Jeep® Wins Third Consecutive "Four Wheeler of the Year" Award from Four Wheeler Magazine

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Dec. 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

• New 2013 Wrangler Unlimited Moab Edition the latest Jeep vehicle to capture esteemed award
• Jeep Wrangler Rubicon and Jeep Grand Cherokee previous two winners
• New 2013 Jeep Wrangler Moab boasts increased capability with Goodyear Silent Armor off-road tires, winch-capable steel bumpers, and available locking rear differential
• Award is the latest in a series of Jeep Wrangler accolades
• Jeep Wrangler sales up nearly 20 percent in 2012

The new 2013 Jeep® Wrangler Unlimited Moab Edition is the winner of the respected "Four Wheeler of the Year" award from the editors of Four Wheeler magazine. Paying homage to Jeep enthusiasts' favorite off-roading destination, the Wrangler Unlimited Moab includes Goodyear Silent Armor off-road tires, winch-capable steel bumpers, and an available locking rear differential for increased capability.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121205/DE23632)

"The Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Moab is an extremely versatile vehicle, and was a hands-down trail favorite of the Four Wheeler judges," said John Cappa, Four Wheeler editor. "The improved interior comfort, amenities, power and overall performance both on- and off-road make it worthy of being our 2013 Four Wheeler of the Year."

To qualify for the competition, entries had to be entirely new or have substantial mechanical revisions from a previous model year. Testing was conducted over more than a thousand miles on a variety of terrain, including pavement, gravel, dirt, sand, rocks and mud.

"The new Jeep Wrangler Moab edition is a perfect example of listening to our loyal Wrangler owners, who appreciate new levels of capability in a unique package," said Mike Manley, President and CEO – Jeep Brand, Chrysler Group LLC. "The Moab edition recognizes a die-hard off-roading destination Jeep owners love, while providing even more capability, including winch-capable steel bumpers, upgraded rock rails and a rear locker. We're especially pleased that the influential Four Wheeler editors put our latest Jeep Wrangler to the test and clearly recognized its capability."

The 2013 Jeep Wrangler Moab Edition's "Four Wheeler of the Year" award comes a year after the new-for-2012 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon earned the award, two years after Jeep Grand Cherokee did so, and less than three years after the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon was named the Best 4x4 vehicle of the 2000-2009 decade by Four Wheeler magazine.

The "Four Wheeler of the Year" recognition is the latest in a list of several recent Jeep Wrangler awards. Other recent Wrangler accolades include:

• 4x4 of the Year, Petersen's 4-Wheel & Off-Road magazine (Moab Edition)
• Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com Best Resale Value Award, Compact Utility Vehicle
• Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com Best Resale Value Award, Top 10
• Mid-size SUV of Texas, Texas Auto Writers Association
• Best Off-Road Value, Active Lifestyle Vehicle (ALV) award
• Hottest 4x4 SUV, Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) award

Jeep Wrangler continues to enjoy significant momentum in the marketplace, with sales up 17 percent in 2012.

New 2013 Jeep Wrangler and Wrangler Unlimited Moab
To kick off the 2013 model year, Jeep Wrangler debuts a limited-edition model named after one of the most popular off-road destinations in the world – Moab, Utah. The Jeep Wrangler Moab is based on the Wrangler Sahara model and is equipped with hardware popular with off-roading enthusiasts.

Official upgrades include 17-inch Rubicon alloy wheels painted gloss black running new 245/75R17 Goodyear Silent Armor off-road tires and standard Trak-Lok anti-spin rear differential with an available electronic rear locking differential. When equipped with a manual transmission and a 3.73 rear axle ratio, Wrangler Moab has a crawl ratio of 45:1.

Unique exterior features on the Wrangler Moab include a Mopar power dome hood, premium rock rails, black fuel filler door and tail lamp guards and matching premium black front and rear off-road bumpers. Other exterior touches include the new premium soft top, black wheel arches, a matte black Jeep grille badge and "Moab" decals on the hood. A body-color three-piece hard top is optional.

Interior modifications include black or saddle premium leather seats with black stitching, "Moab" embossed instrument panel grab handle, Mopar slush mats and Iron Gray trim on the vent rings, grab handles and steering wheel spokes.

The Jeep Wrangler Moab is available as a two-door Wrangler or four-door Wrangler Unlimited model available in Crush, Dozer, Rock Lobster, Gecko, Black and Bright White.

Like all 2013 Jeep Wrangler models, the Moab edition features Chrysler Group's 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine, delivering benchmark capability, excellent every-day on-road driving dynamics, and fuel economy up to 21 miles per gallon.

Jeep Brand
Built on more than 70 years of legendary heritage, Jeep is the authentic SUV brand with class-leading capability, craftsmanship and versatility for people who seek extraordinary journeys. The Jeep brand delivers an open invitation to live life to the fullest by offering a full line of vehicles that continue to provide owners with a sense of security to handle any journey with confidence.

The Jeep vehicle lineup includes Compass, Grand Cherokee, Liberty, Patriot, Wrangler and Wrangler Unlimited. To meet consumer demand around the world, all six Jeep models are sold outside North America – and all are available in right-hand drive versions and with gasoline and diesel powertrain options. Chrysler Group LLC sells and services vehicles in approximately 120 countries around the world.

SOURCE Chrysler Group LLC