1997 Jeep Wrangler on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Jeep CEO details the next Wrangler's push for efficiency

Jeep CEO Mike Manley's brief for the new Wrangler is a simple one – don't mess it up. But in that pursuit of keeping things proper, the affable Englishman has revealed that the brand is trying to walk a fine line while bringing its most iconic model into the 21st century. That's most important on the car's exterior. Like other long-serving American vehicles, the Wrangler is defined by its image. But even with aerodynamics playing a bigger role on the JK's successor, Manley was adamant during a conversation with Automotive News that the boxiness will carry on. "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," Manley told AN. "To some extent that restricts you on some of the aero that you can do." Spy photos show a more rakish windshield and fascia, both key moves to lessen the aerodynamic impact of the Jeep's traditionally brick-like design. "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." The context of that last sentence points to a weight savings, something Automotive News backs up. While the Wrangler won't go all-aluminum, its frame is going to be lighter and stronger, and it will use aluminum for certain "hang-on" body parts. But this push for weight savings won't extend to the Wrangler's intangibles. It'll still ride on a body-on-frame architecture and feature solid axles at both ends, for example. Combine Manley's comments and AN's reports with news that the Wrangler will use an eight-speed automatic and offer diesel and four-cylinder turbo power in its next generation, and it's clear Jeep is trying to make the biggest strides in decades without alienating its die-hard fans. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2018 Jeep Wrangler Detailed Spy Photos View 18 Photos News Source: Automotive News - sub. req.Image Credit: KGP Photography Green Jeep SUV Off-Road Vehicles Mike Manley

Jeep Grand Cherokee S is handsome dressed in all black

FCA loves to roll out limited- or special-edition variants of its vehicles. Just take a peek through all the different versions of the Ram 1500 and Jeep Wrangler that were available over the years. Generally, most of those models are tailored for the U.S. or completely U.S. exclusive, but that's not always the case. In Europe, there's an awesome looking new Grand Cherokee S. Too bad this murdered-out variant of Jeep' flagship isn't coming here. While many of us lament the popularity of black, silver and white paint colors, there's always something particularly charming about a completely blacked-out vehicle. Ditch all the chrome trim, paint the wheels and tint the lighting. The Grand Cherokee S (for Sport) has a new Low Gloss Granite Crystal color on its badging, grille surround, step pads, tail lamps and 20-inch wheels. The grille itself is painted a deep gloss black. Same goes for the trim around the windows and the exhaust tips. The interior follows the same general form. Most of the trim is done up in either anodized grey or black wood. The SRT seats are covered in black Nappa leather with black stitching. One rare bright spot is the shiny metal pedals. It's not all just looks with the Grand Cherokee S. The model comes standard with an 8.4-inch touchscreen infotainment system with the latest iteration of UConnect. That means both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come at no additional running costs. Other features include a 7-inch configurable display in the instrument cluster, an Alpine audio system with a subwoofer and active noise cancellation, a panoramic sunroof, dual zone climate control, heated and ventilated front seats and heated rear seats. Additionally, the Grand Cherokee S gets a sport suspension and Jeep's Quadra-Drive II four-wheel-drive system. It adds a limited-slip differential, a five-mode (auto, snow, sand, mud and rock) selector for optimal traction on rough surfaces. Add on a number of active safety features, and the Jeep Grand Cherokee S gets just about everything available on Jeep's range-topper. Unfortunately the Grand Cherokee S doesn't have a direct equivalent in the U.S., but hey, we get the Trackhawk. We think the Europeans might draw the short straw on that one. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. News Source: Jeep Design/Style Jeep Crossover SUV Off-Road Vehicles

Bronco Scout, Ford and Rivian, and next-gen Land Cruiser | Autoblog Podcast #578

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Road Test Editor Reese Counts and Assistant Editor Zac Palmer. First, they dicuss recent news, including the upcoming next-gen Toyota Land Cruiser, Ford's trademarking of "Scout" and "Bronco Scout," and Ford's $500 million investment in EV startup Rivian. After that, they talk about the cars they've been driving, including the Jeep Wrangler, Cadillac XT4 and Buick Regal GS. Last but not least, they help a listener choose a new car in our "Spend My Money" segment. Autoblog Podcast #578 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Toyota promises a next-generation Land Cruiser Ford trademarks "Scout" and "Bronco Scout" Ford invests $500 million in Rivian Cars we're driving: 2019 Jeep Wrangler 2019 Cadillac XT4 2019 Buick Regal GS Spend My Money Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video: