Auto Industry News: Concept Jeeps, Rally Rides, Cheap EVs & Fake IDs

March 20, 2023March 21, 2023 Michele Boyarsky 0 Comments Car Show, Concept Vehicles, Data Breach, Easter Jeep Safari, EVs, Jeep, Rally Racing, Tesla, VW

With the Easter Jeep Safari quickly approaching, Jeep started its yearly tradition of releasing teaser sketches of its 4×4 concept rides. Five fuzzy images hit the internet last week, and at least two of them point heavily at electrified off-roaders.

Meanwhile, the dust settles after the 100 Acre Rally and a familiar champ is crowned – in more ways than one, as the ARA retires Ken Block’s #43. On the business side of things, VW beat Tesla to the punch by announcing a very cheap compact EV, Dodge gets ready to reveal its last Last Call model, and dealerships say thieves are buying up new cars with fake IDs at a record pace.

Jeep Teases 2023 Easter Jeep Safari Concepts

Forget the chocolate bunnies and jelly beans, a true sign of the upcoming Easter holiday just dropped: Jeep’s annual EJS vehicle teasers. Set to be revealed at the annual rock-crawling event in Moab, Utah April 1-9, these eye-catching concept vehicles will hit the backcountry trails alongside participating Jeep enthusiasts to show off the brand’s legendary 4×4 capability.

As the automaker does every year, it started dropping several teaser sketches of the vehicles to build excitement for the event. The first two images floated off the drawing table last weekend, with one being pretty clearly a 4xe electrified Jeep SUV (most likely a Wrangler Rubicon). The other leaves a little more to the imagination, but looks like a possible truck concept – maybe adapted from last year’s Wrangler Magneto 2.0?

The EV angle would make sense, as automakers double down on electrifying their fleets. Indeed, at least one image in Jeep’s second batch of sketches also makes a pretty firm nod to new-age drivetrains. It quite heavily points at another 4xe Wrangler Rubicon, possibly decked out in the brand’s new limited-edition purple “Reign” color.

The other two renderings are a little less clear. One depicts a straight-on view of a traditional off-roader, decked out in Jeep Performance Parts but lacking any hints as to what’s under the hood. It’s also drawn in such a way that it’s tough to tell if you’re looking at a Wrangler or Gladiator.

The other image is very clearly a Wagoneer, but other than the integrated winch and knobby tires, there’s not much to go on. Jeep has said a Grand Wagoneer 4xe is on the docket for 2024, so it’s possible this could be some version of that. But it seems to lack the visual fanfare usually applied to new electrified models.

Stay Tuned…

Fellow Stellantis-owned brand, Dodge is set to reveal its final “Last Call” model later today at a special Roadkill Nights Vegas event. The much-anticipated debut comes after a series of teaser videos, each featuring a creepy leprechaun who provides hints about the upcoming limited-edition vehicle. Eagle-eyed fans have been speculating for months, with best guesses suggesting a Challenger Demon Redeye that will be faster than 140mph in the quarter-mile and have a top speed of 215 mph.

3/21/23 Update: Fans read those clues pretty closely, but were likely still surprised (and delighted) by Dodge’s release. The limited-production 2023 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 is the most powerful muscle car in the world, sipping on E85 and churning out an unbelievable 1,025 horsepower that rockets 0-60 mph in only 1.66 seconds. According to the automaker, it is already banned in its stock form by the NHRA thanks to dominating the quarter-mile with a certified 8.91-seconds ET at 151.17 mph. Production is limited to 3,300 with 300 destined for Canada. Ordering opens Monday, March 27 at a U.S. MSRP of $96,666 and Canadian MSRP of $134,785.

Rally in the 100 Acre Wood

Moving onto a different kind of dirt-flinging fun, the ARA’s 100 Acre Wood rally wrapped up this weekend. Defending champ Brandon Semenuk came out on top, narrowly beating Barry McKenna by a mere 6.9 seconds. Semenuk is now 2 for 2 in the 2023 season, nabbing victory in the Sno*Drift Rally last month.

The two heavyweights battled it out for most of the race – the second event on the American Rally Association’s calendar and one of North America’s fastest rallies. Delving deep into the forest of Central Missouri, drivers must battle not only each other but also rough roads, sweeping turns and vehicle-destroying water crossings.

“Barry had us on our toes the whole time,” said Semenuk. “We pushed like hell every stage from start to finish so it didn’t come easy and his pace at the end of the day was pretty incredible. To be within basically 10 seconds the whole rally is just wild.”

Joining Semunk and McKenna on the podium was Patrick Gruszka in third, marking a career-first in the national overall top three.

Moving Tribute

In honor of Ken Block, who won the 100 Acre Rally a record 7 times, the ARA officially retired the legendary driver’s #43 throughout the rally-racing series.

“The shockwaves of Ken’s passing were seismic,” said Jeremy Meyer, ARA Business and Marketing Director. “As with everyone else, we worked through the grief of losing Ken, and when the time was right, we began discussions with the Block family on how to honor him. That begins with retiring the 43, with only the family being able to use it from now on.”

Lia Block and Rhianon Gelsomino racing in the 100 Acre Wood Rally. Their Subaru BRZ sports Ken Block’s first ever livery, which was on his Subaru STI.

Block’s wife Lucy and daughter Lia joined in the special celebration, as well as the weekend’s racing. Lia Block finished second 2WD and 9th overall at the event.

Watch Out, Tesla. VW Announces Cheap EV

Last week marked the global premiere of Volkswagen’s all-new ID.2all. The confusingly-named electric concept car is being applauded not so much for its design or engineering, but for its ambitiously low price. The automaker says the Golf-sized EV will begin at less than 25,000 euros ($26,600).

While it’s doubtful this compact two-door will make its way stateside, its price-point stands to make quite an impression worldwide – particularly within the walls of Tesla headquarters.

Makin’ Waves

For years, Elon Musk has been promising a lineup of high-tech, low-cost EVs to no avail. Many people thought the controversial CEO would finally unveil one at Tesla’s Investor Day event in Austin, Texas earlier this month.

But alas, no, he dodged the questions and kept the corporate updates very non-specific. Then, just a few weeks later, VW swoops in with its new affordable model.

Still in concept form, the ID.2all is estimated to get about 280 miles on a single charge. (Per U.S. guidelines, that’s closer to 250.). It should also enjoy a top speed of about 100 mph and a 0-60 time of less than 7 seconds. These specs put it roughly on par with the Chevy Bolt EV — currently the cheapest available EV for Americans, with a starting price around $27,000 (before any federal incentives).

Unlike the Bolt EV though, VW’s ID.2all will feature quick charging. The automaker says the battery can top off from 10 to 80% in approximately 20 minutes. The vehicle also features a less cookie-cutter design, thanks to its throwback Golf vibes.

According to VW, the ID.2all will be one of ten new electric models launched by 2026. More interesting than this vehicle’s price tag, however, is the automaker’s announcement that it is working on an even cheaper electric car — at a price of less than 20,000 euros.

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In Other Interesting News

Science for the win? A group of researchers at the University of Rochester claim to have found a breakthrough on superconductors that would allow for longer-lasting batteries and more-efficient power grids. The science behind it is complex, but so is the doubt surrounding the discovery.

As Smithsonian Magazine reports, “some scientists are skeptical of this announcement, in part because the same research team reported a similar finding with a different material in a 2020 paper published in Nature that was later retracted by the journal due to issues with the data.”

EV consumers can’t get no satisfaction. Automakers might be sending up prayers that a battery breakthrough is legit. A new J.D. Power survey reveals that electric vehicle owner’s overall satisfaction with home charging experiences dropped significantly. They blame the decline on rising energy costs, slow charging speeds, and poor awareness of available discounts and incentives that could help offset ownership costs.

Sometimes slow charging times have an upside… Two suspects accused of stealing electronics from a Sam’s Club in Georgia were caught by law enforcement when they stopped to recharge their Tesla just a few miles from the scene of the crime. Police found $8,000 worth of stolen merchandise inside the vehicle when they arrested the duo at the charging location.

New Anxiety Unlocked? Increase in Vehicles Bought Via Fake ID

The use of fake and stolen identities to purchase new vehicles has started to “explode” since the pandemic, Doug Fusco, founder of Dealer Safeguard Solutions, told Automotive News last week. Fusco’s company works with dealerships to help them spot sales fraud and prevent it from happening. The job is getting harder, he said, as fake IDs and related documents get more sophisticated.

A 2022 eLEND Solutions poll of more than 700 dealerships indicates just how difficult it can be to spot these imitations. The results showed 79% of dealerships had lost at least one vehicle to identity fraud, 69% had lost at least three vehicles, and 80% had encountered at least one fraudulent loan application.

A major culprit of the dramatic rise in identity fraud is owed to the increase in online car sales. Unfortunately, most dealerships have been slow to adopt anti-fraud and ID verification technologies, all while widespread data breaches become more common.

What can consumers do?

While retailers (slowly) shore up their defenses, be proactive about protecting your personal information – especially if you do a lot of online shopping. Whether you’re ordering car parts or groceries, here are 5 actions you can take immediately to help reduce the risk of identity theft.

Avoid ordering from unknown companies with unsecure webpages. Check that a web address starts with “https” – the “s” stands for secure. Sometimes your browser will indicate this with a closed padlock icon.
Use strong passwords for each of your online accounts, and make sure each one is different.
Use only one credit card for your online purchases and do not use a debit card.
Set up alerts on that credit card, so you get a text or email every single time a purchase is made.
Read your credit card statement closely when it arrives, and look for any unauthorized charges. Report any discrepancies immediately.

McGard Jeep Door Lock, Tailgate Lock, and Lug Nuts — Sometimes you need a little *analog* vehicle protection too… McGard is the nation’s leading manufacturer of mechanical anti-theft devices. The company is most known for its wheel locks, but boasts a broad product line that includes tailgate locks and Jeep door locks too, as well as lug nuts and bolts.

The Engine Block is your one-stop source for any and all auto industry news. Keep an eye on our weekly round-up of enthusiast coverage, product reviews, vehicle spotlights, auto show/expo features, and more. Be sure to check back this week for a “Take 5” with Keystone Automotive on cooling system upgrades to consider when you hit the trails this summer.