Features

Rare Rides Icons: The Jeep Wagoneer, The First Luxury SUV Ever (Part XII)

We return to the Jeep Wagoneer in 1987 and its 25th anniversary. As the Wagoneer remained on sale in its dated but popular guise, parent company AMC was at death’s door. Under ownership by Renault, AMC was in massive debt as the Renault-AMC lineup of cars proved unsuccessful. Chrysler stepped in during March to purchase AMC-Jeep for a huge sum, assuming all of AMC’s debt from Renault. On June 20, 1987 the American Motors Corp. ceased to exist, and was renamed to Jeep Eagle Corp.

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Rare Rides Icons: The Jeep Wagoneer, The First Luxury SUV Ever (Part XI)


We last left the Jeep Wagoneer at a branching point in 1984, where the SJ Wagoneer Limited was rebranded as the Grand Wagoneer, and the new XJ Cherokee donned some fancy trim and became the base trim Wagoneer and upmarket Wagoneer Limited. AMC’s desired outcome was for the XJ Cherokee to replace the SJ in all ways, and send the old Wagoneer off into the sunset. While that strategy worked for the Cherokee models, buyers were not keen on the expensive and compact XJ Wagoneer. Sales of the new Wagoneer never hit 25,000 in a year and dropped off quickly. Meanwhile, AMC was forced to continue selling the old and outdated but profitable Grand Wagoneer.

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Managing Through Disruption

“People in the auto industry never go away,” a friend said to me with some bitterness in his voice. “They leave one company—sometimes because they weren’t doing a very good job—then before you know it, they show up somewhere else with a better title.”

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LEGO Volvo Concept Could Be The Future Of Construction

The Volvo LX03 concept looks like something pulled straight from a science fiction movie.

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2026 Nissan Leaf Video Review -- How Does New Leaf Stack Up?

Friend of the site Connie Peters drives the 2026 Nissan Leaf.

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The Bozi Breakdown Episode 3: Talking Aero with Joey Cohen

Joey Cohen joins the Bozi Breakdown in Episode 3 to dissect the recent Texas NASCAR race. They highlight the track's unique challenge with two distinct ends requiring compromises. They focus on the Next Gen car's "aero attitude" with underbody downforce via the rear diffuser. Joey explains the difficulty of planning for races with 35 other cars, as the car's aero sensitivity in traffic significantly differs from single-car testing.

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Ever Wonder How Tunnels Get Cleaned?

Nicknamed the "Octopus Truck," this innovative cleaning vehicle uses eight robotic arms, each equipped with brushes and high-pressure water jets, to scrub tunnel walls and ceilings with precision.

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These Fatal Tesla Autopilot Crashes Can Tell Us a Lot About Self-Driving Tech

Self-driving technologies are the new space race with car manufacturers jostling to be the first to achieve fully autonomous vehicles. But the road to get there has been bumpy, with a track record that’s far from flawless.

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How Ford Stole The 2026 Detroit Auto Show

Ford made big news at January's 2026 Detroit Auto Show. The Dearborn-based manufacturer debuted a pair of new high-performance models that appeal to enthusiasts at both extremes of the automotive spectrum. A hot new Mustang is slated to arrive later this year, while a souped-up Bronco SUV is also in the works.

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Rare Rides Icons: The Jeep Wagoneer, The First Luxury SUV Ever (Part X)

Jeep had its only all-new product debut since the Sixties when it introduced the compact XJ Cherokee in 1984. Designed with packaging and fuel efficiency in mind, the unibody Cherokee was a departure from the way SUVs were traditionally designed. Also launched with the new Cherokee range was an all-new Wagoneer.

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Connie Peters Drives The Polestar 4

Friend of the site Connie Peters drives the Polestar 4 EV.

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Tales From the Beat Episode 136: Journalist-Author David Bernknopf

After a career that spanned more than two decades at CNN and years as an independent producer, David Bernknopf found himself looking for work and found it running an investigative unit at a TV operation in Alaska.

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A Remote-controlled Smart Tank

Your Future Machine is your go-to destination for cutting-edge technology, transportation, and innovation. From the latest advancements in electric vehicles and autonomous machines to the future of mobility, and everything in between. We bring you engaging content that connects you with the world of tomorrow. Our mission is to inspire curiosity and excitement by showcasing groundbreaking machines and tools designed to shape the future.

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Winter EV Driving: Range and Elevation Lessons From A 20"+ Snow Storm

In this episode of the VWIDTalk Podcast, we analyze real-world data from a mountain ski trip in 20+ inches of snow.

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First Time On A Dyno -- Jon's 1971 MGB "Racecar"

In this episode of Spare Parts, we take Jon’s classic British sports car to Eclectic Motorworks for his first-ever dyno day—and the first time the MGB has ever been on a dyno.

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Neglected Integra GS-R K-Swap Build - Dyno Finale

Our K-Tuned supported K20 turbo Integra finally hits the dyno and chases that elusive 500whp mark.

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Honda Pilot Elite -- Are The 2026 Changes Enough?

The 2026 Honda Pilot Elite levels up Honda’s flagship three‑row SUV with sharper exterior styling, a more premium cabin, and meaningful tech upgrades that family‑SUV shoppers search for.

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Rare Rides Icons: The Jeep Wagoneer, The First Luxury SUV Ever (Part IX)

As we learned in our last Wagoneer installment, the SJ weathered the storm of the first (1973) and second (1979) oil shocks. The latter of which forced AMC to reinstall an inline-six and a manual transmission into its luxurious utility wagon barge, to advertise a lower cost of entry and better fuel economy figures. After more than 20 years, AMC was ready to move on from the Wagoneer entirely, and had a plan to do so which it implemented in 1984. Welcome to the new XJ.

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How Opel’s CD Concept Became The Bitter CD

In the late 1960s, Opel had a problem. Not a mechanical one, but a spiritual one.

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Would You Ever Purchase An Automobile From AI?

A South Korean software company is pushing AI-powered kiosks that could eventually replace human sales representatives at your local dealership.

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Did Tyler Reddick Go Faster With A Missing Fender At Atlanta?

Tyler Reddick won the Autotrader 400 at EchoPark Speedway with his No. 45 Toyota Camry NASCAR Cup Car.

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1960 & 1961 Ford Starliner & Sunliner - Where Ford Muscle Began

The Ford Starliner and Sunliner are not cars that are often spoken about when discussing Ford’s performance history but they should be.

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Why Race?

Some people argue that fast cars racing around race courses serve as “rolling billboards.” Which was probably a more effective thing before digital advertising.

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A Pocket-sized Aquatic “Scooter” For Underwater Adventures

Subnado from Waydoo is a compact and versatile water mobility device made for people who love spending time on and around the water.

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SmartCharging Into The Future

Chris Russo, SmartCharge Clean Energy Program Manager at Con Edison wants to give you money as SmartCharge incentivizes off-peak charging to balance grid demand and make everybody a winner.

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Living In The VW ID. Buzz: Now Halfway Across America

Welcome back to another episode of VW ID Talk! We sit down with Zervan and Taylor, the adventurous duo behind the "Sun Buzz." They are on a mission to travel to the lower 48 states in their VW ID. Buzz, and they are already halfway there.

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Rare Rides Icons: The Jeep Wagoneer, The First Luxury SUV Ever (Part VIII)

We return to our Wagoneer coverage today at a turning point in the greater automotive market. The introduction of the lower-priced Jeep Cherokee in 1974 allowed Jeep to push the Wagoneer into more luxurious territory, an effort cemented by the arrival of the Limited trim in 1978.5. A few months later all Jeep vehicles were restyled with a new front clip, bringing the lineup to a more cohesive and modern appearance for the ‘79 model year. But world events during 1979 would change the course of automotive history and pull the rug from under the Wagoneer in some ways.

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2026 New York International Auto Show Recap -- Busy In The Big City

NEW YORK -- One of the things I love about New York City -- and other big cities, like Chicago or LA -- is the constant motion. Yes, sometimes it can overwhelm. But sometimes, it feels like all the motion isn't just the routine beats of daily life -- it feels like some sort of progress.

The 2026 New York International Auto Show gave off that vibe.

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Time & Speed

Paul Jacobson, executive vice president and chief financial officer of General Motors, made a telling observation about GM’s current approach to electric vehicles at last week’s  Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago’s 32nd Annual Automotive Insights Symposium in Detroit.

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The Bianco S: Brazil’s Beetle Bred Sports Car

If you’ve ever spent any time around South American car culture, you’ll know that it’s built on an intoxicating mix of necessity and lunacy.

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The Ford Fusion - The Best Value In The Used Car Market?

The 1st generation Ford Fusion. This was a mid size Sedan that was slotted between the Ford Focus and the Ford 500. Ford built this car to compete against the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord.

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Rare Rides Icons: The Jeep Wagoneer, The First Luxury SUV Ever (Part VII)

After their purchase of Jeep in 1970, American Motors began diversification of the newly acquired brand’s product line. The company saw the potential in Jeep for a much broader offering of passenger utility vehicles: Utility wagons, recreational utility vehicles, and trucks. The former two would gradually converge together in nomenclature to be called SUVs, a term Jeep created in 1974 when it marketed the new Cherokee (an SJ Wagoneer derivative). Part of the product diversification was refinement of the Wagoneer platform and experimentation with luxury trims after the Super Wagoneer failed to see much success. In 1978 AMC launched a new luxurious Wagoneer trim, and this time it worked.

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Tales From the Beat Episode 130: Competitive Paranoia

There’s of course, a lot of great journalism out there, but if you look at your newsfeed, there’s a lot of crap too.

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An Early Close Look at the All New, 2027 Volvo EX60 BEV. Experts Share Details.

Coming this summer as a 2027 model, Volvo released yet another battery electric vehicle, the EX60.

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A Mini Electric Bike Built From Power-Tool DNA

The EGO Power+ MB1005-2 electric mini bike brings something familiar and practical to electric riding by using the same 56V batteries found in EGO’s popular power tools.

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Rare Rides Icons: The Jeep Wagoneer, The First Luxury SUV Ever (Part VI)

In our last Wagoneer installment of Rare Rides Icons, we began the journey through the frequent and sometimes confusing updates Jeep made to its flagship utility wagon. Edits to the SJ Wagoneer began in 1964 and continued through the end of its life at the 1991 model year. However, the most important change to the Wagoneer occurred as a side-effect of Jeep’s ownership. We pick up in early 1970.

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The Mercury Bobcat - Why It's Not As Bad As It's Reputation

The Mercury Bobcat. It was Mercury's first subcompact car sold in North America and yes, it was a rebadged Pinto but it gave Mercury an inexpensive model that had good gas mileage numbers.

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Can We Turn a Toyota Prius Into A Hot Hatch?

We're modifying a 2024 Toyota Prius Prime in an attempt to improve the handling and appearance and turn it into a hot hatch.

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Will Subscription Fatigue Come to Autos?

Late last year consultancy  EY released the results of its “decoding the digital home study,” which is based on surveys of 20,500 consumers in 14 countries (Australia, Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK and the US) about their attitudes regarding “TMT”: technology, media and telecoms.

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Electric Flying Taxi Is Almost Here

Joby Aviation is bringing its vision of fast, clean city travel to life through a new partnership with Virgin Atlantic, marking a significant step forward for electric urban aviation.

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Bill Ford Stresses Importance Of V8 Engines

Bill Ford has been spending time in Australia to hype the family business and he’s been saying all the right things. Among his more recent statements was a proclamation that Ford would continue prioritizing V8s until regulations made that impossible.

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Everything Car Related Has Become Extremely Expensive

Fuel prices continue to climb globally due to the situation in the Middle East. But it’s hardly the only issue impacting the cost of owning and operating a motor vehicle. Insurance rates have ballooned over the last several years, as have manufacturing costs. Automakers are blaming tariffs, citing billions in increased costs for 2025. But they were also raising prices on vehicles rather dramatically prior to those tariffs coming into play.

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Rare Rides Icons: The Jeep Wagoneer, The First Luxury SUV Ever (Part V)

The Jeep Wagoneer had an unusually long run for a passenger automobile, and successfully spanned across four decades. Though it was in production from the Sixties into the Nineties, the SJ Wagoneer had but one generation. As mentioned in the last entry where we covered the original interior details, there were many changes inside, outside, and underneath through the decades. Oh, and Wagoneer invented the luxury SUV in 1966.

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These Five Auto Icons Have Endured in the Public Consciousness for This One Reason

What makes your head turn when a car roars past? History matters as much as a well-preserved machine, as each vehicle presents a compelling story.

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The Concept C Gears Audi up for a Big Brand Reset

Not too long ago, Audi unveiled its exciting new Concept C. A fresh-faced design study, this sleek two-door not only hints (or perhaps, shouts) at a possible future sports car but also previews a whole new design philosophy for the four-ring luxury brand.

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Automatic Wheelchair Loader

The Abiloader from Abiliquip is a practical vehicle-mounted wheelchair loader designed to make daily mobility easier and more independent.

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We Need To Talk About Fuel Prices and Iran

Fuel prices are on the rise in America, with the conflict in Iran presumed to be the primary culprit. The per barrel price of crude nearly doubled at the start of the month in a moment of panic. While prices have come down since, they remain at their highest point in the last twelve months and fuel prices have begun reflecting this.

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How To Retrofit GTX Signature Lights On Your Volkswagen ID.4

In this episode, Jan and Wes dive deep into one of the most visually striking modifications for the Volkswagen ID.4: the GTX Signature Lights.

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Building A Cheap $8,500 Tesla Model 3

We take our cheap & high mileage Tesla Model 3 from boring commuter appliance to rally-inspired snow demon thanks to a host of upgrades.

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*BONUS* Interviews From Our AMC Documentary | TLIA PODCAST Ep5

It's another behind-the-scenes podcast!

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The Wedge Shaped Porsche That Never Was

In the long and occasionally bewildering history of Porsche, there are cars that defined the brand—the 356, the 911, the 917.

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1969 - 70 Mercury Marauder: BIG Brute Muscle?

The 2nd generation Mercury Marauder. The Marauder name was 1st used on an engine in the late 50s and it was 1st used as a nameplate for a car in 1963 only to be retired in 1965.

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The Tipping Point That Didn’t Tip

In a  Cox Automotive analysis released a couple weeks ago about electric vehicle sales in the US, there is this:

“While the Q4 collapse will command headlines, total EV sales in calendar year 2025 tell a different story: Thanks in part to record volume in Q3, total EV sales last year came in just shy of 2024’s 1.30 million. In fact, 2025 was the second-best year on record for EV sales in the U.S., and the EV share of total market sales was a strong 7.8%, down from 8.1% a year earlier, according to Kelley Blue Book estimates.”

The ”Q4 collapse” was a decline in EV sales to 5.8 percent of the total US new vehicle market.

The “record volume in Q3” was a market share of 10.5 percent.

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Modular Ride-On Kits That Grow With Your Child

DOCYKE is making engineering fun and hands-on with modular ride-on kits that let kids build and customize their own vehicles.

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VW Brings Back Buttons! ID. Polo (ID.2) Interior Reveal & ID.4 Retrofit Plans?

Start your engines (or motors)—physical buttons are finally back!

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Rare Rides Icons: The Jeep Wagoneer, The First Luxury SUV Ever (Part IV)

As we reviewed in our last installment, the exterior design of the Jeep Wagoneer was a notable thing at its debut in 1963. The design emphasized its wagon nature rather than its truck underpinnings, which set it apart from the competition. Like the exterior, the interior was designed with daily livability in mind and was less basic and utilitarian than contemporary utility wagons.

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A Dynamic Dakar: How Defender And Their D7X-Rs Championed Their Way To The Top Of The 2026 Dakar Rally’s Stock Class

It’s not easy vying for the top spot when you’re the new kid in town, debuting three teams in the newly revamped Dakar Rally Stock class in Saudi Arabia.

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What's Going To Happen With Maserati?

Stellantis has confirmed that it will have news about the fate of Maserati during an investor call scheduled for May 21st. Despite being the automaker’s flagship luxury marquee, Maserati has endured several years of profitability issues. While this has led many to assume that Stellantis would simply sell the brand, leadership has suggested that won’t be the case.

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Tales From The Beat Episode 133: Investigative Reporter Chris Papst

Fox 45 Baltimore investigative reporter Chris Papst spent years looking into questionable practices at the Baltimore public school system, discovering shocking practices such as falsifying student grades to boost graduation rates tied to funding.

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2026 Toyota Prius Prime + EV Hover

Friend of the site Connie Peters has a review of the 2026 Toyota Prius for you.

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  • Peeryog Everytime I see one I am reminded of the current Santa Fe. And vice versa.
  • Original Guy I watched that Moscow parade thing. (With the Cyrillic captions because my Russian is a little rough.) I won't give the whole thing away, but it started off with a couple of dudes riding around in stupid useless convertibles, standing up like Hitler, who I'm pretty sure was an actual Nazi. They drove around in circles and kept stopping to ask if anyone had seen all the missing military equipment, and all the guys kept moaning back, that no, they hadn't, ask the next section of guys.They looked around for someone shorter and sicker-looking than Putin but they were unsuccessful so they let him speak.The North Korean military was there, I guess the invasion has begun. The North Korean guys were skinny but their rifles were nicely polished, I guess they have plenty of time on their hands between meals.Some of the Russian military guys carried little white flags, I assume they keep those handy in case they run across any U.S. Marines.
  • Marc J Rauch EBFlexing on ur mom - Ethanol is compatible with more types of rubber, plastic, and metal than gasoline and aromatics. This means that ethanol is less corrosive. The bottom line is that long before ethanol could have any damaging effect on any engine component, gasoline and aromatics would have already damaged the components. And the addition of ethanol doesn't exacerbate the problems caused by gasoline and aromatics; it actually helps mitigate them.
  • Original Guy Today I learned that a reverse brake bleeder (and a long borescope) can be helpful if you are autistic and don't have any friends and no one wants to work with you to bleed your brakes. Also it is quick, once you figure out the process.When Canada assembled my truck back in circa 1995, they apparently used a different clip to attach the brake pedal (and switch) to the brake booster than what is technically called for. It is tough to realize this when the spring steel clip flies off to who knows where. Of course I ordered the wrong clip trying to match the style that I saw buried up in the dash before it flew away. My truck now has the 'correct' clip, everyone can relax.I ordered some more brake fluid (DOT 3, nothing fancy) but it turns out I still have two fresh bottles (my shelves aren't empty, I just have too many shelves).Went to install my fancy new Optima YellowTop battery and it turns out I need a new side post terminal bolt. (Yet another order placed, bring on THE TARIFFS.) It would be a shame to strip out the threads on a nice new battery, no?Good news: The longer it takes me to get my truck started again, the more I save on fuel. 😁
  • Normie Weekends here would be a great time for everyone to join in praise of dog dish hubcaps on body-color matched steelies!