2018 Jeep Wrangler to feature aluminium doors and hood - Report

To launch in the USA in H1 2017.

According to a posting on JL Wrangler Forums, the next-generation 2018 Jeep Wrangler will have its doors and hood made from aluminium supplied by American company Alcoa. A leaked memo from Alcoa says that the 2018 Jeep Wrangler will feature the company's C6A1 high-form alloy.

"Alcoa will also supply 6022 and A951, including front and rear door inners, hood outer and inner", the memo reads. This further bolsters FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne's statement that the new Wrangler will feature aluminium in its construction, though the executive did not outline the specific parts that would use the lightweight material.

Spyshots have shown that the new Jeep Wrangler will opt for an evolutionary redesign, carrying forward the current model's circular headlights with inclusion of LED lighting, the characteristic 7-slat grille, the rectangular windshield and the hinged doors. It will also continue to be underpinned by a ladder-frame platform, ensuring that the ruggedness that the Wrangler is celebrated for, is not missed.

Under the hood, aside from a revised 3.6-liter V6 naturally-aspirated engine, there will also be a new 'Hurricane' 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline engine. These two units will be the mainstay for the American market, paired to 6-speed manual and 8-speed automatic transmissions.

While the Wrangler went on sale in India this month, reports suggest that FCA would introduce the new-generation model within 9-12 months of its start of sale in the American market.

[Source - JLWranglerForums]