Did you know that Jeep has an incredible history as far as pickup trucks are concerned? What, did you think the new Gladiator was their only workhorse? No sir. Jeep has been making great pickup models, on and off, ever since 1947. That’s when the Willys-Overland Jeep 4x4 was first introduced.
Then you have the Jeep FC series, where FC stands for Forward Control. Those arrived on the scene back in 1957, but they were strictly utilitarian. What you want to focus on is what came next, specifically the original Jeep Gladiator, which endured from 1963 up until 1987, spanning multiple generations.
Let’s skip over a few honorable mentions like the Jeepster Commando and the CJ-8 Scrambler so that we can arrive directly to 1986 and meet the Jeep Comanche, a single cab pickup variant of the Cherokee and the spiritual successor to this exclusive rendering by Joao Kleber Amaral.
That’s right, we’re asking another "What If..." question, using the all-new Grand Cherokee as a digital lab rat. What if the carmaker had decided to make a pickup truck variant of the GC? We reckon such an automobile might as well feature a dual cab setup so that you don’t give up any (or much of) the new Grand Cherokee’s comfort and convenience in favor of utility.
On the flip side, if this thing was real, it wouldn’t offer you as much off-road capability as the current-generation Gladiator, which was designed from the ground up to compete with genuine midsize truck models – hence the ground clearance and generously-sized truck bed.
Photo: Joao Kleber Amaral for autoevolution
So no, this hypothetical Grand Cherokee pickup wouldn't provide you with that much storage behind that cab unless somebody made the rear doors a tiny bit smaller in order to extend the bed.
Tell you what, though, this render has a lot going for it. It depicts a reasonably stylish truck, which would undoubtedly grip the road a lot better at highway speeds compared to most [real] alternatives. Also, if it was fully electric instead of just a plug-in hybrid like the Grand Cherokee 4xe, well, that would really improve its chances of success, sales-wise.
Back in the real world, you can purchase a 2022 Jeep Gladiator from $36,480, while the all-new Grand Cherokee starts from $38,720. If you want the 4xe PHEV model, it’s coming this Spring from $58,095.
Sergiu got to experience both American and European car "scenes" at an early age (his father drove a Ford Fiesta XR2 supermini in the 80s). After spending over 15 years at local and international auto publications, he's starting to appreciate comfort behind the wheel more than raw power and acceleration. Full profile
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