1/11/05
CHRYSLER'S CONCEPTS
Hurricane, Gladiator, Firepower storm auto show

The Jeep Hurricane concept has engines in front and back and the ability to actually move sideways.

A futuristic-looking Jeep that features a powerful pair of the hot V-8 engines is among a trio of stunning concept vehicles unveiled by Chrysler Group this week during the press preview of the 2005 North American International Auto Show.

The twin 5.7-liter Hemis – one in the front and one in the back – deliver the Jeep Hurricane's astounding total of 670 horsepower.

"Hurricane is purpose-built for extreme off-road action," said Dieter Zetsche, Chrysler's president and chief executive. He called it "the most maneuverable, most capable and most powerful 4x4 ever built."

Chrysler Group President Dieter Zetsche calls the Hurricane "Hemi squared ... the most powerful 4x4 ever built."

The two-seater, an ultra-racy update of the original military-inspired Jeep, has massive 37-inch tires and the ability to actually move sideways, since all four wheels can be turned in the same direction.

The Hurricane can operate on four, eight, 12 or 16 cylinders to balance the needs of fuel efficiency and power. And it promises acceleration of zero-to-60 miles per hour in under 5 seconds.

While it's uncertain whether it could become a production model, Zetsche said the technology seen in the Hurricane has clear applications for military and extreme off-road use.

The Jeep Gladiator concept has a turbo diesel engine and features an expandable truck bed.

Chrysler also showed the Jeep Gladiator, a concept vehicle billed as a lifestyle pickup truck with the off-road capability of the Wrangler. It has an open-air canvas top and a 5-foot-8-inch truck bed that expands to up to 8-foot-11.

Gladiator is powered by the modern and efficient 2.8-liter, 4-cylinder, common-rail turbo diesel engine that provides 163 horsepower.

And the company's sleek two-seater Chrysler Firepower concept – with a top speed estimated at 175 miles per hour – is based on the Dodge Viper. It features a tinted glass roof that extends to the rear liftgate, designed to allow the driver and passenger an enhanced feeling of spaciousness.

The Chrysler Firepower concept may hit 175 mph.

"As designers, we challenged ourselves," said Trevor Creed, senior vice president of Chrysler Group design. "How could we best encompass such strong Chrysler models as the Crossfire, which began the brand's move toward a higher level of performance and elegance, while looking to the most extreme expression of engineering and design such as last year's prototype, the ME Four-Twelve? Firepower uniquely bridges these two worlds."

Like the Hurricane, both the Firepower and the Gladiator were built for the auto show circuit. But Chrysler officials have hinted they will eventually go into production.

"We think that the car will make it into dealer showrooms in the near future," sales analyst Joe Barker of the automotive consulting told the Reuters news agency.

"It's a beautiful car, it's a sellable car. It's a car that will help bolster the Chrysler image."