The Jeep Wrangler just keeps getting better – and sales continue to climb.
More than eight years into its model life, the icon of four-wheel-driving is much like a fine wine, improving with age.
And just as fine wine is never short of customers, so the Jeep Wrangler continues to be as popular today as when it was when first launched, with worldwide sales up by 14% during 2004, compared with the previous year.
The future continues to look good for the Jeep Wrangler, with the updated 2005 model – just released into New Zealand Showrooms – boasting features that are sure to draw more buyers.
The most important change in the new model year, is a brand new 6-speed manual gearbox, replacing the previous 5-speed. The gearbox has heavy-duty casing and components, which enable it to withstand the rigours of off-roading.
Jeep says that in addition to providing an additional gear selection, the new transmission delivers a better quality shift and improved quietness. This is due to dual-cone synchronisation on first and second gears, with single-cone synchro on third and fourth.
Hard-finished gears provide a much quieter change and a multi-rail, steel-construction shift system delivers higher strength and more precision. The two-piece aluminium case with integrated clutch housing assures powertrain stiffness and lighter weight.
The extra gear provided Jeep engineers with the opportunity to lower the first gear ratio and spread changes throughout the range to optimise off-road and on-road performance. The lower first gear (4.46:1 versus 4.04:1 with the previous 5-speed gearbox) gives the Wrangler phenomenal downhill engine braking when the vehicle is in low-range and provides excellent low-speed control for traversing rocky terrain.
There are no changes to the automatic transmission, which continues with the 4-stage shift.
The trusted in-line, 6-cylinder, 4-litre petrol engine provides exemplary performance, with 130kW of power (at 3600rpm) and 296 Nm of torque (at 2700 rpm) on hand. The Command-Trac four-wheel-drive system provides the Wrangler with superb off-road capability and includes a limited-slip rear differential. Suspension is equally tough, with coil-springs all around and beam axles at both ends.
The Wrangler is the only new four-wheel-drive vehicle that provides open-air motoring in New Zealand.
The soft-top is a standard feature on the Sport model and has been improved over the years meaning that wind noise has been dramatically reduced. The hardtop, standard on the Renegade model, is unchanged and can still be removed by simply undoing six bolts. The soft-top and hardtop models use the same full metal doors.
Other changes for 2005 are a new range of exterior colours and a new interior trim on the Renegade model.
Standard equipment for both the Sport and Renegade models includes air conditioning, power steering and driver and front passenger air bags. The more upmarket Renegade model is equipped with higher-grade upholstery, alloy wheels and body-coloured fender flares.
Prices for the 2005 Jeep Wrangler line-up start from $38,900 for the manual Sport.
