Jeep Wrangler-Based Pickup Caught Testing on the Rubicon Trail

We’ve praised the JL Jeep Wrangler for its off-road capability and surprisingly good on-road performance, which is one reason why the idea of a midsize truck based on that same platform has us really excited. Now, there’s even more to get excited about as a prototype for the JL Wrangler-based pickup, rumored to be called the Scrambler, has been spied testing on the Rubicon trail by the folks over at Jeep Scrambler Forum.

Although we’ve seen the Wrangler-based pickup on the street countless times before, this is the first time we’ve seen the truck off-road, and the images tell us a couple things about the upcoming variant. According to forum members who spotted them on the trail, the two prototypes had some serious dents on the rockers, bed, tailgate, and bumpers. You can clearly see the rear bumper on the above test mule has sustained some damage to the camo at least, and it looks like it could even be a little bent out of shape. The truck’s rear overhang is much longer than the Wrangler’s, which impacts its departure angle. And because of the pickup’s longer wheelbase, breakover angle could also be an issue. Hopefully, the suspension tweaks we spied previously will help compensate for these things.

The Wrangler-based pickup arrives in 2019, but we might see the highly anticipated vehicle as early as the 2018 L.A. auto show. The Wrangler pickup’s exact engine lineup is unknown, but leaked documents suggest FCA’s 3.0-liter turbodiesel V-6, paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission, will be one option.

Source: Jeep Scrambler Forum

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