Autoblog

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

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

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 pickup put on the backburner

Zach Bowman — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Jeep, Off-Road

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

If you've been saving your pennies in anticipation of the upcoming pickup truck from Jeep, get ready to wait a little longer. According to PickupTrucks.com, Jeep CEO Mike Manley has said that resources at Chrysler are all tied up in other projects at the moment. With the full brunt of the company's operations directed towards transmission and small car development, there's simply not enough cash on hand to go creating a whole new member of the Jeep family. That means the Jeep pickup has been put on ice, at least for the time being.

Interestingly enough, Manley also said that when the versatile Jeep does touch down on American soil, it will also likely launch in international markets as well. The head honcho said he could easily see a metric-ton version of the pickup selling well outside the States. PickupTrucks.com reports that markets in Southeast Asia and Europe are particularly fond of trucks with a cargo capacity of around 2,205 pounds.

For now though, we'll just have to content ourselves with the JK-8 pickup conversion.

Jeep pickup put on the backburner originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 27 Jun 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PickupTrucks.com gets first drive of Jeep JK-8 Pickup conversion kit

Chris Shunk — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 09:22:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Jeep, Off-Road

Jeep fans have long clamored for a Wrangler with a pickup bed (ever since the CJ-8 Scrambler, that is), and Mopar appears to have come through with the introduction of the JK-8 Pickup conversion kit. The kit comes in one of two flavors; a show car spec that needs plenty of welding and a high degree of technical acumen and a bolt-on kit for the weekend warrior.

The truck nuts at Pickuptrucks.com were pretty excited about taking a spin in the JK-8 Independence, so they headed to Moab for the annual Easter Jeep Safari. The modded-up Wrangler truck features the JK-8 kit, along with new wheels and tires, a 4.5-inch lift kit and a Dana 44 front axle. The truck site found the Independence to have some awkward proportions, and writer Mark Williams was a bit dismayed that the 50-inch pickup bed didn't feature stronger coil springs to accommodate additional payload capacity.

After some rock-crawling and other activities, Levine and company came away with the impression that the JK-8 Independence handles itself much the same as the Wrangler Unlimited. In other words, the bedded Wrangler acquitted itself off the beaten path just fine. Head over to Pickuptrucks.com to read the full account.

Gallery: Jeep Wrangler JK-8 Independence pickup truck kit

Gallery photos copyright (C)2011 Chris Shunk / AOL

[Source: Pickuptrucks | Image: Mark Williams for PickupTrucks.com]

PickupTrucks.com gets first drive of Jeep JK-8 Pickup conversion kit originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 22 Apr 2011 09:22:00 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: 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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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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