Jeep has taken the opportunity at the SEMA show in Las Vegas to announce the debut of the latest generation of the Jeep Wrangler … at the LA Auto Show at the end of November.
As such, there isn’t much information to go on, but from the supplied teaser images, we can glean a few details. The shape looks to be a little sleeker than the current model, with bumpers that seem more integrated into the body and vents (maybe functional, maybe not) on the hood and behind the front wheels.
What we do know from the paragraph caption for the released photos is that the 2018 Wrangler will be a modern take on the classic Jeep design, as we’d expect. As evidenced on the 2-door Rubicon convertible photo, it features classic signature cues such as the flip-down windshield and removable doors.
It will reportedly have more open-air options, which we take to mean more variations on the soft-top and hard-top convertible roofs, and will be powered by advanced fuel-efficient powertrains, which might mean a new diesel version (which was announced for the Grand Cherokee a couple months back).
It will feature the traditional 7-slot grille flanked by the iconic round headlights (though these appear to be a modern composite design with projector bulbs smack dab in the centre of the circle). At the other end, brake lights continue to be square but now appear to sit outside the bodywork, albeit only slightly.
The contours of the new Wrangler appear to be softer, borne out by the released statement that claims the new 4x4 benefits from improved aerodynamics. The wheel wells appear to be wider than the current model, indicating a wider track, which would improve stability for off-road applications.
The attached release also indicates improvements in safety and advancements in technology, with the former apparently addressed by a new-design roll cage that appears more integrated and less tubular than that of the current model.
More information and images will be available November 29, when the car is introduced in Los Angeles.