2019 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon on 2040-cars

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Jeep CEO a fan of pickup redux

The idea of a Jeep pickup is a hardly a new concept. After all, putting a bed on the company's rugged off-roaders goes back to the '40s, not to mention the more recent Cherokee-based Comanche. There's a very slim chance that a truck could return to the lineup down the line if brand CEO Mike Manley gets his wish. "I remain a big fan of a Jeep pickup. I think we have history that says it belongs in our portfolio," Manley said to The Detroit News. However, there's no need to get any hopes up soon, because a truck doesn't get any mention in the brand's five-year plan. That puts the earliest possible introduction around 2019. Even Manley is tempering expectations. "At this moment and time, I have higher priorities. That doesn't mean to say that we don't work on it, we're not looking at it," he said to The Detroit News. The most likely candidate to support a future Jeep truck is the next-gen Wrangler, according to The News. The rest of FCA's pickups and SUVs are running at capacity, which makes slipping in another variant difficult. However, the future Wrangler is heavily rumored to get an expanded production facility in Toledo, OH, which could make things possible. Anonymous FCA insiders confirmed to Autoblog that the next-gen Wrangler would be offered with a 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V6 and eight-speed automatic. It's also reportedly using solid axles at the front and rear, a fixed windshield and an aluminum body. That could make for a very fun and practical off-roader. If reading all of this speculation gives you a twinge of deja vu, it should. After the Jeep Gladiator concept (pictured above), there were years of speculation about the brand bringing the pickup back. Even then the plan was for a compact truck to tackle that hole in the segment. It was even believed that the project had a green light for production seemingly with Sergio Marchionne's blessing. Then things were pushed back, and last year, the idea was officially quashed. Related Video:

Jeep Rubicon Alaska Cannonball overlanding trip, part 6 | Mucking with the Mudbudz

Our man Jonathon Ramsey is driving a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon on a 14-week, 14,000-mile journey across North America. Check out his first, second, third, and fourth, and fifth installments. GREAT FALLS, Montana — This is not the last time I'll write this: No stock vehicle on sale in the U.S. today can match the capabilities of the 2018 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. I discovered that during the first here-goes-nothing off-road excursion on my Rubicon Alaska Cannonball run, two days of crashing around Cadomin in Alberta, Canada. This adventure is also where I discovered muskeg, a bog muck I prefer to call "swamp guts." That's a picture, above, of our first meeting. Getting high-centered was my fault, not the Wrangler's. You'd get hung up on things, too, if you were carrying 800 pounds in your rear. But we'll get to that. We left off in Tuktoytaktuk. I departed the Arctic on a Sunday afternoon with my patched spare tire, headed for a meet-up with the MudBudz Wheelin' crew in Hinton, Alberta. Turning back from boreal climes, the whole ball of Earth welcomes all who return. Sparkling lakes and mossy tundra framed Yellow Brick Roads made of dirt. This time I'd drive slow enough to avoid another unfortunate meeting with volcanic shard, if possible. E-load-rated BFGs, the equivalent of a 10-ply tire, were stock fitment on the JK Wrangler. On the JL, Jeep switched to a C load rating, the equivalent of a six-ply tire. The thinner construction means lower rolling resistance, a softer sidewall for a better ride, and better gas mileage. For 2.5 hours, I bounded and rebounded over 90 miles of pulverized highway to Inuvik. I filled the tank, then hit the Dempster at the onset of another drawn-out Arctic twilight. A hazy moon hung above the spruce as I descended to the MacKenzie River ferry crossing. As on the drive up, a million times I wanted to stop for photos, but I had to get across the Peel River further down the road before the ferry stopped. I never got to see the southern stretch of the Dempster in daylight. On the run north, I'd arrived at the Peel at dawn. I did get to see the Northern Lights again, the fifth straight night of " Star Trek" interludes. The lights were so bright I could shoot them with my phone. I also saw two bright yellowish dots glowing down the road, reflecting the wave of illumination thrown by the Mopar five-inchers. Eyes. Around 50 yards away, I made out a massive moose. I crept closer. Moose are crazy.

Driving the Aston Martin DBX, Audi SQ5 and Hyundai Palisade | Autoblog Podcast #670

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder and Contributing Editor Joe Lorio. First, they talk about driving the Aston Martin DBX, Audi SQ5 and Autoblog's new long-term Hyundai Palisade. They discuss the news, including the Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer, the BMW i4 and iX, and the Kia EV6. Last, but not least, they dig into the mailbag to help a listener choose a replacement for a long-serving Honda Pilot. Autoblog Podcast #670 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 Cars We're Driving 2021 Aston Martin DBX 2021 Audi SQ5 Long-term 2021 Hyundai Palisade News 2022 Jeep Wagoneer is here: gigantic, luxurious and packing big V8 power BMW EV news BMW Group announces an armada of EVs that includes the full Mini range BMW i4 revealed as the 3 Series' EV sidekick BMW iX xDrive50 isn't just greener on the road, but from the get-go Kia EV6 electric car revealed with curvy sheetmetal Spend My Money Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Autoblog is now live on your smart speakers and voice assistants with the audio Autoblog Daily Digest. Say “Hey Google, play the news from Autoblog” or "Alexa, open Autoblog" to get your favorite car website in audio form every day. A narrator will take you through the biggest stories or break down one of our comprehensive test drives. Related Video: Aston Martin DBX in Stirling Green | On road, off-road and on the track