2018 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara on 2040-cars

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Submit your questions for Autoblog Podcast #336 LIVE!

We're set to record Autoblog Podcast #336 tonight, and you can drop us your questions and comments via our Q&A module below. Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes if you haven't already done so, and if you want to take it all in live, tune in to our UStream (audio only) channel at 10:00 PM Eastern tonight.
Discussion Topics for Autoblog Podcast Episode #336
Jeep rear-mounted fuel tank controversy

2015 Easter Jeep Safari Concepts First Drive

Imagine if once a year your grandmother made a chocolate cake. Not a chocolate cake, that chocolate cake. Blow-your-mind chocolate cake. But she won't ever let you have any – you can only have the spatula and whatever's left over in the mixing bowl. And you don't care. You look forward to that spatula and bowl every year because – "Gadzooks!" – that is some stupendous cake. For us, that cake is the Easter Jeep Safari. An annual pilgrimage to Moab, Utah for a taste of what Fiat-Chrysler's off-road brand has cooked up in its Design Dome. "No, you can't have any," the company tells us, "but you can taste it here, then dream about it until next Easter." In Detroit, Jeep gave us a close look at the seven concepts it built for this year's 49th annual event. Then it went a step further and took those show cars to Mill Canyon, UT, to crawl the red rocks in Jeep's natural habitat. After all, the company calls Moab, "Our home away from home." And it's not true that we never get more than a taste of Jeep's conceptual goodness – 2011's JK8 pickup conversion kit is a slice of Safari creation we can now take home, for instance, as are the hood decals that adorned two of the concepts we drove this year. Pietro Gorlier, President and CEO of Mopar, told us that the evolution of Jeep Performance Parts came from listening to journalists and customers in his first year on the job in 2010. So there's that. But still, we want more cake. Like a full-on production Wrangler Africa. These being one-of-a-kind prototypes traipsing through a canyon of nearly immovable objects, we didn't go fast, we didn't go far, we didn't push hard. But we did drive all the Easter Jeeps, and even just this small taste was outstanding. View 30 Photos Jeep Chief While we listened attentively to the detailed spiels on all this conceptual candy, one question ran through our minds: "How am I going to get in the Chief before everyone else?" And we could see the same thought every colleague's face, those scheming bastards. And why not? The Ocean Blue tribute to the venerable Cherokee of old grabbed everyone's attention since the first teaser images weeks before the event, in part because the vintage truck is up there with mermaids for rarity and lustworthiness. Anything that goes this far in obeisance to that classic Jeep is always going to score huge marks. The Chief is a four-door Wrangler underneath, but in many ways it feels nothing like a Wrangler.

Jeep Wrangler Scrambler pickup tailgate spied uncovered

Jeep has been particularly good at keeping the upcoming Jeep Wrangler pickup truck, affectionately referred to as Scrambler, under wraps, literally. It's very rare to see any portion of the truck sans bulky black fabric. But this time Jeep slipped up and left the tailgate of the truck totally exposed except for some paint. Not surprisingly, there aren't any spare tire mounts here. Previous photos have shown the spare will be mounted underneath the bed, and we haven't seen any running around with tires on the back. There also aren't any logos stamped into the bed, so presumably Jeep will simply slap badges on the back. The shape is also in keeping with the current Wrangler's design. It's chunky and chiseled, but the edges are softened a bit. It's also less straight-edged than what we've seen in renderings. We're currently expecting the Wrangler pickup to arrive at dealers next year. And now that the last JK Wrangler has been built, the factory should be gearing up for truck production. We know that the truck will feature a longer frame with rear suspension that is similar to the Ram 1500. And like all other Wranglers, the top should be removable. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Featured Gallery Jeep Wrangler Scrambler tailgate View 14 Photos Image Credit: Brian Williams Spy Photos Jeep Truck Off-Road Vehicles jeep wrangler pickup jeep scrambler