The JL generation of the Jeep Wrangler won’t come out and officially replace the current version until sometime in the second half of next year (think September), but the beginning of the end of the JK starts this December.
That’s when Jeep will release two of several special edition versions of the current Wrangler. According to Automotive News, “The Wrangler Sport Freedom edition will come with Freedom star hood and rear fender decals, an American flag driver side front fender decal and other interior and exterior badging. It will also feature 18-inch Sahara mid-gloss granite crystal wheels, a new rear heavy-duty cast differential cover, black fuel filter cover and taillamp guards.” The two-door model will cost $30,690; the Unlimited model will go for $34,590. Sales of the Freedom edition will conclude in February.
The Wrangler Sahara Winter edition will come equipped with LED headlamps and fog lamps, standard remote start (for those with an automatic transmission), rock rails, and a standard hard top (body color optional). Like its Freedom edition sibling, it’ll be decorated with plenty of decals (on the hood, driver side fender, and rear fender) as well as other special badges and accents. Expect a price of $37,440 for the two-door Sahara Winter edition, and a price of $41,240 for the Wrangler Unlimited Sahara Winter edition. Both should be in Jeep dealerships until May.
At this point, there aren’t many details about the other JK special editions coming later next year aside from their projected timelines:
Sport Big Bear edition: February – July
Sahara Chief edition: March – June
Sahara Smoky Mountain edition: March – July
Rubicon Recon edition aka the replacement for the Rubicon Hard Rock: February – September 2017
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
