Detroit, Philadelphia, New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Denver. You can scratch all those automotive shows off the list of debut locations for the next generation JL Wrangler, at least if you believe FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne.
Instead, think Hollywood premiere and a red carpet treatment.
Marchionne, speaking to The Toledo Blade earlier this week at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, said it is very possible the JL will ‘officially’ reveal at November’s Los Angeles Auto Show – partly because the automaker will have more and more pre-production models road testing this year so it would be hard to keep the vehicle’s design hidden. For this reason, Marchionne indicated, it may be best for FCA to wait until the vehicle is ready to enter production before it is officially shown.
“We may be forced to go to Los Angeles to launch the car,” Marchionne said. “We’ll have them running around. I can’t cover them up with masking tape. The car is too distinctive. We may show it in Los Angeles in November and then launch it officially (at Detroit) in January.”
As of now, FCA plans to begin production of the JL Wrangler at its Toledo complex sometime towards the middle of November, where it will be built alongside the current generation JK until March 2018. Should this production schedule remain a go, it would put new JL Wranglers in dealerships by January 2018, just as Marchionne said.
Once the JK production shuts down, FCA expects to retool that line and begin making its long-awaited Wrangler JT pickup. That vehicle should reach the market later in 2018 depending on the retooling timeframe.
The JL Wrangler’s debut was originally expected to be in the first half of 2017 based off previous FCA comments, but at some point later in 2016 the automaker apparently revised those plans – possibly because of slowing sales of the JK Wrangler.
Mike Manley, head of the Jeep brand for FCA, said last November the company was unsure at that time when the JL would release.
Marchionne, speaking Monday during a press session, did show his enthusiasm for the new JL Wrangler despite the later release date.
“It’s a perfect car,” he said. “It fixes all the problems of the old car and it keeps the identity of the Wrangler.”
The next-generation Wrangler JL is one of FCA’s most highly anticipated new vehicles. The automaker has released almost nothing about the new model, other than saying it will be far more fuel efficient while not giving up its off-road capability.
Despite the model's overall news blackout, reports have indicated it will incorporate aluminum in its hood and doors, as well as a more pronounced rake in the windshield for aerodynamics and several different powertrain options.
