2012 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Captures Prestigious "Four Wheeler of the Year" Award

SEE ALSO Jeep Buyers Guide 1997-2012

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Dec. 1, 2011; The new 2012 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon has been named "Four Wheeler of the Year" by Four Wheeler magazine. The award is given annually by the editors of the opinion-leading off-road enthusiast magazine.

"The 2012 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon owned nearly all aspects of off-road testing during our annual 'Four Wheeler of the Year' competition," said Four Wheeler Editor John Cappa. "The grueling 1,000-mile trek put each contending vehicle through its paces in several on- and off-road environments, including high-speed graded roads, jagged rocks, shifting sand dunes, and more. The universal do-all capability of the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon allowed it to outperform the other competing 4x4s, making it our 2012 Four Wheeler of the Year award winner."

To qualify for the competition, entries had to be entirely new or have substantial mechanical revisions from a previous model year. Testing was conducted over more than a thousand miles on a variety of terrain, including pavement, gravel, dirt, sand, rocks and mud, at elevations ranging from sea level to more than 9,000 feet.

"By earning the respected 'Four Wheeler of the Year' award, consumers, and particularly the most die-hard off-road enthusiasts , can be assured that the new 2012 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon has established an even higher level of unmatched capability," said Mike Manley, President and CEO; Jeep Brand, Chrysler Group LLC. "We are delighted the influential editors of 'Four Wheeler' magazine have recognized Wrangler's new level of capability, along with its improved power, torque and fuel efficiency."

The 2012 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon "Four Wheeler of the Year" award comes a year after the Jeep Grand Cherokee; the premium icon of the brand; captured the award, and less than two years after the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon was named the Best 4x4 vehicle of the 2000-2009 decade by Four Wheeler magazine.

The "Four Wheeler of the Year" award is the latest in a list of awards the new 2012 Jeep Wrangler has received since its introduction in September. Other recent Wrangler accolades include:

• 4x4 of the Year, Petersen's 4-Wheel & Off-Road magazine
• Mid-size SUV of Texas, Texas Auto Writers Association
• Best Value Off-Road, Active Lifestyle Vehicle (ALV) award
• Hottest 4x4 SUV, Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) award
• ALG Residual Value Award; Best Compact Utility Vehicle
• Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com Best Resale Value Award, Compact Utility Vehicle
• Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com Best Resale Value Award, Top-10 Cars

For the 2011 calendar year, Jeep Wrangler sales are up29 percent in the U.S. November marked Wrangler's sixth consecutive year-over-year monthly sales record.

New 2012 Jeep Wrangler

Jeep Wrangler; the most capable and recognized vehicle in the world; becomes even more capable both on- and off-road for 2012, courtesy of an all-new, more fuel efficient and more powerful 3.6-liter V-6 engine, and a new five-speed automatic transmission; both of which it shares with the award-winning Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Chrysler Group's 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine; winner of the prestigious Ward's 10 Best Engines award; delivers 285 horsepower (209 kW) and 260 (353 Nm) lb.-ft. of torque, while delivering up to 21 miles per gallon highway in the 2012 Jeep Wrangler. The improvement, when compared to the previous 3.8-liter V-6 engine, is 40 percent in horsepower and 10 percent in torque.

Additionally, for refined shifting and greater performance, the Jeep Wrangler migrates from a four-speed to a new five-speed automatic transmission. The 2012 Jeep Wrangler also features the company's first application of a manual transmission to the Pentastar V-6.

Jeep continues to refine the successful Wrangler formula by combining legendary, benchmark capability with an interior that delivers rich styling with significantly upgraded touch surfaces, occupant comfort and versatility, and a premium appearance courtesy of a body color hard top for the popular Sahara and Rubicon models.

2012 Jeep Wrangler interior highlights include a recently redesigned instrument panel and storage areas with improved ergonomics and upgraded materials. A lockable console and upgraded door armrest areas boast comfortable touch points, while a redesigned center stack is easier to reach and operate. Heated, power mirrors are available, and drivers and passengers enjoy enhanced visibility courtesy of large rear windows.

Jeep Brand

Built on 70 years of legendary heritage, Jeep is the authentic SUV brand with class-leading capability, craftsmanship and versatility for people who seek extraordinary journeys. The Jeep brand delivers an open invitation to live life to the fullest by offering a full line of vehicles that continue to provide owners with a sense of security to handle any journey with confidence.

The Jeep vehicle lineup includes Compass, Grand Cherokee, Liberty, Patriot, Wrangler and Wrangler Unlimited. To meet consumer demand around the world, all six Jeep models sold outside North America; are all available in right-hand drive versions and with gasoline and diesel powertrain options (Diesels Not Available in North America Linewide). Chrysler Group LLC sells and services vehicles in approximately 120 countries around the world.