1989 Jeep Grand Wagoneer "wagonmaster" on 2040-cars

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Jeep beefs up the Wrangler Rubicon with 2017 Recon Edition hardware

The Wrangler Rubicon Hard Rock is dead. Don't worry; the 2017 Rubicon Recon is heading to showrooms soon to take its place, and judging by what it's packing you'll hardly miss the Hard Rock. Essentially, this is a Rubicon with some beefed-up bits underneath and a few special cosmetic tweaks, a bit like the outgoing Hard Rock. Up front, there's a stronger Dana 44 with strengthened tubes and heavy-duty end forgings. Likewise, the front and rear differentials get stronger cast covers than the Hard Rock's stamped ones. The ratios are the same, with 4.10:1 front and rear ratios, Tru-Lok locking diffs, and a Rock-Trac transfer case. There's also a half-inch lift. Cosmetically, there are new 17-inch wheels exclusive to the Recon equipped with 32-inch BF Goodrich KM tires, and the rock rails have been reshaped to allow owners to fit 35-inch tires without interference. The Recon also adds red seatbelts and stitching, something you haven't been able to get in a Wrangler before, a Jeep rep told us. If that's what you were waiting for to get into a Wrangler Rubicon, well, there you go. There's also the special-edition farkles you'd expect: a dashboard plaque the fender badge, and a unique gauge cluster treatment. The two-door Recon will start at $40,140 and the four door at $43,940 – that's compared to the base Rubicon, which starts at $34,190 in two-door form. So, the Recon represents a nearly $6,000 premium over the base Rubicon and a $1,150 premium over the outgoing Hard Rock. It'll be available in dealers at the end of this month. Related Video:

Experience Jeep's 75th Anniversary at Easter Jeep Safari | AutoblogVR

It may not have been known as a Jeep just yet, but it was all the way back in 1941 that the very first Willys MB quarter-ton 4x4 rolled down the assembly line in Toledo, Ohio. That General Purpose American military machine would go on to become one of the most recognizable vehicles in the world. And the name Jeep, which was adopted for the off-roader by soldiers in World War II, has been famous ever since. In the 75 years since that first military Jeep was born, the brand has built a sterling reputation for off-road prowess. Jeep's range-topping vehicle, the Grand Cherokee, bears almost no resemblance to its military forebears. But that doesn't mean it's not ready to leave the pavement and get dirty. See what we mean in our latest Autoblog VR episode. That wasn't the only Jeep vehicle we took for a spin while celebrating the brand's 75th anniversary at the Easter Jeep Safari in Moab, Utah. Jeep fans have been salivating over the prospect of a pickup truck for years, and the company has finally confirmed that it's coming as a 2018 model. It will be built at Jeep's spiritual home in Toledo, Ohio, the same city that spawned the company's military roots. Even though Jeep's Crew Chief Concept isn't the actual pickup that will go into production, it's still an awesome ride, and we were happy our virtual-reality camera gear could capture it in its natural habitat. Each week, new episodes will launch on the AutoblogVR App. We'll preview them here on Autoblog, but for the full immersive experience, head over to the app, which you can download for free from the App store and Google Play. Be sure to try it with a cardboard viewer, too! Jeep Driving Truck SUV Off-Road Vehicles Videos VR Original Video virtual reality 360video

Rumor has it the new Grand Wagoneer has been cancelled, but we're not so sure

This just doesn't seem to add up. Autoline Daily is reporting that plans for a new top Jeep, a reimagined Grand Wagoneer to sit above the Grand Cherokee, have been scrapped. The info comes from Auto Forecast Solutions, an industry analyst company. The Grand Wagoneer was expected to use a stretched version of the next Grand Cherokee's platform, but it reportedly won't accept the larger vehicle. The report implies that the next Grand Cherokee will use a version of the current Grand Cherokee's unibody platform, which is about what we expected. The thing is, the current Grand Cherokee shares its platform with the (longer) Dodge Durango, as well as Mercedes-Benz's GLE and GLS SUVs (remember the DaimlerChrysler days?). It's possible the Wagoneer was supposed to be wider as well as longer, and that the Durango's stretch just wasn't enough, but it seems odd that this is just now coming to light. We have already seen sketches of the new Grand Wagoneer, purported to have leaked out of an FCA dealer meeting. Jeep's CEO has discussed the (high) price the new utility would command. It just seems like a lot of thought went into the vehicle already, thought that wouldn't be put forward if someone hadn't looked into the feasibility of actually building it. The report (the one that says the thing has been cancelled) also says FCA might regroup and build the GW as a body-on-frame SUV on the Ram 1500 platform. That also seems unlikely, since this is supposed to be a luxurious, refined vehicle that's nicer than the Grand Cherokee. It would be tough to accomplish all of that with a ladder frame underneath, and it's just not the way the industry is going, let alone the Jeep brand. We'll keep an eye on this one. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2019 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Dealer Leak Spy Shots News Source: Autoline Daily Rumormill Jeep Crossover Luxury