New Jeep JL Wrangler Will No Longer Have an All Aluminum Body

wayoflife

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
Just read an article on Automotive News where Sergio Marchionne states the all new Jeep JL Wrangler will NOT feature an all aluminum body as was originally planned. Apparently, it just wouldn't be worth it and not really needed to accomplish what they are needing. Check it out.

Wrangler and aluminum

In addition, Marchionne said the company had changed its plans for the next-generation Jeep Wrangler, which previously was planned to have an all-aluminum body. The CEO said Wrangler would now have aluminum components -- such as perhaps a weight-saving aluminum hood and tailgate, as well as aluminum doors -- but not an aluminum body.

“There will be a large portion of that vehicle that will be aluminum. It will not be all aluminum,” Marchionne said. “We've run the numbers and we've simulated mileage and the impact. Because of the difference in cost -- not just of the material but the actual assembly process -- I think we can do almost as well without doing it all-aluminum. I think we can get very close.”

An aluminum body would have required a complete refitting of the existing Wrangler plant, in Toledo, Ohio. If components made of aluminum are hung on a steel body, no such extensive factory revamp would be necessary.

See whole article here:
http://www.autonews.com/article/20150519/OEM01/150519852?template=mobile&X-IgnoreUserAgent=1
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Canvas JK

Canvas JK

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Very interesting about the Wrangler having steel and Aluminum body panels. As a corrosion technician the biggest challenge to over come is where the two dis-similar metals meet can cause some structural integrity issues. The issue will come when after market parts are installed and the factory preventive barrier is compromised. It will be very interesting to see how the Wrangler will hold up.
 
MattAlpha

MattAlpha

Caught the Bug
I wonder what they are going to do about bimetallic corrosion that will occur at the contact points (hinges, etc)...Maybe composite hinges and latches?
 
JKMag

JKMag

New member
After reading the OP I was wondering how long it was going to be before we started seeing something at the car shows, I had thought it was 2017 but it looks like they pushed it back again (2018). It would appear we have a long time before we have to worry about any major changes to our Wranglers.


"The next generation of the iconic off-roader will be the 2018 (or 2019?) Jeep Wrangler, debuting sometime in 2016 2017 2018."


http://www.allpar.com/SUVs/jeep/wrangler/2017.html
 
wayoflife

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
OverlanderJK said:
Just show me the IFS/IRS!
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You and me both! I so wish Chrysler would get a back bone and show the world how to do it right.

JK_b/c_yolo said:
More then likely with skids though!
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No need for that. It would most likely still be a Dana 44 or bigger diff - just be tucked up really high :yup:

JK_b/c_yolo said:
Any word of the top will still be removable yet?
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I'm pretty sure this was always going to be an option or, should I say, a removable top was going to be an option if they did this for sure.

JKMag said:
After reading the OP I was wondering how long it was going to be before we started seeing something at the car shows, I had thought it was 2017 but it looks like they pushed it back again (2018). It would appear we have a long time before we have to worry about any major changes to our Wranglers.

"The next generation of the iconic off-roader will be the 2018 (or 2019?) Jeep Wrangler, debuting sometime in 2016 2017 2018."

http://www.allpar.com/SUVs/jeep/wrangler/2017.html
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Yeah, it is looking more and more like the reboot will be pushed back a couple of years which is a real bummer. I was really hoping to see a reboot by 2017. I seriously doubt that we will be seeing anything at car shows until they're just about to be released. Same happened with the JK, the new Cherokee and even the Renegade.
 
Linebacker

Linebacker

Caught the Bug
wayoflife said:
You and me both! I so wish Chrysler would get a back bone and show the world how to do it right.


X2! Chrysler can do it if they turn the factory aluminum and suspension geeks loose. In the end it's the bean counters, always the bean counters. I bet a smaller, very light, Ifs/Irs, 4cyl clean turbo diesel would have more appeal than Chrysler realizes. After all Forbes thinks the JK isn't worthy, yet look at the sales.:twocents:
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