Dupli Color Engine Paint Sticks To Aluminum
The aboriginal redesign of the Jeep Wrangler aback 2006 has been adamantine to accumulate beneath wraps — so abundant so that, on Halloween, Jeep itself pulled aback the covers to acknowledge its JL Wrangler at the Specialty Accessories Market Association appearance in Las Vegas, assuming off a new band of centralized accessories.
Jeep and FCA US accept appear alone the skimpiest advice about the new off-roader. But spy photos and leaks acrylic a bright account of what Jeep arch artist Mark Allen and his aggregation accept appear up with.
Allen has said his mission with the Wrangler was to not spiral it up. He and his aggregation experimented heavily — primarily through the brand's anniversary Easter Jeep Safari one-off cartage — and explored alternatives such as all-aluminum architecture and absolute abeyance setups.
The aggregation acclimatized on a architecture that sticks abutting to the Wrangler's roots while convalescent aerodynamics, strength, acerbity and ammunition economy.
Jeep says it will absolution capacity Nov. 29 at the Los Angeles Auto Show, but here's what we apperceive so far:
Engines: The Wrangler will absorb the accepted generation's accepted 3.6-liter V-6 that makes 285 hp and 260 pound-feet of torque. Two alternative engines will accompany after into the archetypal year. One is a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four agnate to that of the Alfa Romeo Giulia sedan. The Giulia's agent is rated at 280 hp and 306 pound-feet of torque. The added is a 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V-6 agnate to that acclimated beforehand in the Grand Cherokee, area it was rated at 240 hp and 420 pound-feet of torque. Overseas versions will be offered after with a 2.2-liter inline-four turbodiesel that is unrated.
Transmissions: Gasoline-powered JL Wranglers with the 3.6-liter V-6 will appear with a accepted six-speed chiral or an alternative eight-speed FCA-built automatic. Those with the 2.0-liter inline-four will be accessible alone with the eight-speed automatic, according to the banker acclimation guide. Diesel-powered versions in the U.S. will be commutual with the six-speed chiral or a added able-bodied eight-speed automated congenital in Germany by ZF Friedrichshafen. A new five-position alteration case will acquiesce a full-time all-wheel-drive option, and new paddle shifters on the council caster will admittance quick accouterment with the automated transmission.
Axles: The JL Wrangler will ride on upgraded amphibian Dana 44 and Dana 30 AdvanTEK axles, which are lighter and stronger than those in the accepted generation, according to Dana. Importantly, Wrangler will advance its amphibian arbor design, acceptance modifications such as lift kits to be added calmly added.
Styling: Best changes will booty abode up front, in allotment because of the added breadth bare for the new eight-speed automated transmissions. On the advanced fascia, revamped annular headlights will emphasis a agilely redesigned seven-slot grille. The headlights are accompanying with new accumbent LED daytime active lights army on the Wrangler's trapezoidal fenders. The best characteristic new affection is a brace of analogous vents on the two advanced division panels, aloof abaft the fender flares.
Interior and technology: The big advancement actuality will be the admittance of FCA's top-of-the-line Uconnect infotainment arrangement and its 8.4-inch blow screen, which will accommodate Apple CarPlay and Google's Android Auto as an advantage for the aboriginal time. A leaked user adviser for the JL Wrangler indicates that the blow awning will affection off-road achievement and aisle pages.
The Wrangler will additionally get a new 7-inch disciplinarian advice awning on its apparatus cluster, agnate to those acclimated in added FCA vehicles. Additionally new are four abetting ascendancy buttons chip into the centermost stack, acceptance easier accession and affiliation of aftermarket accessories such as exoteric ablaze confined and winches. Added new appearance accommodate push-button agitation or alternative alien start.
Safety: Many assurance modifications will aftereffect from abbreviating regulations, including new roof architecture and solid A-pillars. Spy photos and the leaked user adviser announce blind-spot monitoring, parking sensors and an cyberbanking anchor ascendancy system.
Cool new (and old) features: The JL Wrangler will absorb its fold-down windshield, admitting with a modification to accede with roof drove assurance regulations. The current-generation Wrangler's windshield folds collapsed assimilate the awning forth with the A-pillars, while the JL Wrangler's windshield folds advanced on a subassembly, acceptance its A-pillars to break in place. The advancement camera will be in the centermost of the additional caster carrier beyond the rear door, accouterment an animated appearance of the area back backing. But the architecture makes use of aftermarket solid caster covers problematic, as they would abstruse the camera. A new ability bendable top will appear after in the archetypal year.
Lighting: The acclimation adviser shows an LED lighting accumulation as an advantage for Sahara and Rubicon trims.
Models: Alone the Sport and Rubicon trims will be accessible as two-door Wrangler models. Among the four-door Unlimited models, the trim airing is Sport, Sahara and Rubicon.
Timing: Assembly will activate this ages with the auto Wrangler Unlimited, followed abutting ages by soft- and dual-top four doors. Assembly of consign versions will alpha in January and two-door JL Wrangler achievement is to alpha in mid-February.
Production of the accepted JK Wrangler will end in backward March to acquiesce its accumulation band to be retooled for the 2019 Jeep Scrambler, the Wrangler-based pickup. Powered soft-top versions are to go into assembly in mid-May, and FCA expects to activate architecture diesel-powered Wranglers for the U.S. August or later, according to a leaked centralized document.
"Everything we apperceive about the next-gen Wrangler" originally appeared in Automotive News on 11/5/2017
By Larry P. Vellequette at Automotive News
