Officially out of production after more than 10 years
Late last year, Jeep began production on the redesigned JL-series Wrangler, and as our first test showed, it’s really good. Interestingly, Jeep never stopped building the previous-generation Wrangler. At least until last Friday. As of April 27, production of the JK Wrangler has officially come to an end.
According to Fiat Chrysler, Jeep built more than 2.1 million JKs since production began back in 2006. Sales in the U.S. also jumped significantly, rising from 79,017 in 2005 to 190,522 in 2017. Jeep even managed to break the 200,000-mark back in 2015, selling 202,702 Wranglers in the U.S.
Part of the credit for that sales increase goes to the four-door Wrangler Unlimited that was introduced for the 2007 model year. It didn’t sacrifice the Wrangler’s legendary off-road capability, but it did make the Wrangler a more practical daily driver for a lot of owners. Sales didn’t really take off, however, until Jeep gave the 2011 Wrangler a more modern interior. The next year, it added a 3.6-liter V-6 that gave the Wrangler some much-needed power while significantly improving fuel economy.
Now that the JK Wrangler is no longer being built, Jeep will use that space in the factory to build the upcoming Wrangler-based pickup truck. Jeep says that truck, likely called the Scrambler or Wrangler Scrambler, will go on sale “in the first half of 2019.” Expect the official reveal several months before that, potentially before the end of the year.
“This workforce has been working practically non-stop for the past several years to fulfill the dreams of Jeep enthusiasts around the world who want to go where only a Wrangler can take them,” said Chuck Padden, manager of the Wrangler’s Toledo factory, in a release. “We take great pride in the role we have played in the history of this vehicle and the impact it has made in the Toledo community. We look forward to bringing that same commitment to the all-new Jeep truck.”
Source: Jeep