Photo: original photo by autoevolution
Since the Willys Military Jeep was converted for civilian use back in 1944, 'Jeep' became a household name for the most capable off-roader money can buy. Even though it's not as the gifted as the Willys or CJ when the going gets rough, the Wrangler is Jeep's bread & butter nameplate and the next-gen promises great stuff.
At the Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles Investor Day in May, Jeep's presentation included a PowerPoint slide that confirmed an all-new Wrangler is in the pipeline. It will come sometime in 2017 as a 2018 model year, but the big news is that it will be a far cry in terms of chassis and powertrain technology and a whole lot lighter than the Wrangler we've tested a while back.
Mike Manley, the American manufacturer's CEO, has recently divulged to Edmunds that the upcoming Jeep Wrangler will focus greatly on fuel economy, weight reduction and off-road prowess. "You will see continued improvements in powertrains... We are the benchmark, so I want to push the benchmark even further," Mr. Manley declared about the redesigned Wrangler.
He also said that "it is vital for the brand" to "be innovative in terms of what we do for the next Wrangler because clearly we have to make sure that vehicle survives into the future." That basically hints that the ever more dramatic CAFE standards will shape the 2018 Jeep Wrangler into a fuel-sipping machine that will most likely adopt an aluminum alloy construction to keep things light, just like the 2015 Ford F-150 pickup.
"There will be no compromises… It would be incredibly naive of me to not watch Land Rover very closely," Mr. Manley concluded his interview with the aforementioned online publication. Whatever the future holds, you can bet that the 2018 Jeep Wrangler will be one helluva multi-talented machine that'll propel the Chrysler-owned brand to all-new, never-before-seen heights in terms of virtually everything. So excitement, many anticipation, wow!
Mike Manley, the American manufacturer's CEO, has recently divulged to Edmunds that the upcoming Jeep Wrangler will focus greatly on fuel economy, weight reduction and off-road prowess. "You will see continued improvements in powertrains... We are the benchmark, so I want to push the benchmark even further," Mr. Manley declared about the redesigned Wrangler.
He also said that "it is vital for the brand" to "be innovative in terms of what we do for the next Wrangler because clearly we have to make sure that vehicle survives into the future." That basically hints that the ever more dramatic CAFE standards will shape the 2018 Jeep Wrangler into a fuel-sipping machine that will most likely adopt an aluminum alloy construction to keep things light, just like the 2015 Ford F-150 pickup.
"There will be no compromises… It would be incredibly naive of me to not watch Land Rover very closely," Mr. Manley concluded his interview with the aforementioned online publication. Whatever the future holds, you can bet that the 2018 Jeep Wrangler will be one helluva multi-talented machine that'll propel the Chrysler-owned brand to all-new, never-before-seen heights in terms of virtually everything. So excitement, many anticipation, wow!
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