Divotmeister

I spoke today with a recently retired Chrysler executive and talked to him about what he knew about the 2012 Wrangler and JK Wrangler. For obvious reasons he wouldn't give exact details but did say that they were addressing the "engine issue" with respect to fuel economy and HP. Government restrictions are too great on the Diesel but the Pentastar "looks promising" and other well known engines are all in the plans.

Making the Wrangler and JK more "aerodynamic" to improve fuel economy was a "hard discussion", internally. "The look" of the Wrangler can't change too much, and they don't want alienate a very loyal Jeep community. But, something there has to give.

He did say those with Wranglers 2007 and newer would probably see their re-sale value to up due to the cost increase in the 2012. Now is a great time to buy a used one with low miles, or even a 2011.

I asked them what was taking so long with the announcement of the 2012's...all he said is that they have to "get this right". Whatever.

Interesting thoughts.

Lastly, the Wrangler for 2012 will cost (much) more $$.

Jae Suite

Glad I already have one, not selling either!

Four Low

The fuel mandates- no more fleet "averages"- will hit the light truck (JK) hard. The biggest fuel saving will be to reduce weight, increase aerodynamics. That means composite materials, unibody, independent suspension. That also means destroying the Jeep Wrangler as we know it. It's a lucrative "niche" market, so hopefully it will survive. To me, the diesel would make the fuel numbers happen, can't figure the logic that says burning more gas is better than burning less diesel, even if a TINY bit "dirtier"; That being said, no diesel for the immediate future. In a "down" economy, with high fuel prices, RAISING the price of the JK seems to be a bad idea, sales will drop, the market could wither away. The good news is , Fiat has a dedication to Jeep that was totally absent from Daimler, witness the "Commander" and the crap quality under Daimler. I think Fiat will address these issues for the better..

rickyj

I am pretty sure that the Wrangler is their "cash cow". It will survive somehow. And I don't think that unibody, composite, and other radical departures are going to be needed. Add a better auto, a more fuel efficient engine, etc (as in what should be in there NOW) - they should be okay. CAFE standards indicates "Corporate Automotive Fuel Efficiency" (average) standard does it not? If the Wrangler has to meet 35.5mpg by itself, that might be a problem.

cyberfalco

It can be done. They will sell a super efficient Wrangler. It will be up to us to mod it into what we want. We all love doing that anyway.

Orangutan

.., Is he sworn to silence, will he lose his pension, or is he just out of the loop like everyone else? This 2012 information has been slow at best, I was sure the NY car show would have released more than just a lizard decal. The New Grand Cherokees remained within the previous model price range, so why would the Wrangler be subject to an MSRP increase ?(other than a Hemi option).

Zilon X

This, and the fact that the GC is a lot more sophisticated.

Again, the Wrangler does not need to be a prius, it's plain wrong think about radical departures. And the needed changes are simple: just TECHNOLOGY, LIKE MDS. If diesel is not possible by federal standards, why not a great Hemi engine option?

Chrysler can say goodbye to Wrangler if they drop rigid axles and/or framed chassis. And that chinese copycat, what a shame...

How great would be a Wrangler with an inline-6 MDS engine - just dreaming. For now I sincerely hope the coming changes are just phoenix engine, transmission and very minor cosmetic steel plate adjustments...

Fact is - just the engine and transmission change can give a boost on mpg, and the really needed upgrades are most quality and finish details we all know about. What about a Rubi with better suspension components and 35" tires from the factory?

blw

How much mileage is lost due to Jeep aerodynamics vs other comparably-sized vehicles? Is it the major factor in MPG?

I've always wondered how much energy is lost in a Jeep due to drive line losses (transmission, xfer case and diffs) vs other vehicles - it seems like those must be quite large and perhaps there could be some relatively easy efficiency gains there...

RedJK2

Excellent point on the resale value, and one I had not considered. Thanks for posting!

RedJK2

It's more likely that he had to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) upon retiring, which means he is legally bound.