{"id":21561,"date":"2017-12-15T18:19:45","date_gmt":"2017-12-15T22:19:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/henrypayne.com\/?p=21561"},"modified":"2017-12-15T18:19:45","modified_gmt":"2017-12-15T22:19:45","slug":"payne-hulk-like-jeep-wrangler-gets-manners","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/2017\/12\/payne-hulk-like-jeep-wrangler-gets-manners","title":{"rendered":"Payne: Hulk-like Jeep Wrangler gets manners"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><div align=\"left\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/-mm-\/9ddb467e530c282d9c101d355e6531a65fc7e7f3\/c=504-0-3528-2268&amp;r=x404&amp;c=534x401\/local\/-\/media\/2017\/12\/13\/DetroitNews\/B99607764Z.1_20171213171405_000_GBC1PDFI5.2-0.jpg\" alt=\"wrangler_rubicon-fr3-4\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div><p class=\"speakable-p-1 p-text\">Jeep Wrangler designer Mark Allen used to be a road racer. Then he got a taste of off-roading.<\/p>\n<p class=\"speakable-p-2 p-text\">\u201cThe trouble with road racing is the waiting around between sessions,\u201d he said as we sat in the front seat of a 2018 Wrangler Sport somewhere in the Arizona desert. \u201cWhen you go off-roading, you\u2019re driving all the time.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">I\u2019m a road racer, but I get it. At the opposite end of the automotive spectrum from high-speed track days in your (name of production hot rod here) is hitting the trails with your buddies to conquer nature.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">And just as the rear-wheel-drive Mazda Miata is the populist road racer of choice, the all-wheel drive Wrangler is king of the outback.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Michigan off-road playgrounds like the Mounds, Rocks and Valleys and Bundy Hill are crawling with Wranglers of every shape and size. There are four-door Saharas, two-door Sports and rad Rubicons outfitted with snap-on accessories: engine air snorkels, roof lights, huge 37-inch tires. They crawl, sprint, scratch and climb over the muddy, tangled landscape like 11-year-olds at a riverside family retreat.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ad-position-191\" class=\"partner-placement partner-spike\" data-monetization-id=\"native-article_link\" data-monetization-sizes=\"fluid,3,3\">\n<div id=\"ad-slot-7103-mi-detroit-C1561-native-article_link-news-opinion-193\" class=\"ad-slot\">\n<div id=\"google_ads_iframe_7103\/mi-detroit-C1561\/native-article_link\/news\/opinion_0__container__\"><iframe id=\"google_ads_iframe_7103\/mi-detroit-C1561\/native-article_link\/news\/opinion_0\" title=\"3rd party ad content\" name=\"google_ads_iframe_7103\/mi-detroit-C1561\/native-article_link\/news\/opinion_0\" width=\"100%\" height=\"0\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p class=\"p-text\">The good news this Christmas is Allen and his merry band of Jeep elves are introducing the first all-new Wrangler in a decade.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Due in early 2018, it\u2019s\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/story\/business\/autos\/chrysler\/2017\/11\/29\/new-jeep-wrangler-debuts-los-angeles-auto-show\/108118662\/\">the most mature Wrangler yet<\/a>. Like\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=NpoB6-TCGWw\">Hulk on a desert rampage<\/a>then showing up as Bruce Banner for work on Monday, the new Jeep is weekend hell-raiser \u2014 and a civilized, weekday commuter.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">I tested the refined Wrangler on Arizona\u2019s Saguaro Ranch north of Tucson and the little tank is as tough as ever.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Saguaro is an outdoor battlefield of rock, dirt and thorny cactus. It\u2019s a different sort of battlefield than the original, 1941 Willys Jeep encountered in World War II, of course, but the Wrangler retains many of that warhorse\u2019s defining attributes \u2014 including a drop-down windshield. It\u2019s easily removed like every other door and window.<\/p>\n<div class=\"partner-outstream\"><\/div>\n<p class=\"p-text\">\u201cThey originally made (the windshield) drop for two reasons,\u201d says Allen. \u201cOne, for easier shipping. And two, because sometimes you had a guy with a howitzer in the back seat.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">For 2018 howitzer not included. Otherwise, the Jeep is armed to the teeth for off-road battle including skidplates, locking differentials, 31-inch tires, plastic fenders (to brush aside those sharp Saguaros) and body-on-frame architecture.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">I assaulted rocky hills, narrow canyons and washboard-rough trails. Last summer, I took on a similar ecosystem in Ford\u2019s F-150 Raptor pickup, another all-wheel drive armadillo designed to do double-duty as an off-road sprinter and rock crawler \u2014 at double the price of Wrangler. Wrangler can\u2019t hang with the twin-turbo V-6 Ford on the fast flats, but its narrower track, 44-degree front departure angle and short wheelbase provide superior maneuverability through the vertical stuff.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">No less treacherous a battlefield is the current regulatory environment. Jeep and Ford generals have adopted similar strategies to survive prickly, green bureaucrats.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">For better fuel economy Wrangler follows the F-150 in saving 200 pounds by fixing a full aluminum skin to a toughened, high-strength-steel spine. This slimmed bod is then mated with an array of engine options including the reliable 3.6-liter V-6 and a new hybrid turbo with 4,295-pound-feet-of-torque. A diesel arrives in 2019.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Starting with a 2-mile-per-gallon savings for the V-6, the Wrangler will see significant fuel savings across the board. These upgrades won\u2019t come cheap, however. The price tag for a base Wrangler Sport climbs $2,500 and about $5,000 for the four-banger (hybridized by a 48-volt lithium battery under the back seat). That\u2019s not chump change for a base $28,000 vehicle.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">For your money, however, come manners that introduce caveman Wrangler to polite, 21st-century society. After beating up on nature off-road, Wrangler won\u2019t beat you up on-road.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">This is a thoroughly modern beast with state-of-the-art ergonomics: big-screen Uconnect infotainment system, digital instruments, full-door storage nets\/armrests, A\/B pillar grip handles, and rear heat and air conditioning. The latter \u2014 combined with the Wrangler\u2019s longer wheelbase \u2014 makes the back seat a pleasant place to be. Just watch that you don\u2019t hit your head on the rollbar on entry.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">In other words Wrangler is now as refined as the rest of Jeep\u2019s lineup. And what a lineup.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Michigan Jeepsters have long made the trek to Arizona to test their mules on Sedona\u2019s gorgeous, treacherous rock canyons \u2014 crawling over boulders like the legendary pink Jeep Wrangler tourmobiles.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">They will notice that Arizona is now overrun with more varieties of Jeep than desert cactus. Sure, iconic Wranglers abound, but there are also subcompact Renegades, compact Compasses and Cherokees, and mid-size Grand Cherokees.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Japanese models still dominate the shrinking sedan market, and German makes are still the lords of luxury. But the SUV revolution has made Jeep a trusted, volume carmaker out here. Heck, the locals figure, if a Wrangler can survive the Rubicon trail, then the family should be safe in a Grand Cherokee. Ironically, Jeep\u2019s rock-tough design\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/davidkiley5\/2016\/02\/25\/jeep-much-maligned-much-loved-much-valued\/#3bd5eccf9a44\">has too often come with rock-bottom JD Power reliability rankings<\/a>. Fix that, and the sky\u2019s the limit for the Jeep brand.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Jeep this year is pushing sales of a million vehicles in the U.S. alone, and 1.6 million across the planet. That may be less than half the sales of the Chevy, but consider that GM\u2019s megabrand is also selling more than 700,000 pickups and 700,000 cars a year. Jeep just sells utes.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">It\u2019s the new face of American autos. Or the old face if you consider Papa Wrangler.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">The World War II vet that sired a brand has changed little over the years: Same seven-tooth grille. Same round eyes. Same square fenders. Same spare tire on the back.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Knocking around Wrangler-stuffed Tucson, few noticed my new model. But the physical changes are notable. Jeep\u2019s signature, soft-top roofs are much easier to remove or snap back into place. The grille \u2014 and windshield \u2014 are subtly swept back for better aerodynamics. The greenhouse grows an inch thanks to lower door sills which \u2013 combined with a rear-view camera in the spare \u2014 makes for batter visibility (it ain\u2019t easy peering around a rollbar and tire).<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">My favorite addition? A \u201cT50\u201d stamped on the door hinges so you know which Torx screwdriver to use in the Wrangler\u2019s tool-case to remove the doors.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">When I\u2019m road racing, I want doors. But if I\u2019m off-the-grid, I want to see how close those boulders are next to me.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne. Catch \u201cCar Radio with Henry Payne\u201d from noon-1 p.m. Saturdays on 910 AM Superstation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>2018 Jeep Wrangler<\/strong><\/p>\n<div>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>VEHICLE TYPE<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\">FRONT-ENGINE, ALL-WHEEL DRIVE,<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">FIVE-PASSENGER SUV<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Powerplant<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\">3.6-liter V-6; 2.0-liter<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">turbocharged, inline-4 cylinder<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">with battery assist<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Transmission<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\">6-speed manual or 8-speed automatic<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Weight<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\">4,175 pounds\/4,485 pounds (Rubicon<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">2-door\/4-door V-6s as tested)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Price<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\">$28,190 base ($38,190 2-door\/$38,540<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">4-door Rubicons as tested)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Power<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\">285 horsepower, 260 pound-feet<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">torque (V-6); 270 horsepower,<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">295 pound-feet torque (turbo-4)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Performance<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\">0-60 mph (NA); 3,500-pound towing<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">capacity (4-door)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Fuel economy<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\">EPA mpg est. 18 city\/23 hwy\/20 mpg<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">combined(V-6 automatic); turbo-4 TBD<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Report card<\/strong><\/p>\n<div>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>HIGHS<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\">UPGRADED CREATURE COMFORTS; CAPABILITY<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">LIKE NOTHING ELSE ON THE MARKET<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Lows<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Pricey; reliability concerns<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Overall:<\/strong>\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Jeep Wrangler designer Mark Allen used to be a road racer. Then he got a taste of off-roading. \u201cThe trouble with road racing is the waiting around between sessions,\u201d he said as we sat in the front seat of a 2018 Wrangler Sport somewhere in the Arizona desert. \u201cWhen you go off-roading, you\u2019re driving all [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21561"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21561"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21561\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21562,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21561\/revisions\/21562"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21561"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21561"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21561"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}