NEW OPTIONS TOUTED FOR WRANGER JEEP
Copyright 2004 www.tombraiderchronicles.com

[ April 30th 2004 ]

Daimler Chrysler has announced a new options package for the Wrangler Rocky Mountain Jeep. New features include: 4.0L Power Tech I-6 engine, 5-speed manual transmission, command-trac part-time four-wheel drive transfer case Dana 44 rear axel, 30" Goodyear GS-A tires, graphite fender flares, diamond plate sill guard, two tone cloth seats, classic round halogen fog lamps, silver center stack bezel, 15x8 inch alcoa cast aluminum wheels, full-size spare with matching wheel, tow hooks, and AM/FM/CD with overhead speaker pods.

Jeep replaced Land Rover as the vehicle of choice for Paramount Pictures' buxom adventurer Lara Croft. In the film, Angelina Jolie, who portrays Croft in Paramount's sequel Tomb Raider 2: The Cradle of Life, sat behind the wheel of a customized Rubicon, a modified version of Jeep's Wrangler off-roader. The Croft character briefly drove a Land Rover Defender in the first Tomb Raider in 2001.

The customized Tomb Raider Wrangler was available to consumers in limited numbers when launched, a move that enabled the marketing pact between the automaker and Paramount to extend beyond the traditional three month campaign to more than a year. A replica of the actual Rubicon jeep used in the movie is now on display in Coventry Museum along with Austin Powers' Union Jack painted E type Jaguar and James Bond's Vanquish.

Had my travel expenses been approved you would have scored an exclusive tour report from Coventry Museum and interview with curator Joe Elliott, but since my bosses wallet is tighter than a ducks ass you'll just have to take yourself!