Jeep Archives • Jacksonville (First Coast) Car Culture

June 16, 2022June 16, 2022

904 Events Calendar June 15, 2022

Jacksonville Car Culture events calendar

Caffeine and Octane

Toasty is the word for last Saturday’s C&O as hot, sunny skies gave way to clouds, but no rain until its end. So variety was the spice of life at C&O again.

Jeeps were the featured ride at the event, everything from classic World War II units in Army green, to modern rock climbers.

And here’s a sample…just a sample…of some of the rest of the ride.

And then there was this sleek, aerodynamic coupe with its 2-liter Ford EcoTec turbocharged four mounted behind the spare cockpit, clothed in a handmade body with serious ground effects, a soon-to-be ground-hugging splitter, and the name of Alula. Those are handmade curved taillights as well, with a nose-mounted radiator that cools the engine as air rushes up through it and over the body. Can’t wait to see its completion.

The next Caffeine and Octane Jacksonville rumbles into life from 8 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 9, at The Avenues mall’s Southside Boulevard parking lots.

And this time, C&O highlights – convertibles.

An estimated 1,000-plus cars, trucks, motorcycles and more usually come to the all-makes, all-models free show, with all parking spots first come/first serve. Cars should start arriving by 7 a.m. that June 11 Saturday to the Southside Boulevard side of the shopping mall, the best way in through Malabar Boulevard. As always, there will be a Porsche section, and an exotics area at the July C&O. And look for literally hundreds of vintage and classic cars, muscle cars and so much more.

Official Caffeine and Octane merchandise is on sale at all Caffeine and Octane Jacksonville events.

Now the Car Shows:

CaddyShack Vettes at the Village: The 21^st Father’s Day weekend Corvette show runs from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday at World Golf Village at 1 World Golf Pace in St. Augustine. Free for spectators and $45 for show cars, every generation of Corvette on display, with proceeds benefitting Wolfson Children’s Hospital.

Summer Volksfest – 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday at the Car Museum of St. Augustine at 4730 U.S. 1 S./Dixie Highway South in St Augustine. Free for spectators; show vehicles registration is $20, which includes one museum entry.

Toon Town Show and Tell Truck Meet: 5 to 10 p.m. on Saturday at 444 Talleyrand Ave. in Jacksonville. This is an indoor/outdoor lifted truck/classic truck and car meet.

Mac-Town Cruisers Car and Truck Show: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, June 25, at Jordan’s Automotive at 10844 North County Road 125 in Glen St. Mary, Fl. Free for spectators and $20 per show vehicle.

Vet Center Auto Show: 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 16, at the Jacksonville 1 VA Clinic at 1536 N. Jefferson St. Event includes a health fair.

10^th annual King of the South Car Show, Featuring Import Warz: 3 to 8 p.m. on Saturday at the Jacksonville Fairgrounds at 510 Fairground Place. Hosted by OG Magnum and Marzine the King, the show is $20 per person, with exhaust and 2-step competition at 6:30 p.m.

Summer Showcase 2022 – Saturday and Sunday, July 16 and 17, at the Jacksonville Equestrian Center, 13611 Normandy Blvd. The car show also includes an audio system arena and dB Drag. Admission for those competing in sound system events is $15 now or $30 at the gate. Show cars: pre-reg $20, and $40 at the gate, and $5 per spectator. Tickets can be purchased here.

Nassau Moose Riders Dreams Come True Rocking Car and Bike Show: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 23, at the Nassau Moose Lodge at 850062 U.S. 17 N. in Yulee. Free for spectators and $20 per pre-1989 show vehicle and all years of motorcycles. Proceeds benefit Dreams Come True.

The FIRM (Florida International Rally and Moto Park): Open Track Days held most weekends at the road course and rally course at 7266 Airport Road in Starke.

All the Cruise-ins

First Coast Car Council, Clay County Cruzers, Callahan Cruisers and Amelia Cruizers all hold regular weekend cruise-ins, so check their Facebook pages.

Caffeine and Octane Jacksonville: 8 to 11 a.m. every second Saturday at The Avenues Mall at 10300 Southside Blvd. Information: https://bit.ly/3gPRvVQ.

Johnny Angels: 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. every third Friday at Johnny Angels diner at 3546 St. Johns Bluff Road S.

Cruise Fruit Cove: 3 to 7 p.m. every third Saturday at the PDQ at 194 Florida 13 in Saint Johns, just south of Julington Creek.

Amelia Cruizers: 3 to 6 p.m. every third Saturday at Cold Stone Creamery, 808 Sadler Road, Fernandina Beach.

Yulee Cars and Coffee: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. every third Sunday at the Sonic Drive-In at 463939 Florida 200 in Yulee.

First Coast Car Council: The second Saturday cruise-in is from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Medical & Merchants Center of Mandarin, 11701 San Jose Blvd.

North Florida Domestic Car Club’s new cruise-in: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. each first Saturday of the month beginning June 4 at the PDQ at 4816 Gate Parkway.

The Part’s House/The Brothers Banter Podcast Cruise-in: The renamed White Brothers Auto Parts Cruise-in at the same time – 5 to 8 p.m. every second Friday at 405 Lane Ave. N.

Callahan Cruisers: 5 to 8 p.m. every second Saturday at Hardee’s at 542309 U.S. 1 in Callahan

Auto Legends Amelia Cars and Coffee: 9 a.m. to noon every second Saturday at Mocama Beer Company, 629 S. 8th St. in Fernandina Beach.

Clay County Cruzers’ events: 3 to 6 p.m. every first Saturday at Big Dawg Sports Restaurant, 1330 Blanding Blvd. The Cruzers’ other events: At 3 to 6 p.m. on the second Saturday, the cruise-in returns to Dick’s Wings Fleming Island at 1803 E. West Parkway; 5 p.m. every third Friday at Freddy’s Steakburgers at 386 Blanding Blvd.; and 2 to 5 p.m. every fourth Saturday at Gator’s Dockside Oakleaf, 316 Merchants Way, Jacksonville.

Classic Car Museum of St. Augustine monthly cruise-ins: St. Augustine Cruiser’s “Cruise In” from 5 to 7 p.m. every third Saturday, and Cars and Coffee from 8 to 10 a.m. every fourth Saturday, both at 4730 U.S. 1 S./Dixie Highway South in St Augustine.

Cars and Coffee Fleming Island: 8 a.m. every fourth Sunday of the month at 2310 Village Square Parkway, Fleming Island.

New cruise-in: 6 p.m. every fourth Saturday at Missions BBQ, 8440 Blanding Blvd. in Jacksonville, hosted by Modern Mustangs of Jacksonville.

New cruise-in: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every fourth Saturday at the Rockin’ 50’s Eatery at 3501 N. Ponce De Leon Blvd. in St. Augustine.

Show and Tell, 6 to 9 p.m. every fourth Thursday at Advance Auto Parts at 10014 Atlantic Blvd.

Historic Springfield Main Street Cruise: 4 p.m. every fourth Saturday between 8th and 17th streets at Main Street in Jacksonville’s Springfield community.

And finally…

Those of you who went to the 27^th outing of The Amelia concours d’elegance this past March may have spotted the familiar cowboy-hatted figure of Jim Glickenhaus helping his crew dry the morning dew off his 1966 Ferrari P3/4. In previous years, you may have seen some of the New York hypercar maker’s other cars, like his outrageous SCG Boot, a modern high-performance homage to the Steve McQueen Baja Boot, off-road racing truck, which happened told be parked nearby.

But for those who watched any of last weekend’s 90th anniversary 24 Hours of Le Mans, Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus’ SCG 007 Le Mans Hypercar was one of the highlights of a nail-biting endurance race. The team’s cars finished third and fourth, right behind the Toyota hypercars and their repeat win at the 90th running of the race.

One of the two SGC 007’s had to be repaired, falling behind before coming back to finish fourth.

Maybe the winner shows up at the 28^th running of The Amelia?

September 11, 2020November 3, 2020

The 2019 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon – Presence On and Off The Road

Presence. Sometimes you simply feel in control and ready. A new suit, a pair of dress shoes, even the right jacket can give you that extra bit of confidence.

Driving the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon provides the same boost; authority, strength, style and in the case of the Rubicon, comfort. Jeep’s latest iteration of the iconic Wrangler provides the best of all worlds – brawn and beauty and without breaking the bank. Outdoor adventures are covered. Cruising the beach with the top down, absolutely. Picking up the kids at the carpool lane? Yes. Grocery store runs or a weekend trip to the home improvement store? No problem. With the upscale interior, even date night is elevated.

Wrangler has been synonymous with strength and authority since the mid-eighties. The Wrangler was even a co-star alongside the dinosaurs of Jurassic Park. The vehicle has a strong following. Owners often flash lights and waive to each other in passing. Very few vehicles command the dedication of the iconic Jeep Wrangler.

Our review vehicle, the Wrangler Rubicon, was powered by a 3.6-liter V6 engine and an 8-speed automatic transmission. The V6 produces 285 horsepower and 260 ft-lbs of torque. The engine and transmission combination works well for day to day driving. Fuel economy is about what you’d expect from a boxy off-road ready vehicle at 17 mpg city and 25 mpg highway. The power is immediate and thanks to Jeep’s brilliant eight-speed automatic, the Wrangler feels ready up to the speed limit and beyond.

While the Rubicon is a welcome daily driver, the Wrangler really shines off road. The almost unstoppable 4×4 features locking front and read differentials. The transmission offers a 4-wheel low setting that works to keep the Jeep moving in terrain that stops many other off-road vehicles in their tracks. Get in over your head and the disconnectable front stabilizer bar frees up the front wheels to help climb otherwise impossible rocks and crags.

Road noise is abundant, especially at highway speeds, but the Uconnect infotainment system remains among the best in the industry. Our review vehicle included an 8.4-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. FCA’s lauded system is easy to use and loaded with features. Audio is clear and loud and the smartphone integration works flawlessly.

While the Wrangler is not for everyone, Jeep’s off-road ready convertible is the only vehicle for some. With a starting price tag of just over $28k the Wrangler can be configured to meet most budgets. Our nicely-equipped Rubicon, with a long-list of MOPAR options, costs close to $50k.

Chris Brewer is an automotive writer and photographer living in Northeast Florida. Chris is a regular contributor to numerous automotive magazines and founded Jacksonville Car Culture, an automotive lifestyle firm that runs Jacksonville’s Cars & Coffee. Chris also works as the director of communications for The Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, a world-renowned automotive event and two-time winner of the International Historic Motoring Event of the Year award. He also has a doctorate degree from The Institute for Worship Studies.

Follow Chris on Facebook @jaxcarsandcoffee or @jaxcarculture

Or on Instagram at @jaxcarculture or @brewervintage

September 9, 2020November 3, 2020

The Continually Evolving Small SUV: 2019 Jeep Renegade

Not that many years ago a phone was a phone. It had one job, make phone calls. Eventually the phone began evolving, adding features to transmit data and add functionality. Today, consumers equate the term “phone” with “tiny supercomputer with a hi-res camera.” Expectations are high; a lot is expected from something very tiny.

In many ways expectations in the small sport-utility vehicle marketplace mirror that of the cell phone. It is not enough to provide basic transportation, a SUV needs to be competent on the highway and around town, provide plenty of cargo space, entertainment, look great and not complain if you need to wander off-road during the family camping trip.

Manufacturers have raced to create the ultimate tiny SUV and much like the latest cell phones, offerings like the 2019 Jeep Renegade Limited have become the “does a little bit of everything” vehicle that many people need. Jeep’s name represents adventure lifestyle and off-road capability. Legendary models like the Wrangler can be seen tackling rocky crags and chugging through rivers unscathed. It only makes sense that Jeep’s smallest SUV should have mentionable 4×4 capabilities. However, the Renegade is better thought of as a purposeful daily driver for families who might, every once in a while, visit the drive-on beach.

Jeep’s refreshed 2019 Rengade is powered by a standard 2.4-liter four cylinder or an all-new 1.3-liter direct-injection turbocharged engine. Both engines send power through a 9-speed automatic transmission. Our Limited model gave us a chance to spend some time with the new turbo engine.

Engine and Transmission

Rated at 177 horsepower and 210 lb-ft of torque, the overachieving 1.3-liter powerplant is a nice match for the SUV. The engineers at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) have worked their magic to dial in a wide powerband and rarely did the Jeep feel sluggish or overworked during the week long review period. Fuel economy is solid for a contender in the small 4×4 SUV marketplace, rated at 23 mpg city, 29 mpg highway, and 26 mpg combined.

Our Limited model included the Jeep Selec-Terrain system which provided four different drive modes. While the majority of our time was spent in the “Auto” mode, the system has options for Snow, Sand and Mud. The closest we took the Renegade to “off-road” was parking on wet grass. Days of rain had created a situation where the normally firm ground had deceptively given way to six inches of mud. At the end of the day, the Renegade easily pulled out of the spot while the two vehicles parked on either side had to wait for a tow truck.

Interior

Our top-trim Limited model features leather seating and premium trim. Front seats are comfortable and supportive and it is relatively easy to find a comfortable driving position. Similar to the vast majority of small SUVs, the rear seating area is adequate for two adults or three small children. Cargo space is 18.5 cubic feet that can be expanded to 50.8 cubic feet when you include the rear seat area.

Technology

Our Limited model included FCA’s excellent Uconnect infotainment system. We have long been fans of the user friendly system, which we consider a benchmark for non-premium vehicles. The 8.4-inch touchscreen occupies a great deal of the dashboard area. Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, navigation, HD Radio, Bluetooth connectivity and SiriusXM Radio (with subscription) are standard. An optional BeatsAudio system takes the system’s audio reproduction to the next level.

Everyone will appreciate the availability of up to 70 safety and security features. The updated Renegade includes the segment’s first availability of Forward Collision Warning-Plus and LaneSense Departure Warning.

Pricing

The base model 2019 Jeep Renegade starts at $22,275. Our Limited model retails for $34,265. Both are subject to a $1,495 destination charge.

Our Verdict

While the small SUV landscape is continually evolving, the Jeep Renegade is a strong contender for consumers. The styling is in line with the Jeep lineup and the interior is comfortable and functional. If you’re attracted to the Renegade’s styling and feel that the seating and cargo space will work for your lifestyle, then Jeep’s little SUV might be the perfect “does a little bit of everything” vehicle for you.

Follow Chris on Facebook @jaxcarsandcoffee or @jaxcarculture

Or on Instagram at @jaxcarculture or @brewervintage