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Jeep Wrangler JK's exit interview: brilliant, flaws and all

The engineers at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Jeep's current steward (and there have been many), have to be sweating bullets as they ready the forthcoming, long-overdue replacement for the Wrangler. It's the brand's icon, its most recognizable vehicle, and the reason Jeep enjoys such success today. Most brands use their flagships to lure shoppers who will then take home a more practical, pedestrian model. Think about the relationship between Corvettes and Malibus in the Chevy showroom. For Jeep, however, the Wrangler is a business unto itself: Nearly one in four Jeeps sold new last year was a Wrangler. That's a lot of pressure as Jeep gears up to replace the current model, codenamed JK, which has been on the road since 2007. I took a Wrangler into the woods to ponder it all. The Wrangler lineup starts around $26,000 but climbs rapidly from there. At the upper end of the spectrum sits the Rubicon Hard Rock, which builds on the already capable Rubicon's locking differentials and electronic front sway bar disconnect with a host of styling goodies. At $43,325 as tested, the Hard Rock is no cheap trail toy. Wranglers have gotten more comfortable and capable over the years, but driving one is still an exercise in compromises. Luxury here means durable leather upholstery and a lot of bass from the stereo. The driving experience is of the "well, it's better than it used to be" variety on pavement. The rational buy in this segment is the Toyota 4Runner Trail, which goes off-road almost as well as the Jeep and does everything else way better. But nobody takes home a Wrangler because it makes sense. It's a middle finger extended in the direction of conformity while fording the river of beige Corollas between home and office. You don't need a Wrangler, but you probably want one. That's why Jeep sold more than twice as many Wranglers as Toyota did 4Runners last year – and the 4Runner sells well. Wrangler sales aren't slipping, but increasingly stringent emissions and safety standards are signs of the inevitable forward march of progress – and so Wrangler must change with the times. Simple ways to improve the Wrangler are obvious: An updated interior with a modern infotainment system, user-selectable traction control modes tailored to specific terrain conditions, an eight-speed automatic, better aerodynamics, and a lot of weight-saving aluminum are inevitable.

Here are the latest renderings of the new JL Jeep Wrangler

Our friends at JL Wrangler Forums have been very kind to us. While we've seen plenty of spy shots of the new Jeep Wrangler, until recently these renderings from JL Wrangler Forums provided our best look at the new model. Today, we have a new batch of the traditional short-wheelbase, two-door Wrangler. We just hope the full production model doesn't stray too far from this. The design, like every new Wrangler, is simply an adaptation of what came before it. These new renderings pull some new cues seen on the most recent set of Wrangler spy shots. The new model packs LED headlights, taillights and running lights. The Rubicon model looks to have fog lights embedded into the bumper. The vented Rubicon hood looks like it carries over. The Sport model is the entry level Wrangler. As such the renderings ditch some things like body-color fenders and roof and alloy wheels. The JL Wrangler has been in development for years, so expect to see the full production model sometime in the next few months. Related Video:

Who are Mike Manley, Louis Camilleri, and Suzanne Heywood?

MILAN – Fiat Chrysler aid on Saturday that boss Sergio Marchionne, 66, would not be returning to work because he was gravely ill. In addition to being FCA chief executive, Marchionne was also CEO and chairman of luxury sports car brand Ferrari and chairman of truck and tractor maker CNH Industrial, which were spun off from FCA in recent years. Following is a brief summary on the executives who have been appointed to replace him in the various roles: MIKE MANLEY The 54-year-old Briton picked to become the FCA's new CEO has been leading the group's top brand Jeep since 2009, first as Jeep President and CEO at Chrysler and then as FCA's Jeep head. In 2015 he was also appointed head of the Ram brand. Under his tenure, Jeep turned into a global brand becoming, together with Ram, FCA's profit engine. Jeep sold nearly 1.4 million cars last year compared with less than 338,000 in 2009. Manley had worked as DaimlerChrysler's head of network development in Britain since 2000, having earlier worked for several years in car dealership. At Chrysler, he headed product planning and all sales activities outside of North America and then became the group's chief operating officer for Asia and the lead executive for the international activities outside of NAFTA. LOUIS CAMILLERI The new Ferrari CEO was already a board member at the luxury sportscar maker before his latest appointment. He is also the chairman of Philip Morris International, where he also held the job of CEO from 2008 to 2013. Born in 1955, Camilleri had joined Altria Group, which controls Philip Morris, in 1978 holding various positions until he became chief financial officer in 1996 and then CEO in 2002. Camilleri was also chairman of Kraft Foods from 2002 to 2007. Malta's Prime Minister Joseph Muscat wished Camilleri luck on Twitter saying he was proud to have "a bit of Malta in Ferrari" thanks to the new CEO, who was born in Egypt to Maltese parents. SUZANNE HEYWOOD The new, British-born chairwoman of CNH Industrial has been since 2016 the managing director of EXOR, the holding company through which the Agnelli family controls FCA. Heywood, 49, started her career at the British Treasury and then joined McKinsey in 1997, leading for many years the consultancy firm's global service line on organization design. She eventually became a senior partner there. Heywood sits on the board of The Economist, which is controlled by EXOR, and the board of the Royal Opera House, where she is also deputy chair.