European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 23, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday february 23, 1989 the stars and stripes Page 13 latest Model in jeep wrangler series islander a rugged individualist the jeep wrangler synonymous with 4-wheel-drive, carries on the tradition of ruggedness Freedom and fun for buyers of sport Utility  this is How Chrysler corp., which bought out am jeep two years ago de scribes the 1989 Ranger vehicles and it is Apt phrasing. Continuing Chrysler s jeep Eagle Divi Sion says new for 1989 is the wrangler islander an exciting and unique Model aimed at the image conscious younger single Well educated buyer who is an adventurous outdoor  that s quite an order and while it s not necessary to be Young single and Well educated to own the new jeep wrangler is Lander we would say that the buyer had better be adventurous or he is wasting his Money. We say this because after spending a few Days with the islander we re con Vinced that this vehicle can take you practically anywhere All depending on your lust for adventure courage and driving ability. While it s often pointed out that 4 wheel drive vehicles in general spend pre Cious Little time off Road it would be a shame to own this vehicle and not use it for off Road purposes and we did not miss this Opportunity. In some severe and broken Muddy tracks along the Rhine River the islander slowed right through without a problem although 4-wheel-Low was necessary in some spots. The Windshield wipers cleared the mud and Walls of water quickly and efficiently and there was no bottoming out despite extremely deep ruts. Our Only concern in the water bogged terrain was that the is Lander could be in for a Semi sinking As this actually happened to a German col leage of ours in a jeep test Outing several years ago. But the islander did t sink and our afternoon in the mud made for Freedom and fun just As Chrysler s jeep Eagle people had promised in their press release. The Bright Blue Hardtop islander was provided by the jeep Eagle military sales pe9ple of Frankfurt and our Only disappointment with it occurred when we had to give it Back. That s because the islander has charac ter a guarantee that its owner will become totally involved with it. This is True of Good sports Utility vehicles in general and the jeep models in particular. Put simply the Long established american made jeep is both an american and International favorite. The jeep wrangler which replaced the old world War a Type jeep three years ago is offered in five versions for 1989 the base the a Sahara Laredo and the new islander All similar in construction but with different types of equipment Power and trim Levels. The islander test vehicle was powered by a 4.2-liter engine of 112 he at 3,000 rpm and 210 foot Pound of torque at 2,000 rpm. With this engine an option at $430, the islander could pull out stumps or climb the steepest of Hills. Jeeps says this engine has the highest torque rating in its class. But it s also thirsty. Our fuel aver age was Only 14mpg. With the 4.2-liter engine the islander is absolutely competitive on the Auto Bahns cruising with ease at 70 to 80 Mph. At 70 Mph in fifth gear the Tach reads Only 2,000 rpm. The redline is pegged at a Low 4,500 rpm and the islander zips right up to that Mark through each gear with ease. While the engine is somewhat noisy when working hard it is surprisingly silent at Idle. The Standard engine for the islander Isa 2.5-liter 4-Cylinder unit of 117 he and 138 foot Pound of torque and this engine the islander with soft top removed. Roll bars Are heavily padded for safety. Jeep Eagle test vehicle was equipped with optional Hardtop. Is is doors open fully tailgate swings open. Would be Best for general use and fuel Economy. But the off Road Power of the islander with the 4.2-liter is truly Awe some and if you Are really into off Road ing this is the one you want. Jeep Calls its system command trac 4 wheel drive. It provides Normal 2-wheel drive and part time 4-wheel drive in High Range and Low Range. The part time Means that to use 4-wheel drive the Spe Cial gears must be engaged. This is easy to do with the Transfer Case shifting arrange ment and we engaged 4-wheel High on the Fly while travelling at speeds up to 60 Mph. The 2-wheel Low must be engaged at a crawl of 2 to 3 Mph or by stopping altogether if continued motion is not vital. The regular gearshift lever for the 5 Speed manual overdrive transmission is located just to the right of the command trac gearshift and the 5-Speed is smooth easy to use and it provides for Quick gear changes. Jeeps Are classified As special purpose vehicles and they Are built on a special truck like Chassis. And the islander rides like a truck even a bit rough on fairly smooth roads. But that s to be expected on a Short wheelbase vehicle with a Leaf Spring suspension setup. A protective steel skid plate covers the islander s fuel tank and Transfer Case this the same with All wrangler jeeps. It s fun to drive the islander either on Road or off As you sit up High and feel in command of things. You also feel Well protected with the built in padded Roll Cage. The front bucket seats with High backs Are comfortable and there s a fold up Bench seat in Back that will seat two adults. If you Don t need the rear seat you can fold it up for More cargo or you can re move it altogether. The tailgate with the spare tire mounted to it swings open and has a hold open feature to facilitate loading and unloading even on Steep grades. With the rear seat in place there s 43.2 cubic feet of cargo space and with the seat removed the islander s space totals 53.4. There is also storage space within two plastic bins on both doors. The islander has Power assist brakes discs at front and Power assist steering the Power brakes Standard. Handling on the islander is Fine for a vehicle of this Type but it s not set up for High Speed Cor nering by any Means and the Driver must keep this in mind. A front Stabilizer bar helps control body movement and it keeps the islander level during cornering Maneu vers. The tires on the test vehicle were Good year wrangler radials p205/75 mounted on 15-Inch wheels with Light Blue raised lettering on the tires to match the islander s Blue exterior. An islander Motif in Bright Orange makes this vehicle quite an Eye Catcher. Cost of the jeep wrangler islander de scribed in this report is $ 13,605, this Price including $748 for the optional Hardtop $430 for the optional 4.2-liter engine $303 for Power assist steering and $429 Destina Tion charges. For full details on the new jeep Wran Gler models special military prices warranties etc., prospective buyers May con tact Chrysler jeep Eagle sales representatives at the cafes new car sales Points on the various bases in Europe Randy Burnet Auto columnist