2018 Jeep Wrangler spotted testing in India yet again

-    The Wrangler JL was spotted undisguised on many occasions in the country.

-    This time, the prototype was spied in Pune undergoing testing by ARAI.

-    Could be officially launched in India in the coming months.

Jeep revealed the all-new Wrangler JL at the 2018 SEMA last November. The American off-roader entered into its fourth generation but has retained its iconic styling and go anywhere capability. The new-gen Wrangler has been spotted in India on many occasions already in the last few months. This time around, undisguised test mules were spotted at the outskirts of Pune being tested by (Automotive Research Association of India) ARAI. 

The Pune-based automotive research and development centre was testing three mules which included two hardtop Wranglers and one hardtop Rubicon model. The SUV had an all-black interior along with leather cladded seats. There was a roll cage beneath the hardtop with a white roof liner according to the source. Interestingly, the test mule was a right-hand-drive variant which is not available on sale even in the international markets. The RHD Wrangler is expected to be built by the end of this year for the UK market. So the same variant will be introduced in India since the Wrangler takes the CBU route.

Appearance wise, there will be no changes to the India-spec Wrangler. The JL Wrangler gets an entirely new design but it isn’t visually different from its predecessor. So it gets the same signature seven-slat grille, LED headlamps and redesigned bumpers. The boxy silhouette has been slightly tweaked and the tail lamps have the new signature. The new Wrangler has replaced the 2.8-litre diesel with a newer 3.0-litre unit producing 260bhp/600Nm. The 2.0-litre petrol and 3.6-litre Pentastar engine are carried forward from the older car. The transmission is an eight-speed unit with off-road hardware including full-time 4x4, transfer case, low range gearbox, and locking differentials. 

The new Wrangler is feature loaded as well. The cabin will include a touchscreen system, button start, a digital instrument cluster, climate control, leather seats, and other premium features to justify the price tag. Since the homologation is already underway, we expect the 2018 Wrangler to be revealed by the end of this year. As for the prices, Jeep may retain the same price tag as the current model to maintain continuity and the relatively strong numbers that are coming from Jeep’s sales of its CBU models. 

Source