Mopar’s JK-8 Kit Converts Your Jeep Wrangler Unlimited to a Pickup for $5499

Mopar’s JK-8 Kit Converts Your Jeep Wrangler Unlimited to a Pickup for $5499: "

Chrysler’s Mopar division previewed its Jeep JK-8 pickup bed conversion for the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited a few months ago at the annual Moab Easter Jeep Safari, and now Jeep pickup enthusiasts can purchase the kit that converts their four-door Wrangler to a modern Scrambler for $5499, installation not included. With the least-expensive Wrangler Unlimited, the air-conditioning-free Sport trim, starting at $26,345, this means that it’ll run you nearly $32,000 for a Wrangler pickup—and that’s not counting the time or cost of the actual conversion.

The kit consists of new body panels that make up the pickup bed, a new bulkhead behind the front seats, new B-pillars, roll bar extensions, and a removable fiberglass roof. The installation is a bit more than a simple plug-and-play affair, and requires several spot welds in the body to be cut (along with the B-pillars and portions of the existing roll bar), and the kit’s new body panels to be welded in place and painted. At Mopar’s April unveiling of the JK-8 kit, the company said that it might offer a simpler, “backyard bolt-in” kit, and apparently that easier-to-install option has been shelved.

Despite the reasonably involved installation process, Mopar seems confident that a motivated do-it-yourselfer could feasibly execute the conversion. For the less daring conversion buyer, the kit can be installed at any Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, or Ram dealership; with this much welding and bodywork, however, it might be wise to find a dealership with a decent body shop. Perhaps the kit’s best attribute—besides the fact that the conversion creates a Jeep with a pickup bed—is that the whole shebang is warranted for three years/36,000 miles, and it is available now through any Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, or Ram dealership. If you want to see the JK-8 in action, head over here.

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Can Your Car Be Hacked? How Hackers and Carmakers Battle for Control

Can Your Car Be Hacked? How Hackers and Carmakers Battle for Control: "

Hack to the future.

Not too long ago, securing a car meant popping the faceplate off the CD player, slapping a Club over the steering wheel, and locking the doors. As vehicles’ electronic systems evolve, however, automobiles are starting to require the same protection as laptop computers and e-commerce servers.

Keep Reading: Can Your Car Be Hacked? – Feature

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John Phillips: Shelby Mustangs and a Mule, Dick

John Phillips: Shelby Mustangs and a Mule, Dick: "

Each Mustang’s bio reads like a résumé.

Recently landing on my desk—with a thud that sounded like a minor car crash—was a copy of the Shelby American Automobile Club’s updated registry of all known Shelby GT Mustangs from ’65, ’66, and ’67. It weighs six pounds, includes 1315 black-and-white photos, spans 1350 pages, and costs $200, plus $20 for shipping (www.saac.com). When the book fell on my desk, it caused both me and a cup of coffee to leap half an inch.

Keep Reading: John Phillips: Jake (a Goat) and Dick (a Mule) Were Both Fond of Shelby Mustangs – Column

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Aaron Robinson: A New Film About EVs Answers the Question: What About Bob?

Aaron Robinson: A New Film About EVs Answers the Question: What About Bob?: "

GM ushers the cameras past the security goons and right up to the Kool-Aid stand, where Lutz is serving it up in flagons.

Former GM vice-chairman Robert Lutz recently plunged into a milling crowd in front of the SVA (School of Visual Arts) Theatre in lower Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood. His hair was the usual silver helmet, but his skin was preternaturally  tan, like it had been anodized. Somebody said he had just flown in from the Caribbean.

Keep Reading: Aaron Robinson: A New Film About EVs Answers the Question: What About Bob? – Feature

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How Audi Hybrids Could Keep the Rotary Engine Alive, Plus 10 Wankel Facts

How Audi Hybrids Could Keep the Rotary Engine Alive, Plus 10 Wankel Facts: "

Rotary Revival: A second act for Felix Wankel’s wundermotor.

Only 1134 Mazda RX-8s were purchased here in 2010. The lack of interest means that Mazda will probably shelve its rotary engine later this year. But weep not, rotorheads, because salvation is at hand. The 20th century’s only new engine to succeed is too good to die, and its next assignment could sustain it for decades.

Keep Reading: How Audi Hybrids Could Keep the Wankel Rotary Alive – Tech Dept.

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Infiniti Gives Us a Second Glimpse of the 2013 JX Seven-Seat Crossover

Infiniti Gives Us a Second Glimpse of the 2013 JX Seven-Seat Crossover: "

Last week we Infiniti kicked off a seven-part, seven-week, peek-a-boo Facebook unveiling of its upcoming 2013 JX seven-seat crossover with an image of the JX’s front-left headlight and wheel, and today we bring you Infiniti’s second peek. This week’s image shows a portion of its right-rear taillight and haunches. You can find more of our coverage of the JX along with spy photos here.

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Car2Go Announces All-Electric Car-Sharing Program in San Diego

Car2Go Announces All-Electric Car-Sharing Program in San Diego: "

Car2Go, a car sharing enterprise similar to Zipcar, has announced that by the end of the year, its San Diego fleet will be all-electric, packed with 300 Smart Fortwo Electric Drives. For a refresher on how car sharing generally works, read our rundown of Zipcar here. It must be noted that Car2Go differs from Zipcar by offering “free-floating” car rentals, which means members can take a car anywhere they please and simply leave it there—no need to return the car to a specific location by a specific time. The company’s telematics tech lets members know which cars are available and where, and its automated rental process makes nabbing a nearby car a snap.

What isn’t clear at this time is how Car2Go plans to handle the task of recharging its fleet of “free-floating” electric Smarts. Typically, car sharing companies include a gas card in the glovebox for refueling the cars, but charging a car is a bit more time-consuming than filling up with dino juice—and did we mention the electric Smart has a sub-100-mile range? Car2Go plans to release the specific charging process soon, but for now it has revealed that regardless of who is tasked with charging the cars or how the cars make their way to charging stations, they will make use of Blink EV charging stations around the city of San Diego. Hopefully easing the charging situation, Blink plans to have around 1000 public charging stations operational by the end of 2011.

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Ancient Grease: How One Shop Keeps Mercedes’ Iconic “Grosser” 600 Parade-Ready

Ancient Grease: How One Shop Keeps Mercedes’ Iconic “Grosser” 600 Parade-Ready: "

In Wisconsin, Karl Middelhauve keeps Mercedes-Benz’s dictator specials running.

In 1966, Karl Middelhauve bought a Mercedes-Benz 300SE. When its engine blew up on Germany’s autobahn, he had AMG install the 6.3-liter V-8 from a Mercedes 600 “Grosser” limousine. It was the beginning of a lifelong obsession. In the decades since, Middelhauve has become an internationally recognized 600 authority. The car long favored by celebrities and heads of state—from John Lennon to Idi Amin—is now catered to by a quiet, one-man operation in Wausau, Wisconsin. Just less than 2700 600s were built from 1964 to 1981, each with an air suspension and a complex hydraulic system powering everything from the windows to the cowl vent. Middelhauve has worked on or restored more than 200 of them. His shop, an 11-bay pole barn jammed with 19 6.3-liter V-8–powered vehicles, is a treasure trove of Grosser gold. We headed deep into cheese country  for a closer look.

Keep Reading: Ancient Grease: Keeping the Mercedes-Benz “Grosser” 600 Parade-Ready – Feature

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2011 Mazda 2 Touring Long-Term Update: We Need to Take More Road Trips

2011 Mazda 2 Touring Long-Term Update: We Need to Take More Road Trips: "

Update One: Nice guys finish last—at least on the sign-out sheet.

On a balance scale, you’d need roughly 19 Miss America winners to level out our long-term Mazda 2. Put another way, we could tow five Mazda 2 hatches behind our long-term Dodge Ram 2500. Perhaps because Americans largely purchase cars by the pound, the 2 is inexpensive, and it comes equipped as such. It’s one reason, even as the logbook fills with love notes, that the little hatch has traveled a mere 13,912 miles during its seven-month stay with us.

Keep Reading: 2011 Mazda 2 Touring – Long-Term Road Test Update

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2012 Chrysler 300 SRT8 / 2012 Dodge Charger SRT8 – First Drive Review

2012 Chrysler 300 SRT8 / 2012 Dodge Charger SRT8 – First Drive Review: "

Two reminders that great things can still come in big packages.

If we made a list of unforgettable cars of the previous decade, the first-generation Chrysler 300 SRT8 and Dodge Charger SRT8 would be on it. They were nutso full-sizers with 425-hp, 6.1-liter Hemis; aggressive looks; and chest-thumping exhausts. Those qualities earned them a pass for their shortcomings—which included occasionally crashy suspensions, plasticky interiors, turret-like outward vision, and a five-speed automatic transmission that could have used an additional ratio (or three).

Keep Reading: 2012 Chrysler 300 SRT8 / 2012 Dodge Charger SRT8 – First Drive Review

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