Jeep Debuts 2011 Model Campers

Scoff if you must at the idea of Mopar offering Jeep-branded (and styled) pop-up campers through its dealers. But it makes a whole lot more sense than Jeep-branded baby strollers, no?

We choose on this fine afternoon to think of Jeep's newest models (there are two available campers) as much a natural extension of its brand promise as a winter-coat company deciding to also offer winter gloves. And, with the Patriot and Compass models already on the market, there's plenty of precedent for Jeep offering models with no engines (BAM!).

Anyway, for $9,995 you could drive away with an 850-pound 49.5-inch high camper that can sleep up to four and, riding on 32-inch BF Goodrich Mud Terrain tires, has 12 inches of ground clearance.

Not "X-treme" enough for you? Then sir, you should step up to the Jeep Extreme Trail Edition Camper. This version is a little heavier (at 1,050) and wears bigger 35-in Mud Terrain tires for 15 inches of ground clearance. It has a more stout frame than the standard model, a full-underbody skid plate and black diamond-plate aluminum fenders.

Both use tubular-aluminum construction (no fiberboard!), are available in silver, black, red, green and "Mango Tango Pearl," and, because this is Mopar, are offered with a host of accessories. And since both use Jeep's 17-inch Wrangler aluminum wheels, the spare tire for most Jeeps you'd be using to tow the thing will fit the trailer. That's clever, although it will make for some expensive trailer tire/wheel replacements.

http://blogs.insideline.com/straightline/2010/09/jeep-debuts-2011-model-campers-becausewell-why-wouldnt-it.html?ref=nf