Next year, the most off-road capable brand of them all will debut the all-new Wrangler. Word on the street is the off-road SUV will be powered by a 2.0 turbo-four and good golly, the rumor turned out to be true.
The good people at JL Wrangler Forums published the first photos of the 2.0 Hurricane engine, a turbocharged four-cylinder mill that could produce up to 300 HP. On closer analysis of the underhood pics, it’s easy to identify the air intake ducting and the high-mounted turbo. The more pressing question is, why four cylinder and why forced induction?
Well, the Jeep brand had to do it to comply with the ever-tightening fuel economy standards. The JL Wrangler with the 2.0 turbocharged four-cylinder is expected to gain an 8-speed auto dubbed the 850RE, an updated version of the 845RE found in the Jeep Grand Cherokee.
Naturally aspirated engine fans, rejoice! The Pentastar V6 will undoubtedly soldier on as the entry-level choice. The biggest mystery regarding the JL Wrangler’s powertrain options, however, is the availability of a diesel engine. More or less official sources suggest that a 3.0-liter will be offered. The oil-chugging engine is rumored to be connected to the 8HP75 8-speed automatic, an update over the tried-and-tested 8HP70.
With production startup slated for spring 2017, the 2018 Jeep Wrangler still has a lot of mysteries to unveil. Will there be a manual option in the United States? Will the plug-in hybrid Wrangler use the 2.0 Hurricane engine? How much aluminum will be utilized in the construction of the body shell? Will the Wrangler pickup truck be any good for towing and hauling? As with every other Fiat Chrysler product, patience is a virtue.
Meanwhile, half a million JK Wranglers are recalled over an issue with the airbag clockspring. Our previous article offers more information on this safety campaign (and the latest recall affecting the Fiat 500).
UPDATE: TFLcar caught the 2018 Jeep Wrangler in the wild.
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. Full profile
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