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 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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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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Jeep recalling over 161k 2007-2008 Wrangler AT models due to tranny temp. sensor absence

Michael Harley — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:57:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Recalls, Safety, Chrysler, Jeep, Off-Road

Owners of model year 2007-2008 Jeep Wranglers with automatic transmissions may have to visit their local dealers as Chrysler is recalling 161,450 of the SUVs over potential transmission overheating problems. According to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA), Wrangler models manufactured between June 2006 and July 2008 with automatic transmissions were not fitted with a transmission fluid temperature warning system. If the AT fluid in the affected vehicles overheats, it may boil over and come in contact with hot engine or exhaust components - possibly leading to a fire.

To help alert drivers that their Jeep's transmission is overheating, dealers will inspect and install a visual "Hot Oil" message in the instrument cluster accompanied by an audible chime to indicate the elevated fluid temperature. The service will be performed free of charge starting in December. For more information, owners of the affected models may call Chrysler at 1-800-835-1403, NHTSA at 1-888-327-4236, or visit www.safercar.gov. Full press release after the jump.

[Source: NHTSA]

Continue reading Jeep recalling over 161k 2007-2008 Wrangler AT models due to tranny temp. sensor absence

Jeep recalling over 161k 2007-2008 Wrangler AT models due to tranny temp. sensor absence originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Heavy-duty Jeep J8 now available everywhere but here

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 09:32:00 EST

Filed under: SUV, Truck, Jeep, Military

Click above to enlarge this picture of the Jeep J8

Who doesn't get the Jeep J8? Um, that would be the United States, Home of Jeep. Hardly seems fair... considering that pretty much every other country in the world gets a crack at the ultra-Wrangler, which comes equipped with a 2.8-liter four-cylinder turbodiesel with 158-horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque mated to a five-speed automatic transmission. Memo to Chrysler: The Wranger is screaming out for a small displacement diesel engine. No? Fine. We can understand the fact that this engine isn't certified for sale in the States and it would be expensive to make happen. At least the Pentastar brand could offer the J8's nearly 3,000-pound payload capacity via rear leaf springs and reinforced frame in its home market. Still no dice? Could we at least get the pickup bed as an option on the Unlimited chassis? Not likely, would be our best guess. Oh well, we can wish.

Gallery: Jeep J8

[Source: Allpar]

Heavy-duty Jeep J8 now available everywhere but here originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 08 Sep 2008 09:32:00 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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