Gatlinburg man killed in HWY 321 crash
According to a THP report, 29-year-old John Ramsey lost control of his Grand Jeep Cherokee Sunday afternoon while driving along Highway 321 near Cool Springs Way.

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It is almost two consecutive years that the automotive industry havenâ??t heard about the production model of Chrysler Group's off-road concept called the Jeep Hurricane since it was unveiled at the 2005 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit.

During its unveiling at the NAIAS two years ago, Trevor Creed, Senior Vice President - Chrysler Group Design said: "Jeep Hurricane is simply the most maneuverable, most capable and most powerful 4x4 ever built. It pays homage to the extreme enthusiasts' Jeep vehicles in form and off-road capability, but is a unique interpretation of Jeep design. Simply stated, it is the extreme example for the Jeep brand."

"Out in the wilderness, changing direction in minimal space can mean the difference between an afternoon of adventure and a distress call back to the trailhead. The multi-mode four-wheel steering system on Jeep Hurricane is designed to offer enthusiasts the next level of performance and unexpected maneuverability," he further explained.

One interesting feature of the Jeep Hurricane is that it does not have roof or even a side door. The concept has only two seats for occupants and equipped with body architecture exclusively for an enhanced off-road performance. In fact, the Jeep Hurricane concept was chosen by Autoweek as the winner of their â??Most Funâ? Concept vehicle award at the show.

Although many patented technologies were secured in the Hurricaneâ??s development, some automotive experts as well as DCX said that the concept vehicle is not expected to be a production vehicle in the near future. Instead, the vehicle technologies, designs cues, and technical specs found on the Jeep Hurricane concept are expected to be featured in future Jeep models, as the company believed that the concept vehicle raised the bar for the Jeep brand. Take a look at some of these specs and features.

The Jeep Hurricane concept has a one-piece body styling made of carbon fiber, accented by the signature 7-slot grille design with Jeep header panel on the front fascia. As expected for a Jeep model, the Jeep Hurricane concept embodies the brand's creative and mechanical expertise in terms of off-road vehicle handling and performance.

The Jeep Hurricane concept was the first Chrysler Group vehicle to have two monstrous 5.7-liter HEMI engines, one in the front and one at the back. Both engines deliver 335 hp and produce 370 lb.-ft. amount of peak torque, providing a total of 670 hp and 740 lb.-ft. of torque. The engine is also equipped with Chrysler Group Multi-Displacement System (MDS), which allows the Jeep Hurricane to run on different engine displacements including 4, 8, 12, or 16 cylinders. A 5-speed automatic gearbox delivers power through the custom multi mode central transfer case and split axles with a mechanically controlled four wheel torque distribution system. The Jeep Hurricane concept also features a skid steer capability and toe steer that enables the vehicle to turn the front and rear tires inwards.

Expect to see these features of the Jeep Hurricane on future Jeep models anytime soon.

The Jeep Cherokee can find its roots all the way back to 1974. Although sharing the almost exact platform as the Wagoneer initially, the Jeep Cherokee went through a major design change starting in the 1984 model. With a smaller wheel base and shorter overall length, the new model quickly gained popularity for its versatile off-road capability and better fuel mileage. Customers had the option of picking up either a two or four door model.

The standard Jeep Cherokee engine started out as an anemic 2.5 liter four cylinder engine while a more stout 2.8 V-6 was available at an additional cost. While the four cylinder Jeep Cherokee engine was only available with a 4-speed manual transmission, the V-6 had the option of either a 3-speed automatic, 4-speed manual or the highly touted 5-speed manual box. Both the v-6 and four cylinder models had the option of two four-wheel drive systems.

Many different trim packages were available through the years. The most notable being the Limited introduced in 1987, the 4.0 liter inline six cylinder jeep Cherokee engine became the power plant of choice with more power and reliability. With the introduction of many different engine advancements, horsepower figures grew throughout the second generation Cherokees.

In 1997, the Jeep Cherokee received a major redesign through 2001. More refinements were made to the interior and electrical system. In the final model year, the more powerful and smoother inline six cylinder was borrowed from the Grand Cherokee model.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee as we know it today was introduced back in 1993. Originally, the Grand Cherokee was designed and marketed as more luxurious competitor against Ford's highly popular Explorer. Many creature comforts were available for this model such as power windows, door locks, sunroof, heated mirrors and seats. The most powerful Jeep Grand Cherokee engine for the first generation was the 5.2 liter V-8 power plant boasting 225 horsepower with a respectable 300 foot-pounds of torque. The base Jeep Grand Cherokee engine was the ever popular 4.0 liter inline six similar to the Jeep Cherokee's.

The '94 through '96 models saw many improvements to available trim packages and engine power. Quadra-Trac became standard on all Grand Cherokee models as the preferred four-wheel drive system. Dual air bags also became standard in the 1996 model. In 1998 the more powerful 5.9 liter magnum v-8 was added to the Jeep Grand Cherokee engine lineup.

The model received a complete redesign in 1999. The Grand Cherokee was now 4 inches longer and sleeker looking than previous models. The aging 5.2 liter Jeep Grand Cherokee engine was replaced by the all new 4.7 overhead cam variation which produced up to 265 horsepower and 325 foot-pounds of torque for the high output version. Both a four and a five speed automatic transmission were standard on the V-8 models as well as the inline six cylinder motors.

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Starting in 2005, the Jeep Grand Cherokee saw another major facelift. Replacement of the solid axle drive train in favor of an independent setup gave the jeep grand Cherokee engine a softer more refined ride. More engine options became available including the notable 6.1 liter Hemi V-8 seen in the all new SRT package making it one of the fastest sport utility vehicles in production. Many diesel options were available as well but made their way mostly in foreign markets.
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Monday mishap
A Bellevue firefighter checks the interior of the Kwik Shop at the corner of West Mission Avenue and Madison Street about 20 minutes after a man accidentally drove his Jeep through the front of the store on Monday. The man was pulling into a parking space and hit the gas pedal instead of the brake, according to a police report. No one was injured and no damage estimate was available as of Monday ...

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