During a round table discussion with journalists at the Detroit Auto Show, Fiat Chrysler chief executive Sergio Marchionne has confirmed that a Wrangler-based pickup will see the light of day.
The car that enthusiasts have long been calling for will be based around the next-generation Wrangler, tipped to arrive in 2017. No further official details about the Wrangler pickup have been released thus far however, according to Jeep's global chief Mike Manley, it will fit perfectly within the marque's lineup.
“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...For me, there is a historical place in our lineup for it,” Manley said.
Jeep of course has quite a history with producing pickups, having produced the Gladiator for some 26 years from 1962 through to 1988. It toyed with the idea of relaunching the model at Detroit in 2005 by unveiling a redesigned concept. Then in 2012, Jeep created the J-12 Concept, a 1960s-inspired Jeep pickup.
According to The Detroit News, additional details about the new-generation Jeep Gladiator could come during the automaker's 2016 earnings call where it is tipped to detail its revised five-year plan.