One of our sources has forwarded us some information about a 2000 Rubicon TJ...

The Rubicon Edition of the TJ is a go for model year 2000. It will include a suspension lift (not sure how big or by whom) and a 4:1 transfer case with a heavy duty transfer case shaft. The supplier for the 4:1 gears is working closely with New Ventures Gear on testing. They will make roughly 2000-5000 units per year and will come with a Chrysler warranty. I would expect a hefty premium since it's a specialty vehicle.

The Jeep Wrangler and Cherokee scored "acceptable" and "marginal" ratings respectively in 40 mph oblique crash tests by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

The Reuters article continues:

Only one out of 10 models of fast-selling small sport utility vehicles earned even a ``good'' safety rating in crash tests, an insurance industry group said Tuesday.

The Subaru Forester took the lone ``good'' rating while the Isuzu Motors Ltd.'s Amigo was the only model ranked ``poor'' in 40 mph frontal crash tests conducted by the Arlington, Virginia-based Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

...snip...

Suzuki Motor Corp.'s Grand Vitara, its twin models the Suzuki Vitara and General Motors Corp.'s Chevrolet Tracker, as well as Chrysler Corp.'s Jeep Wrangler earned ``acceptable'' ratings from the institute.

Toyota Motor Corp. (Nasdaq:TOYOY - news)'s popular RAV-4, Honda Motor Co. Ltd.'s CR-V, the Jeep Cherokee and Kia Motors Corp.'s Sportage all garnered ``marginal'' rankings.

In the tests, the Insurance Institute, funded by automobile insurance companies, crashed the vehicles at 40 mph at an angle, with 40 percent of the front end hitting a crushable barrier. The European Union uses the same test on new models.

Chrysler Corporation no longer exists. As of yesterday (11/12/98), the Daimler-Chrysler merger is complete.

From a Chrysler press release:

Chrysler Corporation announced today that it expects its planned business combination with Daimler-Benz to be completed on Thursday, November 12, 1998. Closing of the transaction is subject to successful completion of DaimlerChrysler's exchange offer, Chrysler's planned reissuance of treasury stock to its pension plans and customary closing conditions. The exchange offer is scheduled to end at noon on Friday, November 6, 1998, Central European Time in Germany and Eastern Standard Time in the United States.

Chrysler shares will continue to trade on the NYSE through the close of business on November 12. Trading of DaimlerChrysler AG ordinary shares on a when-issued basis is expected to continue through Monday, November 16, with regular way trading scheduled to commence on Tuesday, November 17.