Jeep has finally taken the wraps off the 2011 Jeep Wrangler! Its been 70 year since the first Jeep (Willys) rolled of the assembly line. To commemorate the 70th anniversary the 2011 is sporting a revamped interior, but those hoping for the new Penstar 3.6L V6 have to wait one more year till the 2012 arrives. Production started this week, so look for them soon at your local Jeep Dealer, or you could come to SEMA yourself and check out the tricked out Rugged Ridge version!

Download the 2011 Jeep Wrangler Options Guide

Download the 2011 Jeep Wrangler Owners Manual

So I get a lot of emails and it is hard to read everything that comes through sometimes, but when I get an email that says “Subject:  Jeeps and Girls Photo Shoot”…   I was sold – didn’t need to read it just sign me up!

A local photographer contacted us to use a few our Jeep Wranglers in a photo shoot with some swimsuit models. He is working on an car calendar and wanted to feature some offroad shots using a few of the built Rugged Ridge Jeeps. For some reason it wasn’t very hard to find guys willing to lend him their rigs for the day. These are some test shots we were sent from the initial shoot. Don’t worry there will be more pics to come as this was first round and we are currently scheduling a multistage shoot for this project.

If you like Girls and Cars you need to check out SEMA 2010 Click the Image Below and Register to Win a Free Trip to Las Vegas!!!

They started in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower in Paris France, and now a year a half later sit waiting to cross the Bering Straight. The Goal? To become the first vehicle to travel from Paris to New York (the long way) under its own power. Extreme Expedition has passed through eighteen countries in eighteen months, and looks to add two more to its total as it looks to complete its 25,000 mile voyage this June.

Now, the most dangerous part of the voyage lies ahead as the team waits for the weather to clear before attempting to cross the 60 mile Bering Straight. The team has fitted the Wranglers with pontoons for water crossings and to ensure the vehicles won’t crash down through ice flows. From there the expedition plans to drive from Alaska into Canada before criss-crossing the states on their way to New York City.

If you have a lot of “Free Cash” laying around and want to get in on the action: you can! Around $50,000 will buy you 25 days or so behind the wheel of one of the three heavily modified Jeep Rubicon (JK) Wranglers.

It’s that time of year. The time when hard working tax payers saunter out to their mail boxes, and find a tax bill rebate check waiting for them. If you’re lucky, and you happen to find it before your significant other, you can start plotting and planning on sinking the money into your rig. Here is the Top Ten items that made our Tax Refund Wish List:

10.)  Winch Recovery Gear Kit

If you don’t already own one, then buy it today. Only a tool goes off road without decent first aid and recovery gear kits.

9.)  Cold Air Intake / Performance Filter

Invest in parts that will earn an extra return. Cold Air Intakes and Performance Filters increase horsepower and fuel economy, and put money back where it belongs: in your wallet.

8.)  GPS

A nice GPS with both Road and Topo maps will cost around $150-400. With it you can record your favorite trails, find the next peak and keep from getting lost.

7.)  Off Road Seats

Nothing is worse than a day on the trail in a worn out seat… it is like every rock is personally kicking you in the seat of your pants. Replace your worn and weathered seats with a set custom made for off-road use for a difference you can feel.

6.)  Off Road Lights

Don’t let night fall on your adventure. Create your own daylight long after the sun has gone down. From ultra bright HIDs to traditional halogen lights, there is a light kit to fit your budget.

5.)  Dual Battery Tray

Don’t let your battery die during your next recovery operation. A dual battery tray gives you extra piece of mind, and two batteries to power all your accessories.

4.)  Heavy Duty Winch

You can pick up a heavy duty 8500 LB winch for less than $350 bucks, or you can fork over the same amount to Hillbilly & Son’s Wrecker Service the next time you get stuck.

3.)  XHD Modular Bumper

It’s the only bumper system that allows you to pick and choose from a series of interchangeable components to build the bumper of your choice.

2.)  Lift Kit

Let’s face it: Its not a Jeep until its lifted.

1.)  Take a Jeep Trip.

It may not be cost effective to drive your Jeep across the county, but for just a few hundred dollars you can rent a Jeep in places like Moab, Telluride, Hawaii or Costa Rica.

Did you miss Moab? Do you scan magazines and troll the web to see the latest concept cars and hottest new products? Well… Don’t miss SEMA!

The SEMA Show is the world’s premier automotive car show and product showcase. With more than 3.2 million sq. ft. of concept cars, aftermarket vendors and over 2,500 new products on display, right off the Las Veags Strip,  not only is it the hottest auto show on the planet, it is the world’s largest automotive party!. The only problem? The SEMA Show is this exclusive trade show is for  Automotive Aftermarket industry personnel insiders only.

Win your way inside SEMA with Omix-ADA! 5 Lucky winners will win a trip SEMA as courtesy of Omix / Rugged Ridge.

The Grand Prize Winner will receive: Round Trip Air Fare, 4 Nights Accommodation in a 4 or 5 Star Hotel, Night Club Passes, a Spa Treatment, and of course Passes to the SEMA Show!

Register to win (no purchase necessary) at www.omix-ada.com. Fill out the online registration form using promo code “RR Blog”.

Chrysler rolled into Moab with truckloads of “Moparized” Jeeps and wicked Ram Trucks meant to the turn heads of fans at the 44th annual Moab Easter Jeep Safari in Moab, Utah.

“Our customized production vehicles show how Mopar can accessorize Jeep and Ram vehicles that are on the road today while our image vehicles showcase directions we could take in the future,” said Pietro Gorlier, President and Chief Executive Officer – Mopar Service, Parts and Customer Care, Chrysler Group LLC. “We will gauge reaction to these vehicles. And as we develop our next generation of new Mopar parts and accessories, we will listen closely to this dedicated group of hard-core off-road enthusiasts.”

“Moparized” Vehicles
The Mopar Underground design team is a small group of dedicated engineers, designers and fabricators who are led by Mark Allen, Chief Designer – Head of Jeep Design Studio, Chrysler Group LLC. The Mopar design team has been customizing production vehicles since 2002 and has introduced nearly 20 concept vehicles to enthusiast crowds at the Moab Jeep Safari.

The Mopar off-road engineering team is led by Keith Montone, Manager – Mopar Jeep and Ram Off-road Engineering, Chrysler Group LLC. This experienced group of vehicle engineers is dedicated to providing Jeep and Ram customers with the best off-road parts and accessories. The team has introduced many new parts and played a key role in developing the first aftermarket lift kits available from an automotive manufacturer.

“Moab is a proving ground for us to test our vehicles on extreme trails alongside our customers,” said Allen. “We will take all of the feedback we get from our customers right back to the design studio with us.”

Following are eight “Moparized” image vehicles that will be shown in Moab:

Jeep Wrangler J7

Jeep Patriot Extreme

Jeep Wrangler Trail Boss

Jeep Nukizer 715

Ram PowerWagon

The General

Mopar Ram Runner

Mopar ImMortal

Mopar ImMortal
The Mopar ImMortal is a Jeep Wrangler featuring portal axles, a 5.7-liter HEMI and off-road bumpers. Military-grade portal axle ends are engineered to mate to Mopar’s Pro Rock and Power Wagon performance axles and adapted to fit the suspension. Portal axle ends provide 5 inches of lift and contain a 1.5 gear reduction. Combined with the 4:1 transfer case, the result is a hard-core 100:1 crawl ratio. The Mopar ImMortal is sheathed in Jeep performance body armor for intense protection.

Vehicle Information:

Prototype Mopar portal axle assemblies
42 x 14.5 x 17LT Goodyear MTR tires
Mopar Jeep Wrangler 4:1 Rock Trac transfer case
Mopar Jeep Wrangler 2-inch lift kit
Mopar Performance body armor
Mopar AEV heat-reduction hood
Mopar half-door kit
Mopar sun bonnet
Mopar Jeep Wrangler seat covers
Paint – Viper Snakeskin Green Pearlcoat
Tom Woods custom drive shafts
AEV 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 conversion
Off-road front and rear bumpers
Hydraulic steering assist
Katzkin leather seats

Mopar Ram Runner
This is a new kind of Ram. Inspired by Baja-style desert racing, this 4×4 is unlike any other in captivity. The rigors of off-road racing require large tires, plenty of ground clearance, extreme durability and a sophisticated suspension system capable of withstanding tremendous impact. These features are combined into a package that is stable at speed and rock-solid in the corners. To achieve this kind of handling, a low center of gravity and long wheel travel are paramount.

The Mopar Ram Runner has the look and feel of thoroughbred desert racer. Inspired by trophy trucks, steel front fenders and rear bed-sides are replaced with fiberglass, allowing tremendous suspension articulation with zero interference.

Vehicle information:

Prototype of full suspension that Mopar will offer later this year
35-inch x 12.5-inch x 17-inch DOT-approved General Grabber Competition tires
Three-inch diameter internal bypass Fox shocks provide front and rear motion control
6061 T6, billet aluminum upper A-arms contain rebuild-able, high-angle ball joints that permit a massive 14 inches of wheel travel
High-angle CV joints are combined with plunging, splined axles made of 300 M tool steel and 1.00-inch diameter high-angle tie rods
4130 chromed moly steel lower control arms
Variable-rate coils support bed loads while special control arms provide 14 inches of wheel travel
Custom tubular Baja bumper and aluminum skid plate combination that housed four high-powered, LED off-road lights
A six-point roll cage finalizes the package while a special tubular tire carrier keeps a spare handy in the bed while maximizing load space

The General
For the ultimate in rock-crawling capability, “The General” features a custom Mopar 4.5-inch performance lift kit installed on a 2009 Jeep Wrangler. A new flat fender kit and Mopar/Hutchinson Rock Monster beadlocks allow tire pressure to be safely lowered for extreme driving conditions. Front and rear off-road bumpers and rock rails offer serious protection while the Mopar half-door kit provides improved visibility. The hood and rear spare tire carrier feature custom Mopar graphics splashed across the Mopar Blue exterior.

Vehicle information:

Engine: 3.7-liter V6
Transmission: 42 RLE
Overall Height: 80 inches
Overall Width: 77 inches
Wheelbase: 94.5 inches
Weight: 4,000 lbs
Tires: 37-inch Goodyear MTR’s

Ram PowerWagon
The mighty Ram Power Wagon is the full-size pickup truck of choice in a range of off-road situations. For Mopar’s Ram PowerWagon image vehicle, the team mated a unique 120-inch wheelbase chassis to a regular cab and step-side box. Axle articulation is greatly increased by utilizing the rear link-coil suspension of the Ram 1500. To gain additional ground clearance, Mopar added a new 4-inch suspension lift and 40-inch tires. Body protection comes from Rock-Slide Engineering-supplied sill guards, and custom front and rear bumpers. The spare tire is re-located to the cargo box. For visual impact, the team used a menacing two-tone black-on-white look, inspired by the wild paint schemes of Power Wagons in the 1970s.

Vehicle information:

Engine: 5.7-liter HEMI V8
Transmission: five-speed automatic
Overall height: 81.5 inches
Overall width: 83.5 inches
Wheelbase: 120 inches
Weight: 6,500 pounds
Tires: 40-14.5R/17 BF Goodrich KM2 Mud Terrain