Automotive
Get ready for the Gladiator: the new Jeep pick-up
The last time Jeep was selling trucks was in the early nineties, when it had the Comanche. Now the automaker is once again throwing its trucker’s hat into the ring with the 2020 Gladiator. The specs? A chassis based on that of the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited and a 3.6-liter V6 engine that delivers 285 horsepower. (There will also be the option of a 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6 engine, delivering 260 horsepower and 442 lb.-ft. of torque.)
As it’s a Jeep, it can drive on, over, through and across just about anything. And the detailed specs back this up:
• Tru-Lok electric front- and rear-axle lockers
• A Trac-Lok limited-slip differential
• A segment-exclusive sway-bar disconnect system
• 33-inch off-road tires
Plus, it’s equipped with a 5-ft. steel bed and can tow more than 7,600 pounds.
Model choices
The 2020 Jeep Gladiator comes in four models: the Sport, the Sport S, the Overland and the Rubicon. The trucks also come in a variety of colors—some of them altogether new, like gator and hydro blue.
The Sport models have soft-top removable roofs and the Overland and Rubicon models come equipped with Freedom Top three-piece hardtop removable roofs. The soft-tops are easy to open and close and the hardtops are simple to take on and off. Additionally, the hardtop models have manual rear-sliding windows making driving in the open air a breeze.
The Gladiator is on the pricier side, with the Rubicon model expected to sell for around $57,000. But judging by the buzz, expect to see Jeep-enthusiasts hitting dealerships in droves.
