DaimlerChrysler organized a concept car drive today that included some of its most notable cars and trucks from this year's auto show circuit. Sliding behind the wheel of cars like the Chrysler Nassau and Dodge Demon concepts had its moments, but the vehicle that really got our attention was the Jeep Wrangler JT.
This is the Jeep pickup we've all been waiting for, but don't get your hopes up just yet. The Wrangler JT is a one-off concept built by the engineers at DaimlerChrysler's special projects group. It started life as a leaf sprung, military spec Wrangler, but the engineering team swapped in a standard coil spring setup from the latest Wrangler Unlimited. The coils themselves are a part of a 3-inch lift that clears the way for a set of 35-inch mud tires.
It has a 116-inch wheelbase like the Unlimited, but instead of rear seats the JT gets a five-foot pickup bed. Major modifications include a rear bulkhead between the bed and the cab and a new back window. According to Jeep designer Aaron Pizzuti, very little fabrication was needed to build the JT. "The idea was to build a Wrangler pickup that required minimal changes to the standard configuration," he told us.
Behind the wheel, the JT drove like any other Wrangler. A stock 3.8-liter six-cylinder engine provided the power so acceleration was leisurely. Numb steering was no surprise either given this Jeep's nearly three foot tall mud tires. Compared to the other concepts we drove, however, the JT was clearly a more complete vehicle. In fact, Pizutti said the JT made its public debut in Moab, Utah about a month ago and made its way through some of the toughest trails in the park.
Clearly, Jeep is trying to figure out a way to build a Wrangler pickup and the JT is the closest vehicle yet to making it happen. Of course, there's still that issue of actually making money on a Jeep pickup and so far it doesn't appear as though DaimlerChrysler has quite figured that one out yet.--Ed Hellwig, Lead Senior Editor
estreka says:
04:08 PM, 05/ 8/07
It would be so much fun, but I just can't see the beancounters finding it viable. The 4-door Wrangler was smack-in-the-face obvious. This is considerably less so.
rsholland says:
04:47 PM, 05/ 8/07
Hmmm...
I did a blog entry back in February on a similar vehicle.
http://66.160.188.111/Straightline/2316
I hope they do build it, but they better figure out a better place for the spare tire, as it eats up virtually the entire bed.
estreka says:
05:06 PM, 05/ 8/07
Yeah, but we've been down this road before:
http://66.160.188.111/Straightline/Comments/1674#cm
Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see a Jeep truck, but a less-than-midsize truck just isn't going to sell, no matter how offroad capable it is. It's just not "cute" like the Wrangler is.
moparbad says:
08:19 PM, 05/ 8/07
It is just the RIGHT size for a truck with off road capability.
Bigger is NOT better.
ateixeira says:
08:03 AM, 05/ 9/07
It's neat for what it is, but it just would not have a big enough audience. There are fewer and fewer trails, and most people that use them don't buy brand new vehicles.
They'd sell ... about 6 of them.
Let's face it - Americans like their pickups in two sizes, HUGE and HUGER.
roar02ram says:
09:07 AM, 05/ 9/07
I'd disagree about the statement about Americans liking their pickups huge. I think that everyone's assumed that & thus phased out their dinky trucks (the ancient Ranger's practically the last one). But I think that there's still a market for small trucks & a small truck with as much personality as this one probably would sell well.
rsholland says:
10:30 AM, 05/ 9/07
Yeah, I disagree too. There's a HUGE country out there, and not everyone wants huge pickups. I think there would be a market for this truck; maybe not in urban areas, but out west for sure.
jerrywimer says:
05:43 AM, 05/10/07
Make them inexpensive enough and I agree with you both. That's why ATV based vehicles like the Kawasaki Mule and the Yamaha Rhino exist. I sincerely don't believe it's going to happen though. The volume of sales would be fairly low (yeah, 6 is a bit of an exaggeration, but still), so the cost for each wouldn't be amortized very well, leading either to selling it at a loss or selling it for too high a price to a few people who want to brag that they bought one.
ryanmb21 says:
01:07 PM, 05/10/07
If they made those I'd buy 6 of them!!!
Give me that exact truck! color, wheels everything! Offer that in a small diesel with 20+ MPG's and I'll buy one tomorrow.
I'm in love!!
wally1shaw says:
10:54 AM, 05/11/07
I love the jeep truck concept, IF.......they offer it in diesel, seating for 3 and get the spare tire out of the truck bed. I wanted the gladiator, and it never came. Regular cab trucks are supposed to be able to seat 3. The bed of a truck is supposed to be used for cargo, not a spare tire. If I am buying a truck in this size bracket at todays cost for fuel, I expect it to get mileage that blows a big truck away (needs a diesel).
4poppertj says:
02:22 PM, 05/16/07
A nice turbo CRD with the 6-speed manual gearbox would be perfect. Dana 44's (real ones, not the ones with the Dana 35 ends) front and rear would help, too. The military version (referenced elsewhere) has the Dana 60 in the rear, which is probably over-kill. Who needs horsepower when you've got TORQUE?
4poppertj says:
02:23 PM, 05/16/07
Oh, and loose the Ramsey winch, too. Go WARN!
muchsnow says:
12:23 PM, 08/28/07
Put a diesel in it w/manual trans, preferably something like the 4cyl Cummins that they put in Bobcats, I'd be all over it.
Same with it being an option on the Jeep Wranglers.
You used to be able to pull buildings down w/the old Willys trucks, now you have to worry about what gets pulled off the truck on a new one.
mstock1987 says:
09:37 PM, 10/24/07
i agree with all of u it should be a diesel but instead of putting the engine from a bobcat into a jeep id drop the new 3.0l diesel that u can buy in the new grand cherokees and this idea is a play off of the aev (american expedition vehicles) jeep brute.
go here.......learn some shit
http://www.aev-conversions.com/index.php
karsrus1 says:
06:05 AM, 10/30/07
I'm a bit new to this bloggin thing, but wanted only to make one point...If you want the JT to be built, stop thinking only about the US....Go global. This product could be sold anywhere in the world where only Land rovers and toyotas only go...The Middle East, Africa, South America, China, etc.
Put the diesel in it, make right hand drive available, attach the spare on the right side of the vehcle behind the door, and call it done.
You'll then be able to go down to your local Jeep dealer and purchase one of the "6" being sold in the US...
wantajt says:
06:35 AM, 10/30/07
For more info go to http://www.automobilemag.com/auto_shows/2007_sema/0710_2007_jeep_wrangler_jt_concept/index.html (just copy and past the link into your brouser.)
cougarlover says:
06:45 PM, 10/31/07
I think there is a market for this..Make the cab a lil bigger for more space....In Louisana there are a ton of people that use there trucks for work and play..And jeep does make the 4wd systems slap that system into a truck and bam perfecto
openride says:
12:29 PM, 11/ 9/07
Think Chevrolet SSR less $25,000, think bygone classic international scout 800A, think openride! A hard top convertible would be fantatstic. Great to have a good offroad work truck that doubles as a truly fun ride without the usual jeep hassle of removable soft tops, doors, etc. and the where to storage of same; just avoid the wndow frame on the doors mistake of the old broncos and toyotas and you're all set chrysler!
I'll order mine now!
scrambleredegg says:
04:09 PM, 03/12/08
I agree that it would be a viable product, and considering that restored scramblers are going for between $10,000 - 25,000 I would love a new one. But to make it really sellable they need to enlarge it just a little, give it a full 6 foot bed, mount the spare on a moveable rear gate, and increase the width by 4 inches.
If they want a really sellable truck - take the 4 door wrangler unlimited, end the cab directly behind the rear seat and put a 5 foot bed on that.
Drop in a 5.7 liter Hemi into either of these two models and real truck lovers will snatch em up.
You just couldn't beat a jeep-truck-Hemi Combo.