Yee-ha! Jeep reveals Gladiator double cab bakkie

With Jeep having previously confirmed that it is calling its new pickup truck the Gladiator, you've by now heard (or made) all the references to Peter Graves's toss-away line in "Airplane"-"Joey, do you like trucks called the Gladiator?"-and resolved yourself to the brand's rationale for resurrecting the name".

The new Jeep Gladiator has been revealed at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show, with the American brand describing its Wrangler-based double-cab bakkie as "the most capable mid-size truck ever". But the new 2020 Jeep Gladiator is the real deal. Jeep considers the Gladiator a "lifestyle" pickup truck good for hauling motorcycles, bicycles, and kayaks rather than for hitting the work sites. Though, the former is 787mm longer than the latter. All versions of the Gladiator can tow 7,650 pounds and have an optional Class 4 receiver; payload capacity is 1,600 pounds. With the Crew Cab configuration, the vehicle provides a load bay of 1,524mm. Jeep is also gearing up for right-hand drive models, so it could come to the UK.

At 218.0 inches long, the truck is 29.6 inches longer than the Unlimited, which itself is 19.6 inches longer than the two-door JL Wrangler. In 2020 a 3.0-liter turbocharged Gladiator diesel will also be offered delivering 260 hp and 442 lb-ft of torque.

The Gladiator instrument cluster is either a 3.5-inch or 7-inch configurable display as well.

Trim grades will span Sport, Sport S, Overland and Rubicon. U.S. buyers will see the Gladiator in their showrooms from Q2 next year, presumably while United Kingdom off-roadists peer wistfully across the Atlantic thinking what might have been. The cabin is largely identical to the Wrangler's, including its waterproof start/stop button, UConnect infotainment systems and storage bins underneath the flip-up and foldable rear seats. As for those critical angles: approach angle is 43.6-degrees, breakover angle is 20.3-degrees, and departure angle is 26-degrees; the only ground clearance number in the PR is 11.1-inches. That means it retains the available hard top or soft top options, fold-down windshield, and removable doors. The crawl ratio of 84.2:1 is exclusive to the Rubicon with the six-speed manual while the eight-speed automatic transmission makes do with 77.2:1.

In order to make it work, FCA designed and integrated a rear five-link coil suspension with two upper and two lower forged steel control arms for maximum control.

Built on a modified and stretched chassis taken from the Jeep Wrangler Unlmiited, the 2020 Jeep Gladiator leads with the recognizable keystone-shaped front grille and sound headlights, and ends with Jeep's distinct square tail lights.

The interior has the same level of comfort and refinement we've come to expect, with optional leather seats, heated front seats and steering wheel, push-to-start and fun tech goodies like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Gladiator Rubicon can accommodate 35-inch tires under its beefy fender flares and it'll hold a 35-inch spare tire under its bed.

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