Full steel roof JL? Would you buy it?

[drogers]

I believe there is a market for them and they would sell very well. Toyota's FJ sales and many other brands do very well with hardtop 4 x 4 s. Personally I would stick with the 3 piece color match for those sunny days at the beach but has the look of a hardtop which I like.

The FJ cruiser spent the last 4-5 years of its life selling less than 20k units in the US, while the JK was racking up 5-10x it’s sales numbers. I wouldn’t say the FJ was doing ‘very well’.

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[vintage38]

The FJ cruiser spent the last 4-5 years of its life selling less than 20k units in the US, while the JK was racking up 5-10x it’s sales numbers. I wouldn’t say the FJ was doing ‘very well’.

I do believe the 4Runner sells very well without a removable hard top or soft top. I'd being willing to bet that if Jeep made a steel roof version it would sell very well.

 

[$uicide$hift]

No I would not buy it. I bought a Jeep because of the removable doors, soft top, and drop down windshield. I love the iconic styling that lets you know a mile away what you are looking at. If I wanted a a steel top I would go buy something else.

Advancements are great but taking such an iconic vehicle and trying to make it like every other would be a failure.

 

[four low]

The Full steel top, with removable, and/or sliding side windows, and a sliding sunroof, would have a lot of appeal. Especially since Federal Safety Mandates are probably going to kill off open -topped vehicles, this would be a viable option.
The Hummer wasn't a "flop", it was strangled by a "politically correct " management at General Motors.
We had a spike in fuel prices, arsons by Eco-Terrorists ; the Hummer image was tied to defeat in the Mid East. The H3, and the 2 door H4, would havs been direct competition to the Wrangler.
Without competition, Wranglers have risen in price and popularity. In my opinion, Wranglers have been "Harly-ized", and are the Darlings of the "Heated Seats and Accent Stitching " crowd. Each Generation has its iconic Vehicle. There is definitely a "gap" here, and due to sheer numbers, for a multiplicity of reasons, the brand still flourishes. Thank God.

 

[drogers]

I do believe the 4Runner sells very well without a removable hard top or soft top. I'd being willing to bet that if Jeep made a steel roof version it would sell very well.

The 4 runner does sell well, but the question FCA has to ask is how many of those busters would be lured away by a hardtop wrangler.

My guess, and apparently others agree, is that the removable roof isn’t *losing* jeep any customers, and adding a fixed roof wouldn’t add enough to make it worthwhile.

I don’t see many people buying runners or discos who say they’d rather have a wrangler but they ‘need a roof’. 4 doors was a real thing, this isn’t.

 

[AVENTUS]

I live in rainy Washington State and often wonder if Jeep would be successful if they made a full steel roof Wrangler with a fixed windshield? Let's say it's about $3,000 cheaper than the JL removable tops. I would consider it.

Or would it flop like the Hummer and FJ?

The only way a fixed roof wrangler can fearlessly show its face and claim to be a true wrangler, is if the fixed roof has multiple removable sunroof panels and still has removable doors. As seen in the clay model and many concept sketches in Jeep HQ.

 

[Armycop]

No I would not buy it. I bought a Jeep because of the removable doors, soft top, and drop down windshield. I love the iconic styling

I doubt the removable doors would be affected unless the government steps in years down the road. I look at the JKs with the painted hardtop and they look exactly like a fixed roof Wrangler would look like minus the seams. I never used the folding windshield on my TJ or my 3 JKs. Doubt I will use it on a JL.

 

[$uicide$hift]

I doubt the removable doors would be affected unless the government steps in years down the road.

I did not say the removable doors would be affected in any way, shape, or form. I was stating it as one of the reasons I bought a Jeep including the folding windshield and the soft top.

 

[apettit7]

Jeep makes plenty of these roofs, they are called Cherokees, Grand Cherokees etc....buy one of these instead, maybe lift it and you have your trail-rated jeep with the roof you want. Or go for a G wagon, Hummer or 4 Runner.

With that said I would never buy a steel-roof wrangler, however I would have no problem if jeep offered the steel roof option as long as jeep also keeps the fiberglass hard top and soft top options. Are there aftermarket bolt-on steel roofs? I just don't see any significant demand for this.

 

[PaPasJP]

NO!

 

[Fuel Fire Desire]

They concepted this, and I had a chance to see it in person. I liked it, but not enough of the public did to warrant it being added into the lineup. Everything except the doors had to be changed with the sheet metal.


JK Africa

 

[Beowulf]

They concepted this, and I had a chance to see it in person. I liked it, but not enough of the public did to warrant it being added into the lineup. Everything except the doors had to be changed with the sheet metal.


JK Africa

Thank you for posting up the Afirca. I would have most certainly purchased this. If they had a JL version, I would camp out waiting to buy one. I love going topless, but would rather have a hard top for better rack mounting. Or, just mounting a RTT right to the roof. I will most likely get an Ursa Minor top when available for the JL. If not a full hardshell RTT.

The only way the AFRICA could have been better is if it had a manual behind that diesel.

 

[The Z]

I live on the Washington state coast and I ordered dual top and I will use the soft top June through September those are not rainy months. Being rainy here is not an excuse for not having a light removable hard top.

 

[Gregodav]

They concepted this, and I had a chance to see it in person. I liked it, but not enough of the public did to warrant it being added into the lineup. Everything except the doors had to be changed with the sheet metal.


JK Africa

The Africa is a great looking vehicle. I love the mellow colors and matching painted wheels.
I like the white top.
I have never used a roof rack on my JK, but I can see others wanting a hardier roof structure.

 

[JDaPP]

No I would not.

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