Jeep(R) Creates the New Jeep 'Trail Rated'(TM) Requirements

[southtj]

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/030918/deth015_1.html

Jeep(R) Creates the New Jeep Trail Rated(TM) Requirements to Communicate Legendary 4x4 Capability
Thursday September 18, 11:39 am ET
* Trail Rated Measures Stringent Jeep 4x4 Capability Requirements * Jeep "Trail Rated" Badge Appears on Vehicles and in New Advertising


AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Sept. 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Jeep® brand today announced Jeep Trail Rated(TM), a new way to communicate to consumers the extensive level of off-road requirements that all Jeep 4x4 vehicles must meet. The new 2004 Jeep 4x4 vehicles -- Grand Cherokee, Liberty and Wrangler -- with Trail Rated badges start arriving in dealerships next week.
"Jeep Trail Rated is an industry-leading methodology to objectively measure and predict off-road performance for all Jeep vehicles," said Jeff Bell, Vice President Jeep, DaimlerChrysler Corporation. "We created Jeep Trail Rated to communicate the legendary Jeep capability that is designed into every Jeep 4x4."

Jeep Trail Rated is supported by the Nevada Automotive Test Center (NATC), which has 45 years of off-road vehicle testing experience, including the creation of standards for the U.S. military.

The new Jeep "Trail Rated" badge indicates that every Jeep 4x4 has been designed to perform in a variety of challenging off-road conditions identified by five key consumer-oriented performance categories, including Traction, Ground Clearance, Maneuverability, Articulation and Water Fording.

"Through a combination of natural and controlled field tests, as well as computer-simulated environments, Jeep Trail Rated provides a repeatable and consistent measurement of off-road performance for all Jeep vehicles," said Bell. "As the Jeep brand expands, Trail Rated will help us ensure that our legendary 4x4 capability remains a cornerstone of the Jeep brand."

There is more at the linked page but this gets the point across.

Doesn't the fact that the vehicle is a JEEP say enough about its capabilities as it is? I hope this new 'badge' doesn't look too stupid as i'm sure mine will have it on there.

[Snitty]

yeah.... "our vehicle can do it all... it can go anywhere... it can climb a wall... it can drive over the ocean... but don't do it, we won't warranty it"

[OutOfStep]

seems pretty silly to have a quantatative rating system between just 3 vehicles, should keep the NATC busy for at least an hour or two :)

[Utah_jeepster]

I picture a red circle with a red slash through it... around the outside it says Trail rated! and on the inside it says...warranty

[johnny7point0]

good. this means the Grand Cherokee will finally be reckognized as the capabale offroading vehicle that it is...oops, did I just say that?

[K-Phat]

Really what Jeep/DC is trying to do is rub it in the face of BMW, Lexus, Acura and the rest that there SUV's are true off-roaders and not luxery never see a dirt road cars. Plus Jeep wants all those people that buy there rigs that never go off-road to know that is what they are intended to do

[K_K_PSI_GUY]

Well, that badge may bite, DC in the rear end when it comes to off road damage under warranty. Good for us! I should be graduating in about a year, so I sure do plant on buying another Jeep (Wrangler). This will give the true Jeep offroaders a way to get their warranties honored.-Al

[Bounty__Hunter]

They're trying to sell more vehicles, plain and simple.

This is great, really compliments all the ads DC has published of Jeeps offroad, yet they still won't warranty anything that fails in the offroad environment. I don't support this kind of double-standard.

[X_Factor]

Personally, I think Jeep should mail me a Trail Rated sticker. I've done extensive testing and experimentation and believe it passes the test and I have the pics to prove it!

[K-Phat]

Yeah I totally agree with X_Factor. Mail me one...........