The Wrangler is arguably the most important model in Jeep’s line-up, stretching its off-road roots 75 years into the past, as a direct descendant to the iconic Willys MB.
That’s why the American car manufacturer has to be very careful with the current variant’s replacement, which will reportedly arrive next summer or later as a 2018MY.
The new 4×4 is expected to keep the model’s defining characteristics, but it’s also rumored to employ an all-aluminum construction, and fuel-saving suspension changes. As Jeep’s first major overhaul of the Wrangler in the last decade, the automobile will remain the rugged anchor we’re used to seeing – as Autonews reports that Mike Manley’s mission (the head man at Jeep), is to “don’t screw it up”, and respect tradition.
That said, the Wrangler will bear a revised design, but it will retain its utilitarian boxy appearance, solid front and rear axles, and body on frame construction, although under the hood there will be more efficient engines and a fuel-saving eight-speed automatic transmission. Underpinning its construction will be a lighter, stronger frame, while aluminum will replace many of the body parts as well.
“You have to be very careful with the aero of Wrangler, because at the end of the day, it needs to be recognizable as a Wrangler. To some extent that restricts you on some of the aero that you can do. But with weight and a number of the changes that we’ve made, you’re going to see that we’ve really pushed that vehicle forward in terms of its fuel economy”, said Mike Manley.
It’s clear that the future model is going to be what the current Wrangler was and then some more, bringing the Willys MB’s philosophy into the future.
“We’ve push-ed this vehicle forward in many areas – fuel economy being one of them and that’s going to help us in many of the international markets”, concluded Manley
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