Saturday 2nd December 2017

Prior Convictions: Wrangling with change

How Jeep has brought its icon into the 21st century, without forgetting where it came from...

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Over the years, American carmakers have often fretted that they couldn't possibly move away from their established practices for fear of upsetting loyal, repeat customers.

I've heard it said about everything from leaf springs to live axles, and sometimes, no doubt, it's been true; although sports car customers seem to have embraced independent suspension without too much trouble. But it would be especially true, you imagine, when it comes to the Jeep Wrangler. That is a car, I suspect, that you mess with at your peril.

Now the latest generation Wrangler is here, and on display this week at the Los Angeles auto show. The Wrangler can, indirectly, trace its roots back to the second world war but it is still massive business: Jeep sells more than 200,000 of them a year. Like Sellotape and Hoover, Jeep has, for many people, become a generic term. See a big 4x4? "He was driving some Jeep thing."

And so, sensibly, Chrysler hasn't messed with it. Looks good, doesn't it? I think so, especially the 2dr version, though you can have a 4dr variant too.

As well as updating, rather successfully to my eyes, the Jeep's appearance for the 2019 model year, the hardware has been renewed, too. But it's still a body-on-chassis off-roader, with solid front and rear axles. There is a low-range transfer case, all models get skid plates front and rear and it has what Jeep is claiming are the best off-road credentials in the business. The approach angle is 44 degrees, the departure angle 37, and there's a 27.8 degree breakover. Ground clearance is 277mm and it can wade through 762mm of water.

Modernity? It's getting there. There's more aluminium in the skin than ever before, to reduce weight, while a 2.0-litre turbo inline four will arrive offering almost as much power, and more torque, than the 3.6 V6 it also gets. There'll be a 3.0 diesel too, with mild hybrid versions later. You can have a six-speed manual, or an eight-speed auto 'box. It all sounds, and looks, fit for the purpose it has carved for itself over the decades.

I'll always hold a soft spot for the Land Rover Defender. So much so that I've got one. But drive even a recent version and it becomes searingly obvious how much it was denied the kind of development programme that has kept the Mercedes-Benz G-Class and Jeep Wrangler in business. So I'm a bit worried about the replacement, given it missed all of that tweaking and care that could have meant its evolution was a natural progression. Now, surely, it can't be, and I think that's a shame. Because this latest Jeep, particularly, shows how you look after an icon.

[anonymous-user]

The wranglers ive seen driven in the UK are always by women I guess they must make up a lot of sale.

[anonymous-user]

missing the VR6 said:

I don't think Queer as Folk did much for it reputation in the UK.

Why do they have such a gay following I guess trying to sell it to other than women and gay men must be hard, as any way to try might just come over too macho.