Is This the Grille for the 2018 Jeep Wrangler?

TopSpeed

By Robert Moore

Published Feb 2, 2017

Some say it is so

The upcoming 2018 Jeep Wrangler – known as the JL – is set to make its debut sometime in the near future, and for Jeep fanatics, this is good news. But, the rumor mill has been very busy, and some are worried that the next-gen model, which replaces the decade-old JK – won’t stay true to its roots. To put it simply, the JL’s success relies heavily on whether or not Jeep can deliver a modernized Wrangler that handle better, be more comfortable, is loaded with technology, but can still be cleaned by spraying a little water inside and out. All of the usual media outlets, including ourselves, have created renderings in anticipation of the JL’s long-awaited debut, and just recently, a sheet metal fabricator sent JL Wrangler Forums a picture of what is supposedly the grille of the upcoming JL.

From what we’ve been told, the grille was obtained in the course of a job the anonymous sheet metal fabricator was working on. And, be that is it may, one can’t argue with the fact that it does, indeed, look authentic. It features a widened, seven-slot layout and is even void of the turn signal lights that have been moved and integrated into the front fenders. It also features the mid-section curve. If we had to bet, we would say this is the real deal, but we’ll leave that up to you to decide for yourself.

When it comes to the JL very little is actually known. We’ve seen a leaked photo of a Rubicon hood that was being used for testing, and now we’re looking at this grille. Rumor has it that Jeep may reposition the side-view mirrors to address the legality of on-road usage with the doors removed. When it comes to the roof, there is said to be three different options, including a powered soft top, a hard top glass panel, and a true, three-piece top. This in itself is big news if it turns out to be true, as many have said that lack of a removable roof would be a deal breaker. The other big thing that we’re concerned with is the engine options that are said to include an updated version of the 3.6-liter Pentastar and the addition of a 3.0-liter, EcoDiesel, V-6 that is borrowed from the Ram 1500. Both should be available with the eight-speed ZF automatic transmission while a six-speed manual transmission should also be on the table.

Keep reading for the rest of the story

The JL is Coming

At this point, no date has been announced for the JL Wrangler’s official debut, but production is expected to start in November of 2017, which means we’ll likely see the model make its debut in the last quarter of the year and it’ll probably be at the Los Angeles Auto Show. Then again, FCA – Jeep’s parent company – is expected to debut something at the Chicago Auto show in the coming week, so we might just get a nice surprise in the windy city. Regardless of when the JL debuts, things are starting to look good for it and hopefully it will continue the legacy of one of the greatest off-road machines ever made. On a side note, the Ford Bronco is set to make a long-awaited return, and it will be interesting to see the new wrangler lock horns with that, don’t you think?

And, before I sign off, I’d like to give a shout out to Jason over at JL Wrangler Forums for alerting us to this story.