2006 Dodge Hornet concept – Click above for high-res image gallery
Chrysler has announced that it is working on a small car for the Dodge lineup capable of achieving fuel economy of 40 miles per gallon. This new model will be based on Fiat architecture and is expected to debut near the end of 2011. No word has been given as to whether or not the new Dodge will rival B-segment offerings like the Ford Fiesta or C-segment vehicles like the newly introduced Hyundai Elantra. Longtime Autoblog readers will no doubt recall that a high-mpg small Chrysler has been on the table seemingly for ages, since before the well-received Dodge Hornet concept car of 2006, a vehicle that was said to have been greenlit for production a handful of times, albeit to no apparent result.
Aside from the North American-spec Fiat 500 that debuts at this week’s Los Angeles Auto Show, the new Chrysler/Fiat partnership has yet to produce any real fruit. In the meantime, the automaker has been heavily reworking its product portfolio, offering new powertrains and better refinement for the full slate of Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep products.
Featured Gallery
The Toyota Land Cruiser has been on the road for more than 27 years, and amassed more than 400,000 miles on its odometer.
In the past three months, it has endured a broken engine mounting, ruptured handbrake cable, broken cross-shaft, damaged power piston and more than a few cosmetic blemishes.
Time to head to the dealership, right?
For Emil and Liliana Schmid, not even close. While driving the 1982 Land Cruiser FJ60 over the past 27-and-a-half years, the Swiss couple has gone through 166 flat tires, 138 spark plugs, 54 shock absorbers, 31 batteries and 22 air filters.
The couple, which embarked on a worldwide travel extravaganza in 1984, hasn’t stopped, and neither has their Land Cruiser. They’ve ridden it through 172 different countries and logged 413,654 miles. The Guinness Book of World Records has recognized them and their vehicle for the longest travel journey, the most miles, and the most countries visited in a single car.
The journey began as a one-year escape from his job as a software developer and hers as a secretary, but it quickly spiraled into one without a return date. So far, they’ve parked the Land Cruiser near Egyptian pyramids and Australia’s Ayers Rock. And everywhere in between.
They’ve been on the road for 9,493 days, according to the meticulously kept statistics on their website, consumed 43,497 gallons of gas and been behind the wheel for 18,482 hours.
Truth be told, they pondered replacing their Land Cruiser once. But after a spirited debate in 2006, they found a place to fix the original in the town of Miri on the island of Borneo, and haven’t regretted the decision one bit.
Thinking about taking an epic journey like the Schmids? We’ve got a few cars that we think will serve you very well while you see the world.
MSRP: $77,955
Given how much success the Schmids have experienced with their 1982 Land Cruiser, we have to recommend the 2013 model.
The Toyota Land Cruiser remains at the top of the class when it comes to luxury and off-road capability. It provides legendary durability and reliability thanks to Toyota’s impressive level of quality control. A 381-hp 5.7-liter V8 engine mated to a six-speed automatic transmission sends power to the four-wheel drive system. Driving at low speeds on rough or steep terrain, the Crawl Control system automatically controls the vehicle’s engine and brakes which allows the driver to focus on steering
Research the Toyota Land Cruiser
Toyota Land Cruiser Photos & Info
Toyota Land Cruiser Specs
Toyota Land Cruiser Local Dealer Price Quote
[Source: Automotive News – sub. req.]