1988 Jeep Wagoneer Limited Sport Utility 4-door 4.0l on 2040-cars

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2018 Jeep Wrangler spy shot mega gallery

We've already seen the 2018 Jeep Wrangler in official shots from the automaker. But there were only three, and they showed off only two of the many trim levels we're sure will be offered. So, feast your eyes on this spy shot mega gallery, which puts on display both two- and four-door Wrangler models in Sport, Sahara, Rubicon, and Overland guises. There are more than 40 images here, so take your time before coming back to finish reading. Done? OK, good. There are a few interesting bits worth obsessing over, starting with the two-door Rubicon in black. Obviously, there's no front bumper on this prototype. We can't say for sure whether that's because it's been out testing in its natural habitat, but we can clearly see the potential for top-shelf approach angles. We also get a good look at the removable soft top, which has nice, big, open side windows without the diagonal strip of opaque vinyl cutting through. There are five different four-door Wrangler Unlimited models in this gallery (not including the Wranglers of the last slide that are shot from further away), in Sport, Sahara, and Rubicon trim levels. We see soft tops (with what we hope are preproduction rear windows that don't line up very well) and hard tops in both matte black and body color. Clearly, the hardtops have removable sections for an open-air experience without the hassle of completely pulling off the entire outer shell. Also note that the black Unlimited Overland (with silver highlights and mirrors) is an export-only trim. Finally, take a look at the interior shots at the end of the gallery. We're not sure which model we're looking at, but it's a bit incongruous to see a contrast-stitched and leather-covered dash with a small UConnect touchscreen surrounded by a bunch of hard plastic. Thankfully, we're sure that a larger LCD will be optional, along with a cool body-color dash panel and an additional screen between the two main gauges. The interior we see in this spy gallery shows the eight-speed automatic shifter sitting next to a console-mounted four-wheel-drive shift lever. We've heard that multiple 4x4 systems will be available, including one safe to engage for full-time four-wheel-drive. Related Video:

Wrangler truck, aka Scrambler, will reportedly have a convertible top

Update: We reached out to Jeep for confirmation on the Wrangler convertible top. A representative said he couldn't give any comment. The text has been updated to reflect this. Besides off-road ability and boxy design, the Wrangler's other signature feature is its convertible top. And while the top was implemented on the four-door Unlimited, there has never been a guarantee that the upcoming truck, sometimes referred to as Scrambler, would have the same kind of roof. But the odds are looking better than ever now that an anonymous source told Automotive News the pickup will have some sort of convertible top. This helps supports other tidbits of information that have trickled out about the truck's roof. A few months ago, a Wrangler forum discovered parts information for the truck that included multiple colors and materials for the top. We've also seen spy shots of a prototype with a hard top that had a distinct front section like the removable portion on current multi-piece Wrangler hard tops. We've reached out to Jeep for official comment, and a representative there was unable to give us any comment regarding the Wrangler truck's roof. Related Video:

Jeep Wrangler 4xe's hybrid powertrain: Could it be headed to other FCA products?

On its own, the 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe plug-in hybrid is a big deal for the brand and the model line. It's the most powerful and most efficient Wrangler by significant margins, and it doesn't give up the off-road capability that makes the Wrangler so special. But another great thing about this hybrid powertrain is its potential to be transplanted into other FCA vehicles. Just to recap, the layout of the Wrangler's hybrid powertrain, front to back, is as follows: engine, clutch, electric motor, clutch, transmission. The engine is the same 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that's a standalone engine for the Wrangler. The transmission and electric motor are sort of one unit, with the motor and clutch replacing the torque converter of the transmission. And the transmission itself is the ubiquitous eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox. Its transmission code name is 8HP75PH. The ZF eight-speed is available in every FCA product with a longitudinally-mounted engine and rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive, with variations in the amount of power and torque it can handle. Not only that, but the Ram 1500 and 2500 and the Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator all have powertrains that utilize the non-hybrid version of the 8HP75 transmission specifically. Even the gear ratios for that transmission as well as the 8HP70 used in the Jeep Grand Cherokee, Dodge Durango, Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 are nearly identical to those in the 8HP75PH. And a Fiat-Chrysler representative confirmed that the transmission portion of the hybrid drivetrain is basically carry-over from the regular 8HP75. So a transplant could be a relatively simple process. As for which of these models would be the most likely to receive the hybrid powertrain first, the Jeep Gladiator and Ram 1500 would seem like good bets, since they likely have the most similar transmissions, and the Gladiator in particular because of its closely-related underpinnings to the Wrangler. Both are also highly profitable trucks that sell well and could justify the development costs of adapting another powertrain. And in the case of the Ram, there's the impending F-150 hybrid to think about. Although Ram isn't going after a fully electric model, a PHEV could be a nice middle ground. A potential limiting factor would be whether the hybrid powertrain would be sufficiently robust to handle heavy payload and towing demands, particularly over longer periods.