Autoblog

Mopar pickup kit for Jeep Wrangler a hot seller, coming early

Chris Shunk — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 16:30:00 EST

Jeep enthusiasts have been asking for a Wrangler pickup for years, and 2011 is the year they finally got their wish - at least in kit form. The only thing that could keep the JK-8 Independence kit from being a success is the $5,499 price, which doesn't include assembly. But it appears that the serious Jeep fans are all-in, and Mopar is stepping up to meet demand.

Wards Auto reports that Mopar's original estimate of 200-300 kit sales was trumped by 400 dealer orders. Team Mopar is reportedly stepping up to meet the demand, as President Pietro Gorlier tells WA that more kits are on the way. Gorlier adds that Mopar continues to be cautious about sales expectations in part because the kits are so large and difficult for dealers to store in any real numbers.

Early demand for the kits, which is also available for the Wrangler Unlimited, also shows Chrysler that a next-generation Wrangler truck could take the market by storm. Gorlier points out that Jeep President Mike Manley has gone on record as saying that the next redesign of the Wrangler could include a pickup option, though no definite plans have been announced.

Mopar pickup kit for Jeep Wrangler a hot seller, coming early originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 14 Dec 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Factory-built Jeep pickup "at least four years away," still not confirmed

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 09:58:00 EST

Filed under: SUV, Truck, Jeep

For those of you patiently waiting for a production Jeep pickup that you can pick up at your local dealership, we have bad news. Automotive News is quoting Jeep CEO Michael Manley as saying it won't be happening anytime soon.

"It is too late in Wrangler's product cycle to add a pickup. The 2015 or 2016 time frame makes more sense. That's when we will refresh the Wrangler," said Manley at the Frankfurt Motor Show. All hope is not lost, however, as Manley says he is "working closely with the product team because [he thinks] a pickup would be a great addition and a natural extension of the product line."

In the meantime, buyers are welcome to order up one of Chrysler's Mopar Jeep JK-8 pickup conversion kits, which will convert Wrangler Unlimited models into a small pickup for $5,499 (not including installation, though you can also do it yourself).

While it's certainly not as good as a ready-made machine, the JK-8 kit is reportedly selling better than Jeep had expected, which can only bode well for the chances of a production pickup in due time.

Factory-built Jeep pickup "at least four years away," still not confirmed originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 20 Sep 2011 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jeep announces new Wrangler Unlimited Pickup... in kit form

Zach Bowman — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 10:58:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, SUV, Truck, Jeep, Off-Road

Jeep JK-8 Independence Kit - Click above for high-res image gallery

Chrysler has finally released a few more details on its Mopar Jeep JK-8 pickup conversion. Wrangler Unlimited owners can purchase the kit for a $5,499, though installation by the dealer will set you back additional coin. Fortunately, the automaker says that any skilled do-it-yourselfer can stitch the pieces onto their vehicle with a little patience.

The conversion includes a steel bed, inner and outer bed sides, sport bar extensions and a fiberglass half-top and bulkhead among other necessary pieces. Jeep says that the kit should help satiate brand loyalists who also want a pickup truck.

Considering that a base Wrangler Unlimited will set you back $25,545, those customers will likely also find themselves wanting a winning lottery ticket. All told, buyers are staring down the barrel of a $31,044 entry price - if they do the work themselves.

It's fairly clear that the JK-8 is meant to share more blood with the CJ-8 Scrambler than a legitimate mid-size pickup, but that doesn't stop it from being pretty cool in our book. Maybe Chrysler will let us help put one together sometime. Hit the jump for the full press release.

Continue reading Jeep announces new Wrangler Unlimited Pickup... in kit form

Jeep announces new Wrangler Unlimited Pickup... in kit form originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 14 Jul 2011 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jeep JK-8 pickup kit smiles for the camera

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 03 May 2011 21:57:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Concept Cars, Truck, Jeep, Off-Road

Jeep JK-8 conversion kit from Mopar - Click above to watch the video after the jump

The folks over at PickupTrucks.com recently drove a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited with Mopar's JK-8 conversion kit, and they got a Mopar engineer on camera to talk about it. To refresh your memory, one kit will be offered for the at-home "weekend warrior" tinkerer, a second kit will be offered for body shops to make the conversion look like it came from the factory. Pricing hasn't been announced, but the engineer said it would be "competitive," although we have no idea what he could be comparing the price too, it should be less than the "two arms, two legs and a testicle" suggested by a PickupTrucks.com commenter.

Finally, the JK-8 package will be available in every color offered on the Wrangler, meaning you won't get it in the concept car yellow. Follow the jump to see it in action and hear more about it.

Continue reading Jeep JK-8 pickup kit smiles for the camera

Jeep JK-8 pickup kit smiles for the camera originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 May 2011 21:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jeep JK-8 Independence kit finally turns your Wrangler into a pickup truck

Chris Shunk — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 12:58:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Chrysler, Jeep

Jeep Wrangler JK-8 Independence pickup truck - Click above for high-res image gallery

We've seen Jeep Wrangler pickup trucks before that never had a chance at production. They're the kind of teasing that many die-hard Wrangler lovers just can't handle, so the folks at Mopar are giving owners of the four-door Unlimited a chance to make their own Jeep pickup.

The Wrangler JK-8 Independence is a new Mopar kit that provides a 50-inch pickup truck bed with 44 inches of width between the wheel wells. The folks at Mopar aren't ready to talk price just yet, but they promised two variants of the kit. One is a weld-free bolt-on setup that mechanically inclined Jeep owners can put together "over a weekend." The second is a show-ready kit that can be fitted at the dealership or a specialty body shop. The parts for both kits will reportedly cost about the same, but labor costs for the show truck version will cost extra. The kit will reportedly be available in every color that you can currently get the Wrangler Unlimited.

In all, Mopar tells us the kit includes a bed floor, all the necessary body panels, the fiberglass cap and a new bulkhead. To build your own JK-8 Independence, you'll need to remove all the interior parts behind the front seats. The new body panels will cover the second row entrance, and a short fiberglass cap provides enough covered space for your gear.

The bright yellow JK-8 show truck, which is based off of a 2011 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, features a Mopar/Dynatrac ProRock 44 front axle and a stock 44 rear axle with 4.88 gears. Thirty-seven inch BF Goodrich Mud Terrain KM2 tires and a 4.5-inch long-arm suspension kit make sure this makeshift truck doesn't get stuck even in the most inhospitable terrain. Special off-road capable bumpers round out the modifications, and all of the above modifications are available straight from the Mopar catalog.

Click on the gallery below to check out the official Jeep Wrangler pickup truck that you've all been waiting for.

Gallery: Jeep Wrangler JK-8 Independence pickup truck kit

Photos copyright (C)2011 Chris Shunk / AOL

[Source: Chrysler]

Continue reading Jeep JK-8 Independence kit finally turns your Wrangler into a pickup truck

Jeep JK-8 Independence kit finally turns your Wrangler into a pickup truck originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 12:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Marchionne: Jeep is finally getting a pickup... kinda

Damon Lavrinc — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 11:55:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Jeep

Jeep Gladiator Concept - Click above for high-res image gallery

During a roundtable meeting in Detroit, Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne confirmed that Jeep will be getting a new model in the near future, one that he's classifying as a "multipurpose" vehicle fitted with "a truck bed."

Although Marchionne stopped short of calling the Jeep a pickup, he did reference the 2005 Gladiator concept (above) and said "there's better than a 50% chance that you'll get one."

Just as intriguing, the perpetually sweatered-CEO told the assembled media that the cargo-hauling Jeep will come to market whether the Ram brand likes it or not, saying, "They're totally peeved off at the fact that we're going to have anything that looks like a pickup truck with a Jeep badge on it. I actually think there's space for it." So do we Mr. Marchionne. So do we...

Gallery: 2005 Jeep Gladiator Concept

[Source: PickupTrucks]

Marchionne: Jeep is finally getting a pickup... kinda originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 11 Jan 2011 11:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Rumored Jeep pickup far from a done deal

Zach Bowman — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Jeep, Rumormill, Off-Road

2005 Jeep Gladiator Concept - Click above for high-res image gallery

Please join us in a collective sigh of exasperation. According to Automotive News, the much-rumored Jeep pickup that had us all salivating earlier this year may be little more than hyped-up vaporware. It would seem that while Chrysler's off-roading arm is game to create a small pickup once again, the vehicle isn't as writ in stone as we were all led to believe. From what we can tell, Jeep is facing some grief from the Ram squad for wanting to play in their sandbox. Additionally, all of Chrysler is staring at a pretty hefty dearth of engineers, so adding another ground-up build to the company's already sizable honey-do list isn't exactly on the table.

And what of the military-spec Jeep truck currently on sale elsewhere around the globe? Automotive News says that Chrysler thinks it wouldn't be worth the effort (or money) to try to dilute that vehicle down far enough for civilian duty. Maestro, cue up the sad trombone, if you'd be so kind.

That means that we can probably scrap the notion of seeing Jeep pickup by next year as we were initially led to believe. If the vehicle does manage to get past all of the hurdles before it, the pickup likely won't see the light of day for a good long while.

Gallery: 2005 Jeep Gladiator Concept

[Source: Automotive News]

Report: Rumored Jeep pickup far from a done deal originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 23 Dec 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Jeep pickup coming in 2012

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 11:28:00 EST

Filed under: SUV, Truck, Jeep, Rumormill, Off-Road

2005 Jeep Gladiator Concept - Click above for high-res image gallery

Adding fuel to the rumormill fire that Jeep is keen to introduce a small pickup based on its ever-popular Wrangler platform is a new report from our reliable friends from PickupTrucks.com that the project has been given the green light. The news comes just after we heard that just such a machine was shown to dealers with a wink-wink, nudge-nudge-style display.

According to PickupTruck.com's sources, the light-duty hauler would debut in 2012 with a design heavily based on the Jeep Gladiator concept from 2005. To get the necessary length, Jeep is said to be utilizing the four-door Wrangler Unlimited chassis with the deletion of the two aft doors and the addition of a short truck bed.

Here's hoping the final design, if it indeed reaches production, retains the external spare wheel and tire. While we're wishing, we'll cast a vote towards a removable hardtop as well. Regardless, this is one of those cases where we feel pretty confident in saying, If you build it, they will ~~come~~ buy.

Gallery: 2005 Jeep Gladiator Concept

[Source: PickupTrucks.com]

Report: Jeep pickup coming in 2012 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 17 Sep 2010 11:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Marchionne shows 2012 Dodge Viper at dealer meeting

Damon Lavrinc — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 14:56:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Performance, Truck, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep

Dodge Viper ACR - Click above for high-res image gallery

At yesterday's Chrysler dealer conference, the Pentastar people publicly revealed new or updated products from Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Fiat. But there was more on stage than just a facelifted Town & Country and a federalized Fiat 500.

Towards the end of his remarks, Chrysler Group and Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne pulled a Steve Jobs-style "one more thing," and onto the stage rolled the 2012 Dodge Viper. According to our sources, the design was all-new, complete with an aggressive greenhouse and fresh, angular sheetmetal.

Chrysler has already confirmed that the next Viper is on its way in two years' time, but showing it off this early is a clear indication that work is well underway. There's still some debate about what powertrain will be fitted to the thoroughly updated Viper, but early reports indicate that the same 8.4-liter V10 could carry on, possibly with the inclusion of Fiat's MultiAir technology to reduce emissions and boost output over 700 horsepower. An entry-level V8 option is a possibility, and there's little doubt that Dodge is tapping Ferrari's engineers to advise on everything from handling to steering and stability control systems.

Another supposed cameo at the event was a Jeep pickup, similar to the Gladiator concept, however, we've yet to confirm its attendance or any serious production plans. But for the time being, we're content with the knowledge that Dodge's next supercar is in the wings and we'll being seeing it in person within the next several months.

UPDATE: More details from the Wall Street Journal.

Gallery: 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR

Gallery: 2005 Jeep Gladiator Concept

Marchionne shows 2012 Dodge Viper at dealer meeting originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 15 Sep 2010 14:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Jeep eyeing entry-level pickup market?

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 12:27:00 EST

Filed under: SUV, Truck, Jeep

2005 Jeep Gladiator Concept - Click above for high-res image gallery

All hail the Jeep Comanche? Well, not exactly. But the old XJ-based single cab pickup certainly has something of a loyal fan base. The same can be said of every other pickup truck the Toledo-based off-road specialists have ever created, including the classic CJ-8 Scrambler. And the darn-near-perfect-in-every-way Jeep Gladiator concept from 2005 got nothing but rave reviews from everyone who saw it at the Detroit Auto Show.

So, perhaps it shouldn't come as a surprise that our friends at PickupTrucks.com are reporting that Jeep is once again considering entering the pickup truck market. Apparently, newly minted Jeep CEO Mike Manley has his eyes on the segment globally and believes that the concept of a Jeep pick 'em-up-truck has some profitable legs.

Considering that the Ford Ranger continues to sell in reasonably decent numbers despite not seeing any real updates since the Jurassic period and that the Mahindra pickup has generated a good bit of interest before even hitting the American scene, we have to wonder if there may be some pent-up demand for a small, capable pickup in America. In any case, don't expect any sort of official comment from Jeep... but feel free to keep your fingers crossed.

Gallery: 2005 Jeep Gladiator Concept

[Source: PickupTrucks.com]

Report: Jeep eyeing entry-level pickup market? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 21 Jun 2010 12:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: Production Jeep JT pickup caught testing!

John Neff — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 17:19:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Truck, Jeep

UPDATE: Mike Levine at Pickuptruck.com speculates that Jeep may be going after the postal fleet market. These mules are right-hand drive (to reach mailboxes perhaps?) and leaf springs (to handle the heavy load of mail maybe?)

click above image for high-res gallery

Everyone fawned over the Jeep JT Concept when they saw what it could actually do. Jeep fanboys and casual admirers alike all recognized that such a small, light-duty pickup would do wonders for the Jeep brand, and if these spy photos from KGP Photography are anything to by, then it appears Jeep is listening. Read the report from KGP below and check out the gallery of high-res spy shots that confirms Jeep is at least developing a Wrangler-based pickup.

We got up-close and personal with what appears to be a mule for a Wrangler-based pickup truck, right along the lines of the Jeep JT truck concept. The rear doors of a four-door Jeep Wrangler Unlimited have been welded shut, and the black composite roof structure has been extended forward to the B-pillar. The roll-down side glass has been replaced with a solid window.

More after the jump...

[Photos: KGP Photography]

Gallery: Jeep JT Pickup - spy shots

Continue reading Spy Shots: Production Jeep JT pickup caught testing!

Spy Shots: Production Jeep JT pickup caught testing! originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 15 Aug 2007 17:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jeep JT Concept is no show car

John Neff — Tue, 22 May 2007 15:57:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, SEMA Show, Truck, Jeep

click above image to view 16 high-res pics of the Jeep JT Concept

The Jeep JT Concept is set to "officially" debut at the 2007 SEMA Show, but unlike a lot of the hardware that will be on display in Las Vegas later this year, Jeep's compact pickup is a capable rock crawling machine. Check out the pics in our gallery of the JT Concept descending into and out of a bathtub at the Hell's Revenge trail in Moab, Utah. We thought it would need an airlift to get out, but the JT climbed right up the opposite wall.

We've learned that the JT Concept is built right off of the Wrangler Unlimited's platform and shares its 116-inch wheelbase, though adding a 5-foot-long bed and removable hard top over the cab. Its rock-crawling cred is bolstered by a 3-inch suspension lift from Superlift, 35-inch BF Goodrich Mud Terrain tires, a Ramsey 9500 UT winch and a Mopar rear bumper and rock rails.

We've said it before that the compact pickup market is ripe to grow if only an automaker would offer a decent competitor to the aged Ford Ranger. Perhaps a Jeep JT could fit that bill and sell like Twinkies, though the brand isn't saying whether or not the concept was built for fun or to test the public's reaction (again) to a Jeep pickup.

Check out the gallery below for high-res pics of the Jeep JT Concept.

[Source: Jeep]

Gallery: Jeep Wrangler JT Concept

Jeep JT Concept is no show car originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 22 May 2007 15:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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