shallow with only the Pacifica minivan and the 300 sedan still on the books.

Smart Fortwo

Mercedes-Benz dabbled in the small economy car niche with the Smart Fortwo. These strange-looking cars hit the roads in 2008 and immediately began disappointing buyers. Tiny, unstable-looking, and short on fuel economy, the Smart Fortwo proved to be short on smart and barely able to fit two.

Mercedes-Benz has decided to drop the gasoline versions after the 2017 model year, but will keep the Electric Drive version. Maybe as an all-electric, this urban crawler will finally find its niche. On the other hand, it’ll require some serious progression in terms of its own electric technology if it’s to avoid the gasoline model’s fate.

Infiniti QX70

When the Infiniti QX70 hit the market in 2003 as the Infiniti FX, sales went wild. The QX70 was a radically curvaceous temptress when everything around her was boxy and staid. Unfortunately, sales have been sagging since the 2005 model year and the mid-size luxury SUV was finally dropped in 2018.

To be fair, there was a bit of an economic downturn between 2008 and 2012 to contend with, but sales have never hit an uptick. Infiniti is replacing the QX70 with a totally restyled QX50. With the crossover and SUV fever that has been sweeping the globe for several years, we may be seeing a retooled version of the QX70 in the not-too-distant future.

Dodge Viper

The loss of the Dodge Viper is the saddest thing we have ever had to type. Chrysler introduced the Dodge Viper in 1992 when its lineup contained more junk than a scrap yard. The only thing Chrysler was selling in 1992 were minivans and a few boxy, underwhelming cars. Then, all of a sudden and completely out of nowhere, the V10 Viper hit the pavement.

Buyers started to get excited about a Chrysler product for the first time in decades. Unfortunately, profits per unit have always been minimal. Fiat Chrysler is in need of every dollar of profit possible, so the Viper is being axed.

Even worse, there are no plans to replace it with another car of note and it’s already been a while since the FCA discontinued the Viper in 2017. So with that, we say goodbye to one of the most iconic American sports cars to date. Of all the cars to be discontinued in recent years, this one definitely breaks our hearts the most.

Jeep Patriot

The Jeep Patriot and the Jeep Compass debuted side-by-side as part of the 2007 model year lineup. The Patriot has stuck around for a decade with very few changes or upgrades. Tired and dated are about the only things that can be said about it. It was finally dropped in 2017 in order to make way fro the new Renegade.

When it debuted, the Patriot was the only compact crossover that sported bona fide off-road skills when equipped with the “Trail Rated” 4×4 system. Jeep has made a terrible waste of a potential sales monster by allowing it to lament in near stagnation. Oh, about the Jeep Compass…it gets a major redesign and a fresh marketing campaign to ensure its continued success.

Cadillac ELR

Just because your badge is upscale does not mean you can take a low end vehicle, dress it up, slap a badge on it and make it an upscale vehicle that people will buy. Unfortunately that’s what Cadillac did with its version of the Chevy Volt (remember Cimarron?).

Not only was the all-electric poorly conceived, it was also launched when Tesla introduced its spectacularly successful Model S. The $75,000 price tag for the ELR put a real blanket on potential sales. On the plus side, so few were manufactured that they may become a collectible based on rarity.

The ELR was only available between 2014 and 2016 and the company managed to sell close to 3,000 units during that time.

FCA Dodge Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country

Soccer Moms and car pool drivers are going to have to find another mode of transport when their existing Caravans and Town & Country vans need to be replaced. These seven passenger minivans with not so great fuel efficiency are the victims of a general reduction in demand and FCA’s shrinking share of the market that is there.

The hope was that the redesigned Chrysler Pacifica will fill the minivan needs of both Dodge and Chrysler customers and so far the Pacifica has delivered.

Dodge versions, as you remember, debuted back in late 1983 and are still being sold for the time being, while the Chrysler Town & Country arrived in late 1989 and disappeared in 2016.

And so ends our list of inglorious discontinued cars from recent years. We bid a fond adieu to a couple and wonder why a few others aren’t listed as well? Oh well, something to look forward to in coming years! Speaking of which, this list will be constantly updated with new discontinued models so don’t forget to check back and reminisce about them.

[oldmotors]

The #RangeRover story arguably starts all the way back in 1949 with the Tickford-bodied Land Rover 80 Station Wagons. That “car” proved too expensive and less than 700 were made; but the idea was sound. Under the leadership of Maurice and Spender Wilks, the “Road Rover” idea resurfaced in the 1950s but never made it to production. With the arrival of the IHC Scout and Jeep Wagoneer in the ‘60s, it resurfaced again with new Rover engineers - Spen King and Gordon Bashford. In 1966, a new technical director, Peter Wilks, greenlit development of the “100 inch station wagon,” which became 1971’s Range Rover. - Cracking the American market was part of the reason for building the Range Rover, but due to a lack of resources and capacity, the planned 1971 U.S. launch was cancelled and Land Rover withdrawn from the U.S. in 1974. The Range Rover’s evolution is too long to chronicle here, but the truck did not arrive stateside (officially) until 1987. In the meantime, the truck was a hit everywhere else - it was civilized but tough, although the early 2-doors were spartan compared to later models. Land Rover was made its own company in 1979 and the truck was given four doors in 1981. - Though British Leyland wasn’t selling RRs to Americans at the time, Americans still wanted to buy them. Familiar in Britain, the Range was exotic in America, and the first gray market ones began appearing in California in 1979. By 1983 there were four importers in CA (and some in TX and FL) bringing in tiny numbers of RRs and selling them for a huge markup. To supplement its own cars, Aston-Martin of North America got into the act in 1984. Seeing the interest, BL decided to start bringing over the truck itself. In 1985 it formed Range Rover North America, and the truck debuted at the LA Auto show in January, 1987. Sales started on March 16, 1987. - Just 36 initial dealers moved 1,762 of the ‘87s (2,586 were sold for the full year, including ’88s), and they were all high-profile. Bruce Willis, Goldie Hawn, and Joe Montana were early owners and the truck even got a shout-out on the Beastie Boys’ “Paul’s Boutique.” It sold well despite a high price, and “Range Rover” was soon a household name. https://www.instagram.com/p/B0ELH2ClpJZ/?igshid=mxl8129fnzjb

[lanewqnz037-blog]

The Modern Jeep and Off Road Enthusiasts

The modern day Jeep is understood as an all-terrain lorry that can brave the most rugged of environments but is likewise considered road-worthy or street legal. The contemporary day Jeep brand name has undergone a lot of modifications in style and ownership throughout the years but has maintained its claim to fame as one of the most recognizable and influential cars in the world.

It is a testimony to the Jeep's staying power that it has actually effectively crossed military and civilian appeals and lines to both markets. With the increasing interest in off-road cars, the many versions of the Jeep are traversing both desert and icy tundra and continue to control the 4x4 world.

After the War: Commercializing the Jeep market

After the Second World War, Willys-Overland saw an opportunity to hallmark the Jeep and repackage it to appeal to a broader market.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) opposed this move as the company had not develop the name "Jeep" initially; however, they chose not to pursue this claim further, allowing Willys-Overland to take ownership of the brand name.

Willys-Overland produced the very first civilian Jeep or CJ in 1945 and trademarked the Jeep brand in 1950. Willys-Overland struggled in terms of production and sales which allowed them to be taken over by the Kaiser Motors three years after they were granted the trademark of the Jeep brand name. Kaiser Motors also underwent repackaging and became the Kaiser-Jeep company in 1963.

It wasn't till Kaiser-Jeep was obtained by the American Motor Business or AMC that the Jeep brand actually took off. The Jeep brand complemented AMC's automobile service and AMC took advantage of Jeep's worldwide and government background. The French automobile maker, Renault began investing in the AMC however eventually encountered financial difficulty.

The American Motor Company was bought out by the Chrysler Corporation that ultimately combined with Daimler-Benz and formed the DaimlerChrylser. During this time the original Jeep CJ-17 was changed by the Jeep Wrangler. The present majority owner of the Jeep brand is a private equity business that put the Chrysler and Jeep divisions under the all-inclusive arm of the Chrysler Group LLC.

Jeeps All Around the World

Many variations of the Jeep have been made under special license all over the world. The Jeep Cherokee (XJ), for instance, was produced by the Beijing Jeep Company, Ltd. in partnership with the Beijing Automobile Industry Corporation.

The Jeep vs. General Motor's Hummer

Willys-Overland's first style for the Jeep included a slat-grille made up of an plan of flat bars. This was revamped by Ford into a 9-slot grille which was more lightweight and much better suited for the World War II jeeps.

The business Jeep now uses a 7-slot grille style which is likewise in use by the General Motors Hummer. Chrysler Jeep department claimed exclusive rights for the 7-slot grille because they are now the sole owner of the Jeep hallmark.

The last Hummer was produced in 2009. Jeeps, on the other hand, are still going strong.

Jeep Enthusiasts and Off Roadway Clubs

There is a fanaticism with Jeeps that runs deeper than that of most other vehicles. Many Jeep owners have actually opted to share their love with fellow owners by joining local clubs committed to them. These clubs frequently gathering for weekend journeys; driving their Jeeps off road for shared adventures as well as assisting each other with custom-made modifications. Many groups have actually opted to signify their membership with special Jeep club shirts or sticker labels featuring tailored photos of their own automobiles.

What might be unexpected to some Americans, is that a few of the greatest Jeep fans on the planet come not from the United States, but South America. The rugged country of Columbia is the ideal stomping ground for these hardy 4x4s. In this area, Jeeps are more than simply a hobby, they are a way of life. The rinsed dirt roadways of coffee nation are impassible to standard cars. They are true workhorses, bring supplies to remote areas in addition to offering trustworthy transportation to individuals residing in villages.

Later, Ford and Willys-Overland produced two more jeep models. In the end, Ford and Willy's-Overland manufactured the very first mass production of jeeps.

The origin of the word jeep is not clear, however people believe that the word came from phonetically slurred pronunciation of "GP" or car for basic Article source purpose.

Some individuals also think that the name for this multi purpose lorry came from a character in Thimble Theater cartoon Popeye, the character is referred to as Eugene the Jeep. Eugene the Jeep is a character that might walk through ceilings and walls , climb trees, fly and simply go anywhere it wanted.

Early Americans believe that soldiers were so satisfied with the adaptability of the jeep that they named their prototype from the comic character.

After the production of the very first jeep prototype and the 2nd set of jeep models from Ford and Willys-Overland, Willys-Overland Motor Business was designated to produce the very first mass production of jeeps in Toledo, Ohio.

Because of the substantial quantity requirement of the United States Federal Government, Ford Motor Business complimented Willys-Overland to assist complete the requirements.

In combination, the production of Willys-Overland and Ford reached about 600,000 systems of this high mobility multipurpose-wheeled lorry, which some call hum-vee.

The jeep is commonly copied by other nations such as in France and The Netherlands. The french variation of the jeep is developed by Hotchkiss and in The Netherlands, Nekaf is the manufacturer of their jeep.

Other variations of the jeep are the train jeep and the amphibious jeep, which are better than any other automobile of its size.

Part of the war effort brought jeeps to the Red Army during the World War II.

Today, the hallmark holder of Jeep is DaimlerChrysler. DaimlerChrysler is the successor of the company Willys-Overland. Jeep aficionados are believed to acknowledge the distinction of the 7 bar grille design of jeep as popular as Mickey Mouse.

DaimlerChrysler likewise thinks that the jeep brand name is well-known worldwide, second just to the Coke brand. This can be true for those who are enthusiasts of this flexible lorry.

It is true that jeeps are multipurpose and recognized worldwide; as in fact, there are likewise producers of the jeep brand name in Beijing, China. This producer did this originating from the joint venture between Beijing Jeep Corporation Ltd., and DaimlerChrysler Corporation located in China.

In addition, other jeep cars have different design classification. Some of them are civilian jeep that brings the "xJ" designation although not all are widely known as the traditional CJ or Civilian Jeep.

[armyjeepparts-blog]

Army Jeep Parts, Inc. (AJP) is one of the oldest suppliers of parts and services for vintage military jeeps in the restoration and collector hobby today. AJP makes every effort to only stock the best parts available and goes to great lengths to either find or manufacture them when needed.

[poweroftheminds]

Mahindra Roxor retro off-roader now being built in Detroit

http://www.allcarsnews.com/?p=8148

There's a new company building cars in Detroit, and this one hails from India.

The company is Mahindra, an SUV and truck manufacturer which has recently branched out into new segments including electric cars. Now it is also producing the Roxor off-roader in Detroit for local sale and export.

You might be thinking the Roxor looks a lot like early CJ Jeeps, and you'd be right. Mahindra got its start in vehicle manufacturing shortly after World War 2 by building licensed Willys Jeeps. The company has continued to evolve the design since then, staying much closer to the original than Jeep itself has with the Wrangler.

Mahindra describes the Roxor as the ideal blend of old-school simplicity and modern technology. It features a steel body atop a ladder frame chassis with solid axles and leaf springs. The wheelbase measures 96 inches and the curb weight comes in at 3,035 pounds.

The sole powertrain is a turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-4 diesel good for 62 horsepower and 114 pound-feet of torque, plus 3,490 pounds of towing capacity. It's mated to a 5-speed manual and 2-speed transfer case for the standard 4-wheel-drive system. The top speed is limited to 45 mph, which Mahindra deems more than necessary since the vehicle is meant for off-road use and not highway driving.

Here's the part that will really rock your socks off. The Roxor's base price is just $15,499. Mahindra has been able to keep prices low as the Roxor isn't a street-legal vehicle, meaning it doesn't have certification for things like crashworthiness and emissions. There are numerous options that can quickly inflate that figure, though.

With such attractive pricing, the Roxor makes an interesting option for anyone looking for a rough-and-ready vehicle to drive through the dirt and over rocks without doing much damage. The company is targeting farming and mining industries as well as off-roading enthusiasts.

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[judefan842-blog]

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