A compact 4x4 sports utility vehicle was born in 1987. This vehicle is the Jeep Wrangler. Jeeps have been around since World War II and become American icons. Jeeps are rugged off road vehicles originally intended to be military vehicles. Civilian jeeps, CJ's, were inspired by the rugged workhorse military jeeps, paving the way for the birth of the Wrangler.
The Jeep Wrangler being a versatile vehicle appealed to both the on road and off road enthusiast. Unlike the CJ, the Wrangler exhibited lower ground clearance, wider wheel base and best of all comfort. These modern enhancements made the Wrangler more attractive to a larger consumer base.
The Jeep is revered by many off road enthusiast. The timeless mechanics include the front and rear live axels, much like the original CJ. This ageless design makes the Wrangler admired for its workhorse design, off road ruggedness and fun. However, the Wrangler did not perform off road as well as the CJ due to the lower ground clearance and lower center of gravity. Therefore, the off road Jeep enthusiasts first referred to the Wrangler as the "Yuppie Jeep" because of the toned down off road performance. Once the Wranglers proved their adaptability, the off road enthusiasts began to agree with the design.
The Jeep Wrangler is one of the most reasonable priced 4x4 sports utility vehicles. When compared to other sports utility vehicles it has been ranked one of the best vehicles to hold its value and ranks in the top four for best resale value. The Wrangler is a smart purchase not to mention an off road rugged fun vehicle.
AMC was the first to design the Wrangler with it making its first appearance in 1987. Shortly after the Wrangler was introduced AMC was sold to Chrysler with the Jeep becoming a new division of Chrysler. The Wrangler was produced in Ontario Canada until 1992. When the Canada plant closed, production of the Wrangler was moved to Toledo Ohio where it has continued its reign.
Chrysler decided to improve the design of the Wrangler even more in 1997. New features such as anti-sway bars, a wider wheel base, higher ground clearance and lower center of gravity are a few of the notable changes that were made. The 1997 Wrangler design replicated more of the original civilian jeep than the original Wrangler design. The 1997 model reverted back to the original round headlights but became a more consumer friendly vehicle. The design afforded passengers a more comfortable ride and added easier handling capabilities for drivers.
Ten years later in 2007 Chrysler revealed yet another revised design of the Jeep Wrangler. The newly designed Jeep took both the regular consumer and off road enthusiast into consideration. The Wrangler now was offered in a two or four door model. The two door version appealed to the off road enthusiast while the larger, more roomy four door version appealed to all other consumers.
Jeep Wranglers can represent the classic rugged, durable and fun sports utility vehicle or the more modern durable inexpensive highly adaptable sports utility vehicle. Whether it is the classic or the more modern style, the Jeep Wrangler is both smart and fun.
More Information:
Andy Zain is the admin of
Jeep Wrangler Forums, a place where fans and owners can get the right information for tuning, customization and general discussions on anything about Jeep Wrangler. Get the information you need when you visit
Jeep Forums
Categories
