2014 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara on 2040-cars

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Hellcat motor 'fits like a glove' in the Wrangler and Gladiator, says Jeep

Just like "technically correct" is the best kind of correct, "technically possible" is the best kind of possible. Specifically, it's technically possible to slot a Hellcat crate motor into the Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator, as confirmed by Jeep brand chief Tim Kuniskis. Speaking to Australian media last week, Kuniskis went on to say that "everybody" keeps asking him if the supercharged, 6.2-liter Hellcat V8 fits in the Wrangler and Gladiator, and that the answer is yes. "It fits like a glove," said Kuniskis. But — there is a but — the fitment is so close for comfort, it makes the combination one that Jeep can never produce. "There's no air space around the engine [...] so you have no crush space, you have nothing that can be used to absorb energy in a crash. It's not a problem to put it in — other than emissions and fuel economy — except it would never pass any crash tests, and that's a problem," as Kuniskis told Drive. However, since the Hellcat is now out of the bag, it's probably only a matter of time until hobbyists with access to these engines will start putting them into Wranglers and Gladiators. And with the time-honored piece of advice — just don't crash into anything — it'd be a combination worth seeing and hearing. Just to throw it out there, a "Hellcrate" engine costs less than $20,000 new. Kuniskis also said that Jeep is "gauging interest" for the J6 concept, one of the Easter Jeep Safari concepts that were just revealed. "[The J6] is just a concept at this stage. But that doesn't mean we're not going to gauge interest for it." However, he said justifying its production is apparently "tough."

Jeep Gladiator high-speed off-roader reportedly in development

Before the 2020 Jeep Gladiator was revealed, it seemed like there was a never-ending flow of tidbits leaking out about the truck. Now it's out, and while the flow has slowed, there are still interesting reports floating about. The latest comes from Jeep Gladiator Forum, which cites an anonymous inside source as saying there's a high-performance version of the pickup coming designed for fast off-roading similar to a Ford F-150 Raptor or Chevy Colorado ZR2. We reached out to Jeep regarding the possible truck, and a representative said the company had no comment. That's certainly exciting news if it turns out to be correct, but there are reasons not to get your hopes up just yet. The forum reports that the truck is in the early stages of development, and it's still being decided whether there's enough of a market for it. From our perspective, such a model is neither a dead end nor a shoo-in. Certainly there are people willing to buy fast off-roaders, as the aforementioned Raptor and ZR2 have shown. Also, Jeep has proven that people are willing to spend a lot on Wranglers, both from the factory and on aftermarket parts, so an even more expensive model wouldn't necessarily put people off. So those are two important points in favor of a fast Gladiator. Points against a fast Gladiator start with the existing Gladiator Rubicon. While it isn't necessarily designed for bashing dunes, it does come with a huge amount of trail-ready equipment already. It has differential locks and anti-roll bar disconnects, big tires and burly shocks. On slower trails, it may already be as capable as the Colorado ZR2, which would be the closest competitor to the hypothetical high-po Gladiator. And since the Gladiator Rubicon will be available with comparable engines to the ZR2, would something more potent be necessary? It would seem that to further differentiate, the Gladiator might need more power. That's certainly possible by way of a V8 transplant, but that would mean a lot of money spent on getting the engine to fit, making it reliable, getting it emissions compliant, and ensuring the drivetrain is strong enough. All those costs would make it harder to get approved. We may sound a bit pessimistic, but don't get us wrong, we would be excited to see a high-speed Gladiator, or any other Jeep for that matter. But we also want to be realistic, and there are certainly some significant hurdles to bringing such a truck to market. Related Video:

Jeep will build old Wranglers next to new ones in Toledo

Jeep made a lot of people happy when it confirmed that the next-generation Wrangler would continue to be built in Toledo, OH. Now, news is breaking about the lengths the automaker will go to in updating its northern Ohio factory. There's good news for Jeep dealers (more Wranglers to sell!), Jeep fans (more JKs to buy!), and Jeep itself (more money to be made!). According to a report from Automotive News, capacity at the factory will be increased to 350,000 units per year. That's around a 50 percent increase over what the Toledo complex can currently manage and is, according to Jeep boss Mike Manley, part of a move to keep production "at the right place" so "supply [stays] just behind demand." The other big news revealed by the AN report focuses on the future of the current Wrangler. Yes, the current JK has a future. It'll continue to be built at the Toledo factory up to six months after it successor arrives in showrooms, a move that's partially down to the way Jeep is shuffling production about. Toledo currently builds the Cherokee on a unibody production line – it'll continue to do so until March of 2017, when production will move to Belvidere, IL. The unibody line in Toledo will then be converted for body-on-frame production, which should take about six months. But during that time, the current JK (likely rebadged as a "Wrangler Classic") will continue to be built alongside another line of next-generation Wranglers, keeping dealers supplied with the today's Wrangler through March of 2018. The two Wranglers will overlap for about six months. This is all very good news if you've been waiting to pull the trigger on today's Wrangler. But move quickly – the clock is officially ticking. Related Video: News Source: Automotive News - sub. req.Image Credit: Bill Pugliano/Getty Images Plants/Manufacturing Chrysler Fiat Jeep FCA toledo Mike Manley