Introduced in 1986 as the heir apparent to the Civilian Jeep line started by the Willys-Overland Motors in the 1940s, the good ol' Wrangler is as pure of a Jeep as it gets. A body-on-frame 4x4 yet technically different from other body-on-frame vehicles manufactured by Stellantis, the Wrangler moved 5 million units in these past 37 years.
The fourth generation rolled out in 2017 for model year 2018 to mixed reception, although the naysayers were proven wrong on more than a single occasion. For example, FCA US LLC delivered 126,551 examples of the breed in the United States between January 2023 and December 2023. By comparison, the Ford Motor Company reported 91,468 sales for the U725 Bronco.
Internally referred to as JL, the fourth-gen Wrangler has been confirmed to end production in 2028. This information comes from none other than the UAW, which reached a tentative agreement with Stellantis mere days ago. The PDF attached below suggests a plug-in hybrid system upgrade for 2025, whereas the fifth-gen Wrangler is due in 2028 with at least two powertrains.
Codenamed J70, the most technologically advanced Wrangler of them all is getting BEV and REPB versions. BEV stands for battery electric vehicle, whereas REPB is the pompous way of saying that a combustion engine will be used as a generator. The Range Electric Paradigm Breaker powertrain will debut in the Ram 1500 in the near future, joining the 2025 Ram 1500 REV battery electric truck on the STLA Frame body-on-frame architecture.
The attached portable document file doesn't mention anything about the Gladiator's future, though. On the other hand, the UAW has secured two shifts for mid-size trucks at Belvidere assembly plant in the state of Illinois. One of those midsizers will serve as the direct successor to the Dodge Dakota, which Chrysler discontinued in 2011.
Photo: Jeep
Turning our attention back to the Wrangler, there is hearsay according to which the J70 will be only BEV and REPB. On the other hand, bear in mind the document reads "next generation Jeep Wrangler (J70) including BEV and REPB in 2028." The wording clearly indicates at least two powertrains, although you also have to consider that many things can change until 2028. Remember when Ram promised a new mid-size pickup truck at the FCA Capital Markets Day in 2018? That pickup is nowhere to be seen. As mentioned earlier, the Dakota's revival is due in 2027 at Belvidere in Illinois.
With the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 expected to be dropped in 2028, the most likely candidate for a combustion-engined Wrangler comes in the form of the 2.0-liter Hurricane I4. It would be only natural for the folks at FCA US LLC to sweeten the deal with the 3.0-liter Hurricane I6, a twin-turbo sixer that powers – believe it or not – the 2025 model year Ram 1500 TRX. Clearly not as exciting as the 6.2-liter Hellcat V8, said engine makes 510 horsepower and 500 pound-feet (678 Nm) in the Jeep Grand Wagoneer.
Even if Stellantis decided against combustion-only powertrains for the J70, the REPB sounds like a good compromise. You can think of the range-extended setup as the next level up from plug-in hybrid, a configuration pioneered by General Motors (with the Chevrolet Volt and Euro-spec Opel Ampera) and BMW (with the i3 REx).
Ram didn't go into detail about the 1500 REPB's powertrain, yet we assume that something more frugal than a V8 is hiding under the hood. In the Wrangler's case, that something could be a four-cylinder turbocharged mill.
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
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News