2018 JL Jeep Wrangler Spotted Broken Down During Testing
Mechanical Gremlins Give Us a Chance to Pry Into This Prototype
Reliability with new cars is at an all-time high. That’s true even for brands that might not make it to the top of the dependability list. That’s because they are tested rigorously before going on sale. Sometimes we forget that the cars we see on the road, dolled up in camouflage, are actually early in the production process and might have issues. That’s what happened to this JL Wrangler caught by our spy photographers.
While it’s unclear why the Wrangler broke down, incidents like this make it easy for the spy photographers to swoop in and catch good shots of upcoming models. What you see here is a 2-door JL Wrangler. While the general shape remains the same — they won’t change the Wrangler too much — the camo does give us some clues to where the changes are located.
We’re drawn to the roof itself, with the swirly stickers covering the glass. This could indicate a slightly different design for the removable roof than what is on the JK version of the Wrangler.
It’s nice to see visual confirmation that Jeep is working on the 2-door version. We didn’t expect them to drop it, but you never know. Traditionally those vehicles don’t sell as well as their 4-door counterparts, and FCA is trying to maximize profit wherever it can.
When the JL Wrangler goes on sale as a 2018 model year vehicle, we expect a few changes over the current generation. For the first time in a while, we expect to have several different engines available. While we believe the 3.6L Pentastar will carry over, we’re also expecting a turbocharged 4-cylinder, and maybe even a small-displacement diesel engine. We do expect the manual transmission to remain. We also expect the 5-speed automatic to receive an upgrade to at least an 8-speed unit.
The JL will be produced alongside the pickup truck in Toledo, Ohio where Wranglers have always been built. Until we see it in the flesh at an auto show, enjoy these spy shots of one of the world’s best off-road vehicles.
