2010 Paris Auto Show: Chevrolet Spark Woody

The British division of Chevrolet has just released a one-off special version of its Spark supermini, an art car that will make its public debut at the upcoming Boardmasters surf, skate and music festival. Creative? Chevrolet! arts competition in Paris.

The Chevrolet Spark Woody was created using a three-quarter vinyl body wrap that creates the wood effect and also features retro style white rims and tires plus a surfboard on its roof.

The Spark Woody is one of a series of Art Sparks created by Chevrolet Europe in the past year. The first, a unique interpretation of the car by German fashion designer Smeilinener, made its debut at the final of the Young? Creative? Chevrolet Art Competition in Berlin last October, while other Art Sparks include a one-off WTCC leading car by Portuguese art student Jose Rocha, a YCC winner, and a Spark DJ Car – the world’s largest record turntable, created by Chevrolet UK this year.





Press Release

• Chevrolet unveils Spark Woody Wagon art car
• One-off created to coincide with Boardmasters festival
• Continues European ‘Art Spark' theme
• To feature at Paris Motor Show

Surf's up dudes - and here's the proof! Chevrolet, the manufacturer behind the market-leading 5-Year Promise aftercare package, has pulled the wraps off a one-off special version of its top-selling Spark supermini, created to celebrate the brand's American heritage and connection to youth culture.

Spotted driving around Newquay, Cornwall, at the start of the annual Boardmasters surf, skate and music festival, the Spark Woody will go on to star at the grand final of this year's Young? Creative? Chevrolet! arts competition, which takes place in Paris on the eve of the International Motor Show next month.

The car recalls the dawn of the surf movement in the USA, when, in the late Fifties and early Sixties, surfers bought ‘Woodies'. These were traditionally large estate cars based on mainstream models, but with timber framed bodywork, as they were both cheap and spacious enough to carry their boards and equipment.

Woody Wagons were immortalised in song, chiefly in The Beach Boys' Surfin Safari and Jan and Dean's Surf City, both widely regarded as two of the most famous surfing tunes ever.

Yet even when car makers stopped using wooden frames, an expensive and difficult production process, the Woody had become so much a part of American culture that its essence continued, with Chevrolet one of many US manufacturers who used Di-Noc woodgrained vinyl panelling to maintain the woody effect.

The Spark Woody was created in the UK for Chevrolet using a three-quarter vinyl body wrap provided by Pyramid Visuals of Weybridge, whose speciality is normally in vans and shop frontages. Its roof is adorned with an Escape Mini-Mal surfboard, made in Cornwall, as its wood-effect panelling was in keeping with the car's retro styling.

Chevrolet chose Newquay to show off the car for the first time, as the Cornish resort is famous across the world for its surfing culture - the Atlantic Ocean meets the British Isles at one of its narrowest peninsulas, which gives naturally excellent conditions for surfing.

The Spark Woody is one of a series of Art Sparks created by Chevrolet Europe in the past year. The first, a unique interpretation of the car by German fashion designer Smeilinener, made its debut at the final of the Young? Creative? Chevrolet Art Competition in Berlin last October, while other Art Sparks include a one-off WTCC leading car by Portuguese art student Jose Rocha, a YCC winner, and a Spark DJ Car - the world's largest record turntable, created by Chevrolet UK this year.

A further Art Spark, created by 27-year old British artist Ian Cook, will appear later this month at Silverstone Circuit to coincide with the British Touring Car Championship meeting there, while the Spark Woody will make its next public appearance this coming weekend at Snetterton, again tied in to the BTCC.

Jeep Trail Edition Campers from Mopar

Jeep is introducing a new lineup of off-road utility and camping trailers to pair up with their ruggedly handsome lineup of Rubicon Wranglers.

Styled after the Wrangler Rubicon, the Trail Edition camper features 17-inch cast-aluminum wheels, taillights, fender flares, Jeep badging, and hood-tie downs. It also boasts lightweight tubular-aluminum construction, 32-inch BF Goodrich Mud Terrain tires, a torsion-bar / trailing-arm suspension, diamond-plated rocker guards, and 12 inches (305 mm) of ground clearance.

The trailers sleep four, with a queen size bed, and a couch a table that convert to twin-sized beds.  It includes a kitchen cabinet, 110 volts of power and what the catalog calls a “premium canvas enclosure,” which sure beats a regular canvas enclosure, because it’s premium.

The second one is the Jeep Extreme Trail Edition Camper for Extreme Off-roaders, a model priced at $11,995. It gets a heavy-duty frame, more ground clearance (15 inches), a full-underbody skid plate, and 35" BF Goodrich Mud Terrain tires. It will be available in Bright Silver Metallic, Black, Flame Red, Mango Tango Pearl, and Natural Green Metallic.




Press Release

Jeep® and Mopar® Are First in Industry to Offer Off-road Camper Trailers

Go Anywhere, Sleep Anywhere in Jeep® Camper Trailers from Mopar®

• Campers accommodate four adults and feature a queen-size bed, sofa with stowable table, built-in aluminum cabinet, 110-volt power supply and a premium canvas enclosure

• Camper trailers feature innovative engineering, capability and are designed and tested for Jeep off-road capability

• For casual campers, the Jeep Trail Edition camper is designed to endure trails with its lightweight all-aluminum construction, 32-inch BF Goodrich Mud Terrain tires, 12 inches of ground clearance, trailing-arm suspension, diamond-plated aluminum covering, and available 360-degree axis pintle hitch

• For hard-core off-road enthusiasts, the Jeep Extreme Trail Edition camper ups the ante with a heavier frame, 35-inch BF Goodrich Mud Terrain tires, 15 inches of ground clearance, full-underbody skid plate, high-mounted fenders, and available 360-degree axis pintle hitch

• The all-new Jeep Trail Edition camper (MSRP: $9,995) and Extreme Trail Edition camper (MSRP: $11,995) may be ordered as Mopar accessories at local Jeep dealerships

July 20, 2010 , Auburn Hills, Mich.
Jeep® and Mopar® are setting up camp for off-road enthusiasts. They will be the first in the industry to offer customers off-road camper trailers.

"The Jeep brand is widely known for providing its customers with a sense of freedom and adventure, with a mix of vehicles to take them wherever they want to go," said Mike Manley, President and Chief Executive Officer - Jeep Brand, Chrysler Group LLC. "Thanks to our friends at Mopar, the Jeep experience may now be taken to a new level. Families may hook up an off-road Jeep camper to their capable Jeep vehicle and enjoy an ultimate outdoor adventure that no other manufacturer can offer."

Designed to meet off-road capabilities of Jeep 4x4 vehicles, Jeep Trail and Extreme Trail campers incorporate Jeep Wrangler's rugged design cues, including Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 17-inch cast-aluminum wheels (with 5-lug by 5-inch bolt pattern to utilize most Jeep vehicles' spare tire), taillights, fender flares, rear bumper (Trail Edition camper only), badging and hood-tie downs. In August, both Jeep camper trailers may be ordered at local Jeep dealers through Mopar®, Chrysler Group LLC's service, parts and customer-care brand.

"At Mopar, we are always looking for opportunities to support and add value to our Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram Truck brands, and this is a great example of how we can do that," said Pietro Gorlier, President and Chief Executive Officer - Mopar Service, Parts and Customer Care. "Our trailers are specifically designed and engineered to meet strict capability requirements of Jeep. Mopar will continue to offer features that enhance the customer's experience with our brands and our vehicles."

Jeep Trail Edition Camper for Casual Campers
The all-new Jeep Trail Edition camper is designed for the Jeep enthusiast looking to hit the trails with the family.

Unlike conventional recreational campers, the Jeep Trail Edition camper features an extensive use of lightweight tubular-aluminum construction (no wood or fiberboard materials) in order to mitigate the additional load on the Jeep tow vehicle and make operation a breeze.

The Jeep Trail Edition camper features Jeep Wrangler Rubicon's 32-inch BF Goodrich Mud Terrain tires, which provide excellent traction and 12 inches of ground clearance. Underneath, a unique torsion-bar and trailing-arm suspension provide confident maneuvering and on-trail articulation. For protection, heavy-duty diamond-plated aluminum is strategically used to handle abuse from the elements.

Unfold the rugged diamond-plated aluminum top (capable of supporting 450 lbs of gear), and the Jeep Trail Edition camper reveals spacious living quarters with 76 inches of headroom and space to sleep up to four people. A comfortable multi-use sofa folds out into a bed, while a queen-sized bed provides maximum comfort for two adults. A built-in cabinet provides space for camping gear, while all-aluminum construction delivers a clean look and contributes to the camper's lightweight design.

A stowable center table offers occupants a place for dining or a surface for board games, while a 110-volt power inverter provides additional cooking, heating, cooling and entertainment options. Enclosing the home-away-from-home are premium window screens and privacy shades.

Available accessories include Mopar's black aluminum Jeep Wrangler taillight guards (P/N: 82209330, MSRP: $143) for even more legendary Jeep styling. In addition, an available 10-foot by 10-foot exterior awning with screen enclosure (P/N: LLROOM06, MSRP: $650) expands the Jeep Trail Edition camper's covered space for additional all-weather enjoyment. Improving the standard 2-inch trailer-hitch ball is an available heavy-duty pintle hitch with a 360-degree rotating axis for maximum off-road maneuvering and on-trail articulation (P/N: LLHOOK02, MSRP: $735).

The all-new Jeep Trail Edition camper will be available as a Mopar accessory in August at local Jeep dealerships with a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $9,995 (which includes destination).

Following are part-number details for Jeep Trail Edition camper accessory models:

• Jeep Trail Edition camper in Bright Silver Metallic and Black (P/N: LLBASE01)
• Jeep Trail Edition camper in Flame Red (P/N: LLBASE02)
• Jeep Trail Edition camper in Mango Tango Pearl (P/N: LLBASE03)
• Jeep Trail Edition camper in Natural Green Metallic (P/N: LLBASE04)

Following are dimensions for Jeep Trail Edition camper:

• Weight: 850 lbs.
• Height: 49.5 inches
• Width: 88 inches
• Ground clearance: 12 inches

Jeep Extreme Trail Edition Camper for Extreme Off-roaders
The all-new Jeep Extreme Trail Edition camper is designed to handle maximum off-road capability that hard-core off-road enthusiasts crave, with additional trail equipment to go anywhere and do anything.

Starting with the Jeep Trail Edition camper's off-road engineered suspension, the Jeep Extreme Trail Edition camper ups the ante with a heavy-duty frame, more ground clearance (15 inches) and a full-underbody skid plate. Larger 35-inch BF Goodrich Mud Terrain tires provide a beefier trail-ready aesthetic and sit below black diamond-plated aluminum fenders. These unique design fenders are mounted higher on the Jeep Extreme Trail Edition camper to accommodate up to 37-inch tires for maximum off-road capability. Improving the standard 2-inch trailer-hitch ball is an available heavy-duty pintle hitch with a 360-degree rotating axis for maximum off-road maneuvering and on-trail articulation (P/N: LLHOOK02, MSRP: $735).

The all-new Jeep Extreme Trail Edition camper will be available as a Mopar accessory in August at local Jeep dealerships with a MSRP of $11,995 (which includes destination).

Following are part-number details for Jeep Extreme Trail Edition camper accessory models:

• Jeep Extreme Trail Edition camper in Bright Silver Metallic and Black (P/N: LLPREM01)
• Jeep Extreme Trail Edition camper in Flame Red (P/N: LLPREM02)
• Jeep Extreme Trail Edition camper in Mango Tango Pearl (P/N: LLPREM03)
• Jeep Extreme Trail Edition camper in Natural Green Metallic (P/N: LLPREM04)

Following are dimensions for Jeep Extreme Trail edition camper:

• Weight: 1,050 lbs.
• Height: 52 inches
• Width: 88 inches
• Ground clearance: 15 inches

Mopar-First Features

In addition to being the first automotive manufacturer to offer customers off-road camper trailers, Mopar has introduced numerous other industry-first features including:

• Vehicle-information apps: first to introduce the industry's first smartphone vehicle-information application, a new channel of communication with consumers
• lectronic owner manuals: first to introduce traditional owner manuals in a DVD and brief user-guide format
• FLO TV: first to offer live, mobile television
• WiFi: first to offer customers the ability to make their vehicle a wireless hot spot
• WiTECH: first to support vehicle diagnosis and software updates leveraging off-the-shelf personal computers and a dedicated wireless tool network