This week I was driving through a rough field, with the leaves passing by my windshield just as the road was doing the same and all was well in the world. Suddenly, a shadow was projected on my beloved car and when I dared to look in the rear view mirror I asked myself: “What is that coming over the hill?” In fact, it was a monster, shaped like a Chelsea tractor, piloted by none other than a life-size Barbie that was just plastic. As she applied makeup, presumably to Ken, the idea of driving seemed an added bonus, the hand-sewn fur of what appeared to be a white tiger lavished on the empty child seat next to her. And then she left.
This got me thinking. Barbie is your typical 4×4 / SUV driver, aka the school mom who sees driving on a pebble like hitting the road. Well, I hear you cry to the 4×4: “we are not all like that”. I think there are some of you who need off-road vehicles and there is a simple way to show yourself: buy a Jeep Wrangler. Oh yeah, by buying the Chrysler / Jeep Wrangler you tell all the other wannabe off-roaders that you’re the real deal and that the school race is a thing of the past, unless the school is high up on Everest .
Legacy is a key component in standing out from the crowd, and the Jeep Wrangler has it in abundance. So what heritage, motorsport? No. Italian style? No. Help protect the world from evil? Um, actually yeah.
Produced by Chrysler and marketed under the nickname ‘Jeep’, the Wrangler is derived from the CJ (Civilian Jeep) to go anywhere, make any utility vehicle that became famous during WWII as it helped the troops immeasurably allies against the German invaders. Launched in 1987, the first-generation Wrangler featured four wheels (five if you count the steering wheel), a folding top, high ground clearance, and a roll cage. I’m really not skimping on details, that was it. Simply put, the reason the civilian production version was almost the same as the army version was because, like the military version, it was designed for road and off-road use only.
Perhaps in a wrong move, Jeep launched the Schwarzenegger, derived from the Wrangler that sounds like ‘Renegade’, in 1991. However, the company did not read its key demographic and offered its staunch off-road customer ‘luxuries’, such as floor mats (only in the front part). , a lockable glove compartment, engine lights and cup holders. If these features didn’t alienate your customers to uselessness, the additional $ 7,000 (£ 3,500) price tag did. The Renegade sold poorly and was decommissioned in 1994, a year before the standard model gave way to its younger brother, the second-generation Wrangler.
A key change was that Jeep made the new Wrangler available right hand drive as the company looked to expand its global market. Style-wise, it paid a grand tribute to its WWII compatriot, with circular headlights – a welcome return from the Mk1’s much-maligned boxy monstrosities. The new Jeep also featured a relatively civilized coil spring suspension; yes civilized, mike tyson is biting his ear. It’s true that the Wrangler was more manageable on tarmac, but wisely, Jeep didn’t compromise on its off-road performance. A few additions were also appreciated, such as a radio and the interior design update, without softening the Jeep too much.
On the back of the successful Mk2, the current third-gen offering was released just a few months ago and has been criticized for being too big compared to the military hero it derives from. Personally, I think the Wrangler has grown and is now a true contender for the likes of Range Rover, BMW X5, and Porsche Cayenne. To help with this, antilock brakes are 20 years late, traction control is seven years late, and Jeep is about to introduce satellite navigation. Granted, the Wrangler may not be as good for road driving as an X5 or Cayenne, but it’s ultra-reliable (the US postal service uses them extensively) and will still get the job done off-road. with a smile on his face, as the Porsche struggles with a broken fingernail. Plus, it’s roughly $ 1,000,000,000,000,000 (£ 100,000,000) cheaper.
The latest edition is also available for military use, with a snorkel so the engine can breathe underwater (seriously). So Jeep hasn’t watered down the Wrangler, but with a small measure of amenities, it’s a serious contender for the best 4×4 you can buy.
I’ve seen the latest range of Barbie cars: Ken is tight and his hair is wild. They beat her and she returned to the sports car.
