Jeep’s JK has been around for a decade, and its parent company is now doing everything in its power to maintain consumer interest in the outgoing model before the next-generation JL shows up next year. While offering limited edition vehicles has become a time-honored tradition for Jeep, this send-off for the current Wrangler is ridiculous.
The company will offer as many as twelve “special” editions of the Wrangler over the next handful of months.
The current generation Wrangler has been in production since 2006 and, despite its advanced age, the iconic 4×4 has remained one of brand’s better-selling models. Even though sales have slipped a little since last year’s boom, Jeep knows there is a market out there. However, instead of giving the JK a dignified final run, Automotive News has discovered the company will release a flurry of limited editions.
Currently, you can log onto Jeep’s website and order yourself a 75th Anniversary Edition Wrangler with bronze accents and chrome wheels. Although, if drab paint and copper-colored accents aren’t your thing, there are so many other options to choose from, with so many more coming.
Jeep also has the Wrangler Freedom Edition, with bumper appliqués and special military-themed embroidery. We also have the Rubicon Hard Rock, Black Bear, Backcountry, and Willy’s Wheeler throwback edition — which hints, not-so-subtly, at the Wrangler’s military roots.
There will be two more joining the “limited” lineup next month. December will usher in the 2017 Wrangler Sport Freedom and Wrangler Sahara Winter editions. These two will only be available through February and May, respectively.
The Sport Freedom will include a star hood and rear fender decals, American flag front fender decal, and plenty of exterior badging. It will also have 18-inch Sahara mid-gloss wheels, a heavy-duty differential cover, fuel filter cover, and tail lamp guards. The Sport Freedom sounds to be a more visibly patriotic version of the current Wrangler Freedom. Automotive News says the four-door version will run $34,590, with the two-door coming in at around four grand less.
Meanwhile, the Sahara Winter edition will feature LED head and fog lamps, off-road rock rails, hard top, custom decals and all sorts of special badging. Automatic equipped models also come with remote start. The sticker price will be $37,440 for the two-door Wrangler Sahara Winter edition, and $41,240 for the four-door.
Later in 2017, Auto News says Jeep plans to offer additional limited editions. A Sport Big Bear edition should be available in February, while the Sahara Chief and Sahara Smoky Mountain are coming in March. There will also be a Rubicon Recon edition to replace the current Rubicon Hard Rock when it ends production in February. It should be similarly equipped and priced to the Sahara Winter edition.
While a lot of this amounts to little more than some unique trim options and different paint, it’s hard to get too angry with Jeep. This deluge of limited edition Wranglers isn’t exactly the classiest of farewells for the JK, but at least the company didn’t attempt another absolutely tasteless video game tie-in with Call of Duty.
[Image: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles]
Oh I love JK Wrangler Brougham Editions! Diamond Edition with quilty interior please.
Speaking of Diamond Editions…the GMC Jimmy guy wanted too much. I’ll just wait for the price to drop a bit. It’s been for sale for a couple months. Or I’ll get another bonus and lose my mind.
More than the $5500 I had estimated as my high mark for what it was worth? Less than the $9000 I KNOW WHAT I GOT price?
It is in between those. $5000 and I’m a buyer.
Yes yes, wait for the desperations.
If I didn’t have a wife and kid I would have already purchased it…
Maybe I should use the proceeds of the Christmas Club account at our Credit Union to buy this vehicle. Santa will bring the whole family a 1988 GMC Jimmy.
That’s the gift that keeps on giving.
My daughter is already not fond of Santa Claus this year. Whenever she sees Santa advertisements, she says, “I don’t like that man.”
She’s right, he’s a creeper and a stalker.
Daycare asked if we were Jehovah Witnesses because our daughter refuses to sing songs about Santa.
Hahah
NO celebrating. Ever.
meanwhile in Santa’s secret headquarters…
ELF: Sir, our surveillance camera picked this up.
[Santa watches a video of the Tonge family at the mall]
SANTA: Dammit, that Tonge girl is on to me! Lump of coal for her.
Watch out for the Tongues.
Bonus, whats that?
A portion of the salary I should have been paid that is set aside until the end of the year. It shall only be paid out if the company meets or exceeds some artificially created profitability targets.
Ah. A portion of the salary I should have been paid was misappropriated by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Those state liquor stores will git cha.
If they redo the Golden Eagle package they will have me at hello.
Will be real fun for a Used Car Sales Manager appraising a jeep in a couple of years. Will be 5 pages of Jeep edition options.
This is so different than it is now?
Go to Clean Book.
Add $2000 for tasteful mods
$1000 for hardtop
-$1000 for a six-speed
What is Clean Book?
It’s like Blue Book, but owned by Windex/SC Johnson.
Well unless its a data valuation service I’d say its what black book value is at clean status.
When I used to do this in the early 90’s there were only 3 wrangler editions. Add for hardtop, add for auto (never saw one)and subtract $300 for manual steering.
I bet these special editions all use the same VIN sequence so just slap stickers on your Jeep come trade in time and collect money.
I worked next to a large midwest university, so they basically came in three styles (this was circa 1993 pre-Rubicon):
*Bro-Jeep (Hard top, auto, 4.0, Sahara or Renegade)
*Barbie-Jeep (Islander, auto, 4-cyl, soft-top)
*Postal-Jeep (Red/White/Black-only, 4-cyl, stick, no back seat, soft top, steel wheels and eco-tires)
Then again, that was probably the weirdness of the manager doing the ordering, as this site has enlightened me over the years.
Just means that every private seller down the road will claim how “special” their “limited run” Jeep is as they attempt to ask uber-top dollar for their used Jeeps.
Golden Eagle Edition or GTFO.
Strictly base model “Sport” for me. Nothing else needed, that is if you can fix/maintain the clutch master cylinder w/o unbolting the transmission from the engine. If that’s not possible, no sale.
I’m holding out for the Mark Cross edition myself. All we need is some fake wood cladding and some large fake wire wheel covers. Plus some tan leather seats.
I approve of this design.
I’d prefer a Bill Blass, Nautica, or Eddie Bauer
WHAT NO GIVENCHY EDITION!?!?!?
No sale.
Those are Ford products, silly. You mean Oleg Cassini, Gucci, or Pierre Cardin.
Or the Frank Sinatra edition.
Mark Cross, Mark Cross!
Those fake wire wheel covers were very nice and well-made. Our 1984 E-Class had them and they looked great. No Mark Cross leather, though, just nice, comfortable cloth.
Think I would strongly consider a Smith and Wesson edition ala Range Rover Holland & Holland.
I’m waiting for the DUB Edition on 22s with rubber band tires. I already am visually assaulted by this very unnerving setup every so often driving around, might as well make it a factory edition.
What about the Lapo Elkann Edition? Comes with a 24,000 lb winch and a hundred yards of cable to pull you out of any hole you crawl into.
There should be an Aron Ralston edition positioned just under the Rubicon Hard Rock; make sure it costs…
> Currently, you can log onto Jeep’s website and order yourself a 75th Anniversary Edition Wrangler with bronze accents and chrome wheels.
I was curious enough to go over to jeep.com and see what this looks like. Based on the configurator pictures, The wheels are bronze as well, not chrome. This is only available in black, white, bright silver and gunmetal, which don’t pair well with the the dark bronze accents at all IMO.
They should do a steampunk edition. That would be different. Bright copper accents and gauge faces. Paint in forest green, bright silver, or matte black. If ordered with soft top, it should be reddish-brown.
+1 for Jeep Wrangler Steampunk Edition. Honestly, if the manufacturers want to have some fun and juice up their lineup and customers are willing to pay, who cares? In a world of black/white/5-shades-of-silver, at least it’s different.
I bet the Freedom Edition with “special military-themed embroidery” smells like a musty seabag.
“smells like a musty seabag”
Since Jeep Wrangler Unlimited’s are the new yuppie-mobile, they need to release a labradoodle Edition.
Real Labs or real Standard poodles are too passè just like real Jeeps!
That purple Wrangler is some neon green and orange accents away from being a Neon Genesis Evangelion Edition.
http://www.papercraftsquare.com/neon-genesis-evangelion-detailed-evangelion-unit-01-eva-01-ver-5-free-papercraft-download.html
Is Wrangler even popular with weaboos though?
Also… RahXephon >> EVA
Where’s the Levi’s Edition?
If all the stuff I see for sale is any indication all the wheels/tires will be for sale soon as it seems every Jeep owner but me changes that out. Did see an Arctic Edition over Thanksgiving, all white, Longitude/Latitude on the spare tire carrier, with Hawaii plates. They’ll sell the special editions, of course, because Wrangler.
The funny thing is: they don’t need to hype the Jk in anticipation of the new ones. Lots of jeepers are going for the final year JK because of concern about what Fiat as well as government regulations will screw up
Arctic Edition in Hawaii?
LOL
Now there is a salesman that could sell ice-cubes to Eskimo’s.
How about a Hawaii Edition for those of us in the Great White North?