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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 pickup spy photos reveal production truck bed

The last time we saw the Wrangler pickup undergoing testing, it was sporting a strange pre-production bed that looked as though it had been pulled off a Ram 1500. It seems development has progressed since then, because, despite the heavy camouflage, the Wrangler in these spy photos is definitely carrying a production-ready bed. Unlike the earlier test bed, this bed has sides that are the same width as the cab, and the top of the bed matches up with the body line on the cab. The bed is properly boxy and straight-edged like a Wrangler, too. It looks quite good, and actually very similar to the custom AEV Brute. However, unlike the Brute, the traditional plastic wheel arch flares seen below the camo extend farther forward, and the angle of the flares' forward edges match those of the rear doors. The rest of the truck is rather well covered, so there aren't many more details to glean from the photos. There is a very large rear window, which should be good for visibility. Even though the roof is covered, we expect a removable roof of some sort is hiding underneath, since the previous prototype had removable panels like those on the current Wrangler Unlimited. We also expect a turbocharged four-cylinder and a naturally aspirated V6 to be offered as engines on this and other new Wranglers, as well as the possibility of a diesel of some sort. As for when we'll see the Wrangler pickup, we would expect a reveal in early- to mid-2019, with trucks appearing on lots in very late 2019 or early 2020. This is based on a report from The Detroit News that says production will begin in 2019. Related Video:

China's Great Wall confirms its interest — in Jeep, or all of FCA

HONG KONG/SHANGHAI — Chinese automaker Great Wall Motor reiterated its interest in Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV on Tuesday, but said it had not held talks or signed a deal with executives at the Italian-American automaker. China's largest sport utility vehicle manufacturer made a direct overture to Fiat Chrysler on Monday, with an official saying the company was interested in all or part of FCA, owner of the Jeep and Ram truck brands. Automotive News first reported the news, quoting Great Wall Motor President Wang Fengying as saying she planned to contact FCA to discuss acquiring the Jeep brand specifically. Those comments sent FCA shares higher but also raised questions over the ability of China's seventh-largest automaker by sales to buy larger Western rival FCA, or even Jeep, which some analysts value at as much as one-and-a-half times FCA. Great Wall sought to dampen speculation on Tuesday. It confirmed it had studied Fiat Chrysler, but said there was "no concrete progress so far" and "substantial uncertainty" over whether it would eventually bid. "The company has not built any relationship with the directors of FCA nor has the company entered into any discussion or signed any agreements with any officer of FCA so far," the company said in an English-language stock exchange filing. It did not give further detail. Fiat Chrysler stock dipped on the statement on Tuesday. Great Wall said trading in its Shanghai-listed shares would resume on Wednesday after having been suspended. Fiat Chrysler declined to comment on Great Wall's statement. On Monday, it said it had not been approached and was fully committed to implementing its current business plan. FLUSHING OUT RIVALS? Great Wall Motor, which was early to spot China's love of SUVs, had revenue of $14.8 billion last year and sold 1.07 million vehicles - but that compares with FCA's 2016 revenue of 111 billion euros ($130.6 billion). Analysts said Great Wall would need to raise both debt and equity to complete any deal, meaning its chairman Wei Jianjun could lose majority control. One possible scenario, according to analysts at Jefferies, would see Wei keeping a roughly 30 percent stake, while Great Wall would raise $10-$14 billion in debt and $10 billion in equity - hefty for a group currently worth just $16 billion. Ultimately, politics could be the clincher.