For several years, Jeep fanatics have been hoping to see a Jeep Wrangler pickup on the roads, but the concept remains just that — a concept — but not for long.
The Jeep Wrangler pickup truck is finally arriving, as confirmed on Monday by Jeep global chief Mike Manley and Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne, according to The Detroit News.
The pickup truck will be in production by late 2017, after the release of the next generation Jeep Wrangler. Marchionne also confirmed that the fourth generation Wrangler, together with the pickup truck, will be assembled in the same Toledo, Ohio plant.
The Wrangler pickup production has been in the rumor mill since late summer of last year. But Manley also confirmed that the truck will take the Wrangler platform.
"Sergio and I work very, very closely on the Jeep product portfolio, and both of us have been a fan of a potential Wrangler pickup," Manley told the news outlet, adding "For me, there is a historical place in our lineup for it."
As noted in the Indiana Autos Blog, the Jeep Wrangler pickup truck will be more of a lifestyle vehicle than a conventional utility pickup truck.
According to The Detroit News, more details about the Wrangler-based pickup will be released later this month, when the company will do their 2016 earnings call.
Meanwhile, the 2017 Jeep Wrangler is good to go for production and as hinted by Marchionne, the car already has a design and "has been engineered" and a go signal for production is the only thing needed.
Marchionne described it to be the "best thing" the company has "ever ever ever made."
Also in the making is the new compact SUV, which will be introduced at the New York International Auto Show this March.
Manley said that the compact SUV will take the place of either the Jeep Compass or Jeep Patriot models currently running. The new model will take the name of either the two models.
