New Jeep Liberty Reviewed

By: Anthony Fontanelle


Chrysler has been facing the toughest problem that it has. Market share in the all-important United States auto market has been decreasing although their sales last year saw some improvements. Thus, the automaker has taken bold strides towards attracting more consumers into their dealerships.

One of the vehicles which the group has come out with to appease the car buying public is the 2008 Jeep Liberty which is offered in a variety of trim levels. Although the Jeep Liberty has achieved some level of success, the automaker decided to give the Liberty a facelift.

Carey Russ of The Auto Channel recently took a Jeep Liberty for a test drive. Russ said that he did not recognize the vehicle instantly. "This was because about the only thing not changed in and on the 2008 Liberty was the name. The new styling - now looking like a shrunken Commander - may be the most apparent attribute, but that's only the surface," said Russ.

According to him, the new Liberty is given a longer wheelbase. This change though did not affect the maneuverability of the vehicle. The additional length and width of the said vehicle said Russ does not make any considerable change if one will look at it on the outside. But he went on to say that the changes in the dimension of the vehicle affect the interior room greatly.

Being a Jeep, the Liberty is expected to be like its rugged brethren and this is what Russ had to say about that: "Biggest difference from the crossover competition? Being a Jeep, the Liberty is designed and built to go where the pavement ends. Two-wheel drive (to the rear wheels) is standard, but there are two optional four-wheel drive systems, the new Selec-Trac II full-time system and the Command-Trac part-time system."

The power of the 2008 Jeep Liberty comes from a V6 engine which produces as much as 210 horsepower. Russ had this to say: "An interesting 90-degree single overhead cam engine, it's essentially two-thirds of a Grand Cherokee V8 and uses a balance shaft to counteract the vibration inherent in that design. Internal enhancements have reduced noise and increased low-rpm torque."

And as consumers are becoming more and more concerned about the safety features of vehicles, the automaker has given the 2008 Jeep Liberty safety features which are designed to adequately protect its occupants in the unfortunate case of a collision. "The Liberty's passengers are protected by a sturdy unibody structure with front and rear crumple zones and side impact-protection beams," said Russ.

"Advanced-design multi-stage front and full-length side curtain airbags are standard in both models, as are four-wheel antilock disc brakes with rough road detection for better off-road functioning, brake assist, all-speed traction control, hill start assist, Electronic Stability Program (ESP) and Electronic Roll Mitigation systems (ERM), and a tire-pressure monitoring system." With those safety features, the Liberty can protect its occupants better than an Acura CL bumper bracket.

In conclusion, Russ said: "The Jeep Liberty provides a real-deal alternative to the common crossover in the mid-size SUV class."

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Anthony Fontanelle is a 35-year-old automotive buff who grew up in the Windy City. He does freelance work for an automotive magazine when he is not busy customizing cars in his shop.

Article Source: http://www.articlebiz.com/

Mazda 16x: The Future of the Rotary Engine

By: Cody Miller


The Mazda RX2, Mazda RX3, Mazda RX4, Mazda RX7 and now Mazda RX8 are all examples of successful rotary engine sports cars. The New Mazda 16x Rotary Engine should further popularize this offbeat combustion engine which features (as rotaries always have) a compact design with an exceptional power-to-weight ratio all in just 1.6 Liters.

Mazda is calling this new rotary engine the "long-stroke rotary engine." As you may already know, the 13B rotary engine has a displacement of just 1300cc, which is 1.3 Liters. While the Mazda 16x has an engine displacement of 1600cc (800cc x 2), which is 1.6 Liters; and though they’ve made the 16x significantly larger than the 13B - it weighs less than a 13B. This is due to aluminum side housings, which Mazda says shouldn’t scare us.

Mazda’s aim here is "greater thermal efficiency" - which basically means, any car powered by the Mazda 16x is going to move like stink. Mazda says this [thermal efficiency] will increase torque at all engine speeds. (Rotary engines are notorious for having low torque, especially on the low-end.)

They’ve also added Direct Fuel Injection so you can expect the 16x to be considerably more economical compared to rotaries of the past. Harmful emissions will be greatly reduced as well and power should be slightly increased compared to common multi-point fuel injected rotaries such as the 13B. This should lean the fuel-air mixture out as well and may improve the rotaries nasty habit of flooding every time you move her down the street a block.

Mazda has done incredible things with their light and sporty 1.3 Liter 13B – just imagine what they can do with this new Mazda 16x! Better yet, just imagine what you could do with this new Mazda 16x rotary engine! Unfortunately, however, Mazda has yet to announce a production vehicle to carry the 16x. The closest we’ve gotten is the Mazda Taiki, a far-out prototype developed by Mazda under the "Nagare"(which is, Japanese for "flow") concept of design.

So when will we see this new rotary engine in action?

Many expected this new rotary engine to appear in the 2009 Mazda RX8, but when the cover was pulled off at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, we saw nothing but the Mazda 13B MSP Renesis engine beneath it’s glimmering hood.

To answer the question; your guess is as good as mine.

For More Information on the Mazda 16x, Mazda RX8, Mazda RX7 and more, visit: http://www.mazdarxnews.com/

Article Source: http://www.articlebiz.com/