Photo: Carpix
You know what's nicer than Jeep being almost ready to get the Hellcat-motivated Grand Cherokee out of the oven? The Wrangler pickup truck. The workhorse is finally here and the wait has been so long that we don't even mind the heavy camo covering the spied prototype.
We've all gotten used to the "normal" footprint of the Wrangler, so the blue collar incarnation seen here appears to be a massive piece of machinery. In fact, this is what we'd call rightsizing, as the bed seems to be of respectable dimensions.
With Jeep CEO Mike Manley having already confirmed this body type, the spyshots we have here only come to reassure us that the also-confirmed boxy styling is there - isn't the boxy game fun?
The Grand Cherokee Trackhawk mention in the intro wasn't accidental - just like the factory-blown SUV, this Wrangler derivative could end up challenging FCA's corporate emission targets. That's because, styling-wise, there's only so much that can be done to improve aerodynamics when you're dealing with such an iconic nameplate.
Nevertheless, Jeep engineers have plenty of tricks up their sleeves, moves that will ensure the JL Wrangler, be it a pickup truck or not, doesn't become a gas guzzler.
While the body-on-frame architecture will be retained, a respectable percentage of aluminum should keep the weight within reasonable limits.
Then there are the powerplants. Aside from the Pentastar V6 norm, the next-gen Wrangler will get a turbocharged four-cylinder unit, while the rumor mill talks about diesel and hybrid incarnations of the vehicle.
In the transmission department, the standard unit will be a six-speed manual. And if swapping cogs in such a machine seems like too much... work for you, an eight-speed auto that will be found on the list of optional extras should do the trick.
Regardless, we'll have plenty of time to bring you fresh info on the matter - with the JL Wrangler expected to debut by mid-2017, the bed-gifted version could also be here next year, as a 2018 model.
Offroading abilities? Just look at the wheel-tire combo on this prototype and you'll understand.
With Jeep CEO Mike Manley having already confirmed this body type, the spyshots we have here only come to reassure us that the also-confirmed boxy styling is there - isn't the boxy game fun?
The Grand Cherokee Trackhawk mention in the intro wasn't accidental - just like the factory-blown SUV, this Wrangler derivative could end up challenging FCA's corporate emission targets. That's because, styling-wise, there's only so much that can be done to improve aerodynamics when you're dealing with such an iconic nameplate.
Nevertheless, Jeep engineers have plenty of tricks up their sleeves, moves that will ensure the JL Wrangler, be it a pickup truck or not, doesn't become a gas guzzler.
While the body-on-frame architecture will be retained, a respectable percentage of aluminum should keep the weight within reasonable limits.
Then there are the powerplants. Aside from the Pentastar V6 norm, the next-gen Wrangler will get a turbocharged four-cylinder unit, while the rumor mill talks about diesel and hybrid incarnations of the vehicle.
In the transmission department, the standard unit will be a six-speed manual. And if swapping cogs in such a machine seems like too much... work for you, an eight-speed auto that will be found on the list of optional extras should do the trick.
Regardless, we'll have plenty of time to bring you fresh info on the matter - with the JL Wrangler expected to debut by mid-2017, the bed-gifted version could also be here next year, as a 2018 model.
Offroading abilities? Just look at the wheel-tire combo on this prototype and you'll understand.
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