Posted on 02/26/2005 11:59:13 AM PST by ProtectOurFreedom
If you're into off-roading -- and we mean really into it -- then Daimler-Chrysler recently unveiled the vehicle of your dreams. It's a Jeep with more horsepower, more climbing ability and more steering options than any car ever made. With two HEMI engines and the ability to turn itself completely around in place, the Jeep Hurricane concept car is truly one of a kind.
The Jeep Hurricane is meant to be an extreme vehicle. It's certainly not intended for the average driver. According to Trevor Creed, Senior Vice President of Chrysler Group Design, "Jeep Hurricane is simply the most maneuverable, most capable and most powerful 4x4 ever built."
While there are no plans to turn the Hurricane into a production model, Daimler-Chrysler CEO Dieter Zetsche explained the impetus behind the Hurricane at the 2005 North American International Auto Show in Detroit:
This vehicle is the ultimate proof of Jeep's absolute dominance off-road ... Watching Hurricane in action, it's hard not to imagine all the potential applications -- for the military, for extreme off-roading and more. The fact is, we will do whatever it takes to ensure that there's only one SUV at the top of the mountain.
With more than 14 inches of ground clearance and 20 inches of suspension travel, the Hurricane is in a class of its own when it comes to off-road capability.
The Jeep Hurricane features a 5.7-liter HEMI engine in the front, generating 335 horsepower and 370 lb-ft of torque. In the rear of the Hurricane is another 5.7-liter HEMI, generating the same amount of horsepower and torque. That's a total of 670 horsepower and 740 lb-ft of torque.
(Excerpt) Read more at auto.howstuffworks.com ...
Take a look at how the Unimogs were designed. Any time you build a vehicle as a 4wd tractor with the ability to go from a top speed of .09 mph in low low low gear to 46 mph top speed in high gear (20 speed transmission) and a totally sealed (pressurized) driveline to cross streams high enough to put water in your lap (the air intake to the 6 cyl diesel is above the cab), you have a real off road vehicle.
The hill (including side hill operations) climbing ability is legendary.
mark
LOLOLOL! It's the Ronco Home Centrifuge!"
Oh, man. I am getting the spins just thinking about it. LOLOL
"Hey look! I'm spinning! I'm spinning!"
/Joecartoon.com frog in a blender
IMHO that Unimog and its .09 mph would serve better in 4wheeling situations than dual hemis which, i would think, would snap the wheels loose from what ever they happened to be standing on when you hit the gas. Gearing is the big thing.
Kind of lends new meaning to the dealer saying, "Want to take it out for a spin?".
It's also absolutely perfect platform for practical jokery.
1. Get keys.
2. Put it in 'goofy spin mode'.
3. Start it up, get it spinning.
4. Leave a cinder block on the gas pedal.
5. Jump/get thrown clear before significant speed is attained.
6. Stand back and watch victim stand there helplessly, waiting for his car to run out of gas.
Oh, well. Darwin and all that.
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