Special Report: Camp Jeep 2004

Camp Jeep®, the annual summertime gathering of Jeep® enthusiasts, is making its inaugural visit to the West Coast this summer. The first-ever Camp Jeep California will be held in the Santa Ynez Mountains in Santa Barbara County, Aug. 19-21. With more than 4,000 anticipated participants and 1,000 vehicles registered, the event offers individuals an opportunity to brush up on their off-road driving techniques and celebrate "Jeep Pride."

"Camp Jeep has been so successful and attracted so many participants over the past 10 years that it was time for the program to expand its reach to the West Coast," said Jeff Bell, Vice President - Jeep. "Camp Jeep is a wonderful opportunity for families from all over to gather and celebrate the utility and versatility of their Jeep products."

Unique to Camp Jeep California will be Californiano Heritage Area. This special area located within Expression Village will provide campers with the opportunity to experience Hispanic heritage through music, food, history and art. A Mariachi band will provide live musical entertainment on Friday and Latin finger foods will be available inside the Heritage Area throughout the duration of Camp Jeep California. Families can also learn about the history of California missions and view replicas of famous Diego Rivera paintings, which will be raffled off on the final day of Camp Jeep California.

One of the most popular highlights of the event is Jeep 101®, a series of specially constructed courses designed to teach off-highway driving and safety skills, and to demonstrate the Trail Rated® capabilities of the Jeep Wrangler, Jeep Liberty and Jeep Grand Cherokee. Participants are paired with experienced guides as they navigate steep grades and tackle challenges, such as large rocks, log crossings, sand and other off-highway obstacles. Once they master Jeep capabilities, they will have a chance to navigate various levels of 4x4 trails in their own Jeep vehicles.

The die-hard Jeep owner can also visit Engineering Village and participate in roundtable discussions with Jeep engineers to learn more about their vehicle's design and capabilities.

In addition, Camp Jeep offers more than 150 activities for the entire family. The Kids Village features arts and crafts and a driving course with miniature Jeep vehicles. The Sports and Adventure Village features a variety of outdoor adventure sports, including kayaking, climbing, hiking and fly-casting. The SoBe® Thrills and Spills Village features extreme athletes performing stunts on skateboards, mountain boards and free-style BMX bikes, with opportunities to take a lesson from one of the athletes. The World of Jeep Village features a Jeep museum and the Jeep Store, where attendees can purchase Jeep Gear items and Mopar® accessories. Also on-site will be Camp Jeep Financial, sponsored by Chrysler Financial and Jeep Rewards Visa®.

Jeep owners can spend Friday afternoon with Los Lobos, enjoying their unique blend of rock, folk, blues, R&B, country and Tex-Mex - all combined with traditional Mexican music. With a new album out, "The Ride," the Grammy Award-winning group is sure to get the Camp Jeep crowd moving.

On Saturday afternoon, LIVE brings their dynamic rock edge to cap off the first-ever Camp Jeep California Jeep Jubilee! Together for 16 years, LIVE has produced two No. 1 albums on the Billboard top 200 album chart, five No. 1 singles and nine Top Ten singles and No. 1 albums across the world. The band promises an energy-driven close to the weekend.

Jeep owners can register for Camp Jeep California online at www.jeep.com until 7 a.m. on Aug. 11, 2004. For those who miss the online registration deadline, on-site registration will also be available at Camp Jeep California. Jeep owners who choose to register on-site should go to the Deviation Tent located just outside the entrance to the Camp Jeep parking lot. Registration is required prior to entering the Camp Jeep parking lot.

More than 10,000 Jeep enthusiasts - the most ever in the 10-year history of Camp Jeep - and 2,584 vehicles participated in the first session of Camp Jeep in July when the program returned to the Oak Ridge Estate in the Blue Ride Mountains of Nelson County, Va.

Camp Jeep is one of several owner-loyalty programs created by the Jeep division of Chrysler Group. Jeep Jamborees, which began in the 1950s, are the original off-highway vacation. From the Main Mountains to the famed Rubicon Trail, approximately 7,000 owners participate in the more than 30 Jamborees held each year. The excellent response to Camp Jeep led to the spin-off of Jeep 101®. Jeep 101 driving courses are offered in cities across the nation to provide owners and prospective owners basic skills of safe, yet adventurous, off-road driving.

Freedom, adventure, mastery, authenticity and the capability to go anywhere are the hallmarks of the Jeep brand worldwide. Jeep brand sales are up 9 percent year-over-year in 2004 in the U.S., with four new models being introduced this year.

Jeep Trail Rated communicates the legendary Jeep capability that is designed into every Jeep 4x4. As the brand's lineup expands, Jeep branded vehicles will continue to be what they have always been - the most capable. For more information about Camp Jeep, visit the Jeep Web site at http://www.jeep.com/jeep_life/events/camp_jeep or call 1-800-789-JEEP.