Jeep Wrangler-Based Pickup Is Happening For Real - Prototype Spied

MANILA: It has been some time when we heard about the intentions of Jeep about constructing a pickup based on its popular SUV Wrangler. Well, seems like the news was a leaked information from the American house and not just a speculation. So, what we have heard now is that Jeep is working day and night to bring a sturdy pickup based on Wrangler's platform with a much efficient engine and larger in size to accommodate the utility and functionality needs. Jeep recently marked its 75th anniversary in the automobile world and flaunted its military heritage with Jeep Wrangler 75th Salute Concept. This swanky SUV is designed and developed to pay a tribute to the lot which was initially designed for the U.S Military force during World War II.

Jeep has been a lot in the news for past couple of months and it has been a mixed year so far for the company. The American brand has made 2 major recalls since January this year from which the recent one was for faulty airbags in Jeep Wrangler while the earlier one was due to wiring harness terminal issues in the Jeep Grand Cherokee which could have been fatal if not rectified timely. Though these complaints had nothing to do with the fleet available for the Philippines automotive market and found to be clean from any such issues, the company issued a statement clarifying its stand and assuring the customers that they have the safety of the customers in priority.

Coming back to the Wrangler-based pickup, the new vehicle is said to be in its prototype and seen heavily camouflaged during a real-time testing session. The company is keeping its lips tight on any technical information about the new pickup but the CEO of Fiat Chrysler – Sergio Marchionne has cited that this is really happening. The much-anticipated pickup based on Wrangler is finally taking shape and may be presented to the world once it is tested on all aspects. The auto experts believe this pickup to be based on the chassis of the next-gen Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, which carries the currently available model's body-on-frame construction, but will be lighter in weight and with improved aerodynamics for better fuel efficiency.

The Jeep Wrangler-based pickup may house anything from a 3.6-litre V6 or an EcoDiesel V6 or probably a 2.0-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder engine. These engines are some of those engines which are powering the Jeep fleet and known for their thrilling power with highly appreciated fuel efficiency. With this, 6-speed manual or/and 8-speed automatic gearbox may be aligned for enhanced efficiency. Also, the upcoming pickup may carry over Jeep Wrangler's front live axle for the hard-core off-roading experience. Ford recently flaunted the details of its 2017 Ford F-150 pickup and boasted that it will house a 3.5-litre EcoBoost engine. With this power-unit coming in its competitor, we can expect Jeep to come up with an even better engine for its debut pickup.

Jeep has already announced that it will update its performance package, the Wrangler, for the year 2018 and the auto enthusiasts believe that somewhere around this time only we can have the new pickup officially added to the fleet. As of now, everything is speculated except for that we are really going to have a Jeep pickup soon, but there is no news if this pickup would see a global launch or country-specific launch initially. Since the Philippines automotive market is experiencing a boom in the pickup segment these days and jeep indeed is an appreciated brand in the country, we can expect the automaker to be a little thoughtful to keep us on the priority list. Let's hope there are more leaks from the American camp and we get to know more about this upcoming Jeep pickup. Waiting!

Image Courtesy - Chris Doane Automotive