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2018 Jeep Wrangler (JL) May Debut at the 2017 Los Angeles Auto Show

The new Wrangler sure likes to take its time and play with our patience. Dubbed the JL and expected to use aluminum for certain body panels, the 2018 Jeep Wrangler could be revealed to the public this fall. But only if the pressure on FCA is far too great.
2018 Jeep Wrangler (JL) 1 photo
Photo: Stefan Baldauf/SB Medien
Speaking to the Toledo Blade, Sergio Marchionne said that keeping the car as camouflaged as possible from the prying eyes of spy photographers is a bit of a bother. He declared that he “can’t cover them up with masking tape. The car [JL Wrangler] is too distinctive. We may show it in Los Angeles in November and then launch it officially here in January [2018].”

According to a previous report on the JL Wrangler, the all-new model is rumored to start production in November 2017. Now, let’s put the said report and the Toledo Blade’s story side by side. Notice anything? The date overlaps, albeit the cause is different: start of production versus the public outing.

Even if those are Marchionne’s words, you’d better believe that the LA Auto Show debut for the new Wrangler is not set in stone. And on that bombshell, the JK Wrangler will stay in production until March 2018, apparently.

The new kid on the block, however, is way more interesting than its venerable predecessor. Engine-wise, the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 will be joined by a 2.0-liter turbo-four named Hurricane. Then there’s a rumor according to which the 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V6 oil-burning motor will be added to the lineup.

Another Jeep product worth looking forward to is the pickup. Currently known as the JT Wrangler, the workhorse version will be built at the south plant of the FCA Toledo Assembly Complex in Ohio. The Jeep Wrangler pickup in crew cab guise should go on sale in late 2018 as a 2019 model year vehicle.
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About the author: Mircea Panait
Mircea Panait profile photo

After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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