Larger than Life
The United States is a country of contrasts, and this is particularly visible along Interstate 70 between Colorado and Utah. Driving west from Denver, we covered hundreds of miles to Moab, moving from cities into mountains and then into the desert, passing everything from derelict mining towns to luxury ski resorts, and from large scale road works to ancient Native American territories. This road trip dates back to an earlier era, when the Commander was still part of the Jeep lineup and a large naturally aspirated V8 was a standard ingredient of the American SUV.
Our trip begins just outside of Denver, with the 5.7 Hemi V8 sucking in the cold morning air as it rumbles into life. As we merge the Commander onto I-70, the skyline of Denver is already visible in the distance, framed by the snow-covered peaks of the Rocky Mountains.
The Denver metropolitan area counts around three million inhabitants and is considered a medium size city by American standards. Colorado’s state capital originated as a mining town, but it is no longer recognizable as such. In the center, enormous masses of glass and steel have displaced the traditional, European style buildings and create a typical American city atmosphere. Due to the relatively large share of low-rise buildings, Denver still appears welcoming, in contrast to megacities such as Los Angeles or New York.
Initially, the plan was for the I-70 to stretch from Baltimore in Maryland to Denver, but under the influence of local politicians the road was extended to San Rafael Swell in southern Utah. It goes without saying that we do not drive the entire stretch on I-70, because we want to enjoy beautiful landscapes and with 330 bhp and 375 lb-ft (500 Nm) of torque, there is ample reserve to explore some mountain passes.
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