Mike Manley, head of the Jeep brand for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, said earlier this week that the company is still debating on when to unveil the next generation Wrangler JL, and that it may not debut until the second half of 2017.
Separately, Manley also confirmed the highly anticipated Jeep Pickup is currently slated for a mid-2018 release.
Speaking to The Detroit News at the Los Angeles Auto Show, Manley stressed this JL release uncertainty did not mean there would be a delay in launching the new Wrangler – which is widely expected to hit showrooms sometime in late 2017. However, a later unveiling would push up against the production start if FCA does indeed plan the vehicle for a fall 2017 release. In that case, it remains to be seen how customers would respond on ordering the vehicle sight unseen.
Manley originally said earlier this summer that the JL would debut during the first half of 2017, and many in the industry expected the vehicle to show up at January’s North American International Auto Show in Detroit. A later release date also means the JL would not be at the Moab Easter Jeep Safari – an event FCA normally loves using to introduce new concepts and vehicles.
Manley said the JL Wrangler “is looking fantastic”, but did not provide any specifics such as confirming or denying reports the vehicle’s hood, doors, and axle housings would move to aluminum. Nor did he comment on the reason for FCA’s debut time frame change.
One reason could be that current generation Wrangler sales have slowed significantly over the past few months. By pushing back an unveiling of the next generation Wrangler, FCA could be trying to create urgency with those holding off on a Wrangler purchase in anticipation of the 2018 model.
The Detroit News also spoke with Ralph Gilles, FCA’s head of Global Design, who said the Wrangler is always a challenge to redesign because it has such a cult following.
“The Wrangler is a critical pilot light of the brand,” Gilles said. “Because of how much we’ve invested in Jeep, the Wrangler can remain true to itself. We’re not trying to make the Wrangler be what it’s not meant to be.”
As far as the Jeep Pickup, a mid-2018 release date backs up what FCA has previously said regarding this vehicle's entry into the market. Should this remain the case, then most likely it will launch as a 2019 model. Spy shots from earlier this year suggest the Jeep Truck will have four doors, but FCA has not commented if there will be a two-door option.
