We managed to catch a prototype of the Wrangler-based pickup truck once again. The testing vehicle is still far away from the production lines, so the model you see here might receive a number of different details in the future. Judging by the spy shots, this particular version appears to have several pretty unexpected styling cues, such as these enormous side mirrors or a significant ground clearance. Still, in case you think that these details will be the only benefits that set apart the 2019 Jeep Wrangler pickup truck or the 2019 Jeep Gladiator which should be the official name of the truck, from the biggest rivals, look again, and you will notice something else here.
Normally, SUVs are borrowing the chassis from their truck siblings, but this time the things go in the other way around. The 2019 Jeep Gladiator definitely rides on Wrangler’s platform, providing it a special suspension system with front and rear solid axles. More precisely, the rear axle is coil-sprung. We know that because there are no leaf springs and shackles underneath. If you look closer, you will realize that the spare tire is mounted beneath the bed. Now, we can’t figure out how exactly is long the 2019 Wrangler pickup, yet we think it uses the bodywork of the Wrangler Unlimited. This should place it in the mid-size truck category with Toyota’s Tacoma and Chevrolet Colorado. Yes, these are pretty strong, but we believe that Jeep can take a big piece of the market cake without any problem.
Let’s get back to the prototype. As you can see, the vehicle sports some blue wires, but we are pretty sure that we are not looking into any plug-in or electric truck. No, the wires serve for a computer that records all engine parameters. Speaking of which, the 2019 Gladiator will definitely use a new four-cylinder engine known as the 2.0-liter Hurricane. The mill delivers up to 300 horsepower, which makes it really suitable for the pickup truck. Plus, it should have a decent fuel economy as well. We are quite sure that the vehicle won’t stay with a single option under the hood. Instead, the manufacturer will add an updated version of the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6. Of course, both options will be paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission.
The latest reports indicate that the carmaker might introduce the Wrangler-based pickup truck with some kind of hybrid setup, yet we are not so sure it about this matter. If this actually happens, the drivetrain will make its debut under the hood of the Wrangler SUV, so the Gladiator hybrid won’t be available for at least four years from today. On the other hand, there is a possibility of seeing the 2019 Jeep Gladiator Diesel. The manufacturer has an impressive 3.0L EcoDiesel V6, so we can’t see why the oil-burner won’t come right away.
You probably notice that we call the Wrangler-based pickup truck “2019 Gladiator”? Well, our insider claims that the vehicle should be ready late next year, which means it’s going to be introduced as a 2019 model. As for the name, Gladiator seems to be the most suitable name, simply because jeep already previewed a truck with the same name in 2005.
