Michigan wllz

An American Expedition Vehicles Jeep Wrangler Unlimited outfitted like this one would cost $66,400, $34,900 more than stock. It has a 5.7-liter Hemi V-8, a 3 1/2" suspension lift and new special styling elements.

WALLED LAKE — Don’t try this at home: Greg Henderson wheels this special Jeep through the parking lots behind American Expedition Vehicles’ building on West Maple Road.

He pitches the jacked-up Jeep Wrangler Unlimited from side to side and vehicle does a reasonable impersonation of a low-slung sports car, seemingly defying the laws of physics. A tall vehicle, made even taller with a 3 1/2″ lift kit from AEV and bigger tires, should not be able to handle high-speed turns like this.

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The pronounced prow of the Dodge Ram 1500 pickup leans forward in stark contrast to virtually every other vehicle on the market. It’s if the Ram is thumbing its nose at the fuel economy establishment, saying “To heck with gas mileage.”

Since Dodge introduced the Ram’s in-your-face design for 1994, the big truck has easily been the most stylish pickup on the road. It’s the truck for extroverts, those people who want to stand out from the crowd.

Besides the Ram’s newly pointed schnoz, the big difference for 2009 is the Ram’s new-found sophistication, especially in the interior.

Here’s the bottom line: If the rest of Chrysler’s cars were designed and executed as well as this Dodge Ram, company executives wouldn’t have had to go to Washington begging for money. It’s an outstanding effort, but frustrating at the same time. If this Ram is so good, why is the Dodge Avenger so horrid?

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