by Matt Konkle
Torque Editor-in-Chief
First it was Jeep. Then Ford. Then no one.
And now it could be Jeep again.
Such is the saga of factory half doors with cutout holes that offer a unique visual appearance.
Recently, a patent approval for Jeep owner Stellantis from the United States Patent and Trademark Office seems to indicate the ‘whole’ hole door thing isn’t just a memory for the brand.
Currently, Ford and Jeep do offer solid half doors for their newest Bronco and Wrangler editions, but if you remember, Jeep first displayed a set of half doors with cut-out holes at Easter Jeep Safari back in 2017 with its Switchback concept. Of course, with it being a concept and all, no one really figured the brand would turn those doors into viable production items.
The issue became more interesting when then Jeep owner Fiat Chrysler held its Wrangler JL launch party back at the end of 2017, and one of its new-edition Wranglers rolled on stage with a set of those cut-out half ‘donut doors’.
The response was pretty vocal, and seemingly overwhelming, in support of FCA turning those doors into production versions. However, a few scant months later, the brand make it clear that only solid full and half doors would be available in Wrangler models.
Ford, for its part, tried to capture that same ‘half door hole’ buzz during the launch of its new Bronco last year, only to later walk back the idea of these doors actually being available.
Well, with this being the holiday season, it seems Santa Jeep may have something in a future gift bag for Jeep Wrangle owners. Turns out, FCA did actually file a patent back in May of 2017 for this type of door design.
The patent, approved earlier this month by the USPTO, included a set of images drawn right from that 2017 EJS Switchback concept — giving hope to Jeep Wrangler owners who want holes in their half doors.
Of course, just because the company has a patent doesn’t mean it will race to get these doors into production any time soon. If ever. It just means there is a possibility for a new door option in the future.
And with the latest Jeep Wrangler due for a refresh for the 2023 model year, there is always a chance the brand will decide to finally shed some production light on half ‘donut’ doors.
In the meantime, if you really do want half-doors when you purchase your new Wrangler JL, Jeep does have them available as an option between $2,350 and $4,395 depending on style and upper door material.
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