So if all the rumors are true then we are in for some big changes with the new Jeep Wrangler JK. And if you are a Jeep purist you might be very disappointment with the changes.
But if you are a grocery getter, urban runner, or city cruiser then you might be happy as a suburban house cat.
The Solid Axle Question
First I heard they are going to keep the solid axles. This isn’t just good news, it basically saves the die hard Jeep fans from abandoning the Wrangler ship. So this was a good move, although I think it was more a necessity than a actual consideration of change. Can you imagine a Wrangler with an IFS, it just shudders the udders. But thankfully we dont have to think about this until the next year when some bonehead engineer thinks it would be a good idea.
The Wrangler May Go on a Diet
So the nice rigid body of steel might be replaced with an aluminum body. The lighter body should help with fuel economy and give way to another bad surprise. One which will be explained later. One thing that would be cool is that lighter doors are easier to remove and move around. The other thing is the the windshield will fold like the perfect omelet, oh wait that’s not going to happen anymore.
The First Non-Foldable Windshield
The big rumor is a Jeep Wrangler no-no, I mean can you ever imagine a windshield on a Wrangler that does not fold down. But then again, what is the big deal, I cant remember a time where I ever put the windshield down. But I always thought that I wanted to, and having the option to do so really means a lot to me. Maybe not a big deal, but more importantly they may have a more aggressive rake. I mean, come on man, this is where I draw the line. How can you have a Wrangler windshield that is not straight up and down and a rock magnet.
The Last Rumor, The Little Engine that Could
Well to make room for that aluminum body mistake they decided to put a smaller turbo charged motor in it because hey the Jeep is a lot lighter and all serious off-roaders want a smaller motor with an 8 speed transmission. While this is still a rumor it may come true, I dont know but that’s what the car world is all a buzz about.
Conclusion
Like it or not big changes are coming to the JK, bigger than the ones we saw in 2011-2012 with interior changes, larger rear windows, and the motor change. Lets hope they still take into account what the Wrangler name means, a true capable off-road FUN machine.
