Jeep Gladiator Pickup for 2020

Blind_Io

"Be The Match" Registered
DONOR
Joined
Apr 5, 2006
Messages
24,200
Location
Utah
Car(s)
See signature
https://jalopnik.com/the-2020-jeep-gladiator-pickup-truck-this-is-it-1830439869

A couple of days ago we got a tip that the upcoming Jeep Wrangler pickup truck would be called the 2020 Jeep Gladiator, and now it seems official images have leaked confirming the new name. It looks—well, it looks like a Wrangler pickup!

The photo popped up on JeepGladiatorForum showing the truck in all of its crew cab glory. Reportedly, the photos are from a Jeep media site that was quickly taken down this morning.

We can clearly see styling elements from the new Wrangler on the grille, headlights and taillights, and even a soft top option, but beyond that, no huge surprises here.

Update, 1:57 p.m.: According to a screenshot of an information sheet about the new Gladiator posted by the forums, the Gladiator will be capable of 30 inches of water fording, a towing capacity up to 7,650 pounds and a 1,600 payload capacity.

According to the sheet, it will be available with a 3.6-liter V6 or 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V6, and can be optioned with either a 6-speed manual or 8-speed automatic.

We’ll update more as we get it.

[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"https:\/\/i.imgur.com\/yihqM1q.jpg"}[/IMG2]

[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"https:\/\/i.imgur.com\/dmV4TCI.jpg"}[/IMG2]

[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"https:\/\/i.imgur.com\/oCdXhQy.jpg"}[/IMG2]

[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"https:\/\/i.imgur.com\/undefined.jpg"}[/IMG2]

Hot damn, I want. I mean, aside from the usual Jeep build quality and reliability problems.
 
I like it, but damn that is a long wheel base. I imagine they are not going to offer a 2 door variation anytime soon. The only problem I see is that it will probably be expensive. More than a comparable half ton with a V8, most likely. Although this is still cooler and will probably hold it's value better.
 
the only problem i see is that greenies will trash you for "driving a hummer"
 
It looks good. Not sure I would want to live with it day to day though. This looks miles better than what Ford appears to be doing with the Flex like Bronco thing.
 
CraigB;n3554992 said:
Can't wait to see these roaming around on 37s that have never seen dirt... :lol:

In my area that would be a rare sight. Jeeps in the West tend to get driven as they were intended. The Pavement Princess is typically a Chevy truck with a Duramax.
 
TC;n3555152 said:

Just seeing that video thumbnail I have to ask, how the fuck are you getting those bikes out? I've had to help load a snowmobile in a pickup truck before and it sucks donkey balls. Never mind getting it out again...
 
I'm REALLY digging this thing. Too bad a decently loaded Rubicon will probably cost $60k, otherwise I could totally see myself picking one up.

93Flareside;n3555157 said:
Just seeing that video thumbnail I have to ask, how the fuck are you getting those bikes out? I've had to help load a snowmobile in a pickup truck before and it sucks donkey balls. Never mind getting it out again...

Bed ramps..............

jsxVW6El.jpg
 
have you tried those for unloading?
you can't sit on the bike, because your feet have nowhere to support you
and you can't stand next to it, because the bars are way to high and you can't work the brake

just load them on backwards, and wheelie them out of the bed...
 
The Jeep guys are mocking the Gladiator like it's going out of style, the memes are brutal. I don't get the hate, sure it's longer and has a worse departure angle, but it's also a truck and can carry roughly 10 times what you can fit in that sad glove-box sized cargo deck of a JK. It might not be a hardcore wheeling machine, but it can take on harder terrain than many trucks on the market, and carry more than the JKU. It would be a perfect overland build.
 
Blind_Io;n3555184 said:
The Jeep guys are mocking the Gladiator like it's going out of style, the memes are brutal. I don't get the hate, sure it's longer and has a worse departure angle, but it's also a truck and can carry roughly 10 times what you can fit in that sad glove-box sized cargo deck of a JK. It might not be a hardcore wheeling machine, but it can take on harder terrain than many trucks on the market, and carry more than the JKU. It would be a perfect overland build.

Doesn't matter what the "Jeep Bros" think.... this thing will print money for FCA.
 
 
bonoel;n3555259 said:
A 2-door model would be nice also.

Given the fact that the two door Wrangler is barely selling (IIRC, only ~20% of Wranglers are two door with the rest being four door), don't hold your breath. The two door truck/SUV is basically dead as a category outside of the bare-bones bargain basement fleet market in the US/Canada - often not enough people want them (at least enough to actually shell out money for one) to justify making a two door variant.
 
True on every count. Yet I would still like a King Cab truck so I have a foot more bed space. I already have two four-door vehicles.
 
There may be some hope. I would think the chassis of the popular 4 door Wrangler Unlimited could underpin a 2 door Gladiator. And I imagine many other parts could be shared. I don't think offering such a model would represent as much of a financial burden as the 2 door Wrangler.
 
That would just be a shorter truck with less capacity, lower towing, and not much purpose other than to be less than every other truck in the segment. The four door truck market is very healthy right now as people buy them instead of SUVs. Spectre is right, outside of the bare-bones work truck fleet sales, there just is not enough market for a small standard or king-cab truck. The Jeep will be up against cheaper and more reliable vehicles in that segment from Nissan, Ford, and Toyota. Ram sells the 1500 and they have their vans for the workman market, Jeep will stick to making fun off road machines, it's what sells and what they do best.

Despite the weaknesses of this truck, like the overly long wheel base, it will print money for Fiat Chrysler.
 
I guess it just depends on how FCA looks at it. The other truck companies are getting back into the mid-size market, to compete with Nissan and Toyota, who never left. Ram is the only truck company that doesn't have a mid-size competitor. But they have been promoting this new Gladiator as a mid-size truck, so maybe this how FCA plans to fill that niche and compete in that market. And the trucks it will be going up against are all offered in king cab configurations.

I have no doubt that 4 door short bed models are the volume sellers and the most profitable, but that doesn't mean there isn't money to be made elsewhere in that market.
 
It's about whether it is worth the tooling and R&D to make it happen. Sometimes it isn't worth the $10 to make $5.
 
Top