Jeep Wrangler Pickup Caught in Spy Photos
Soak it in, because these images are our best look yet at the rear end of the forthcoming Jeep Wrangler pickup truck, which may or may not be christened Scrambler when it goes into production later this year. Disappointingly, this prototype’s exposed tailgate is devoid of any stamped branding that might have provided clues to the truck’s true identity.
Regardless, look for the new Jeep pickup to retain the Wrangler’s character. A removable roof and doors are almost certain, while a trick two-position tailgate is a possibility. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles received a patent for such a tailgate at the beginning of this month.
According to patent documents, the tailgate includes two sets of latches: One set disconnects the tailgate from the bedsides and allows it to lay flat with the load floor (like a conventional pickup tailgate), while the second set within the gate itself extends the support cables and lowers the lip of the tailgate closer to the ground. Integrated steps within the tailgate thus allow the user to more easily climb into the truck’s bed, as shown in the patent drawing below.
Whether this technology sees the light of day remains to be seen, and FCA might apply it to a Ram product as readily as this Jeep. Given the Wrangler’s nearly 10 inches of ground clearance and notably tall step-in height, though, the upcoming Jeep pickup seems like a good candidate for such a system.
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The Jeep pickup is expected to go on sale within the next year as a 2019 model with the same powertrain combinations as the new Wrangler, including a 270-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four and a 285-hp 3.6-liter V-6.
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