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What Will Jeep Do to Stay Ahead in the Off-Road War that is Coming?

mgroeger

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So Ford is just as international a corporation as FCA or any other major auto manufacturer.
OFF TOPIC. Sean is that Uwharie clay/mud on your wheels? :)
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Sean L

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OFF TOPIC. Sean is that Uwharie clay/mud on your wheels? :)
Not Uwharrie mud yet, local Winston Mud, I'm trying to find somewhere I can go for a quick spin after work. This is a result of my exploration in and around town.
 

mgroeger

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Not Uwharrie mud yet, local Winston Mud, I'm trying to find somewhere I can go for a quick spin after work. This is a result of my exploration in and around town.
Let me know if you ever go to Uwharie and you'd like to have a trail mate. It's 1hr20mins from you. Killer trails and if you run Dickey Bell you get a Jeep badge of honor.
 

Sean L

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Let me know if you ever go to Uwharie and you'd like to have a trail mate. It's 1hr20mins from you. Killer trails and if you run Dickey Bell you get a Jeep badge of honor.
I'll be making plans on going soon hopefully. I'll probably send you and a few other local Jeepers an invite.
 

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Tacoman03

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I simply listed the Mercedes in reply to the guy citing regulations for why Jeep can't go bigger or more powerful. If Land Rover stays true to the Defender I'm not sure Jeep can beat it. They haven't lost integrity all of the new rovers are incredible machines
We're on our 4th Land Rover product, no issues with any of them, and they are more capable than ever - even in luxury platforms they put out....
 

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actually the real question should be what are others going to do to try and catch up with Jeep.
 
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mgroeger

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actually the real question should be what are oters going to do to try and catch up with Jeep.
"oters"!!

Whoa slow down there fella! Since when did "oters" start developing offroad vehicles? Last time I saw they were swimming in the ocean cracking clams on their bellies :)
 

wanderer

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I admit it I'm old and can't type.
 

S2k Chris

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It is odd that some Jeeps see no off road use at all. I talk with a guy that works near me pretty often. He has a lifted 2 door JK with big tires and some other minor upgrades. When I asked him if he took it off road I got a look like - are you crazy? Jeeps are everywhere here too. I have not ever brought it up again. I had my brand new 4Runner off road days after I purchased it.
Mine will see very little offroading. I'll soft-road it a little on the family hunting ground when I go deer hunting, but otherwise it will be 99% on-road. But it's the only (affordable) vehicle out there that can seat 4, go topoff/door off, can also do well in the snow here in Chicagoland, and most importantly has a fun character unlike all the boring stuff out there. OTOH, I also won't be jacking it way up and throwing on monster tires to try and LOOK like I go offroad a ton either.
 

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wanderer

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I am a geologist and everytime I see a dirt road particularily one maybe in the desert that just extends until it is lost inthe desert. I always have to fight the urge to "see where it goes" If i don't win that fight I won't get work done. Still the draw to go see is so strong. and sometimes I just can't help it Adios boys & girls, going to see what onthe other side. If i am not back in 3 days send a rescue or more beer!
 

Weedwacker

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I am a geologist and everytime I see a dirt road particularily one maybe in the desert that just extends until it is lost inthe desert. I always have to fight the urge to "see where it goes" If i don't win that fight I won't get work done. Still the draw to go see is so strong. and sometimes I just can't help it Adios boys & girls, going to see what onthe other side. If i am not back in 3 days send a rescue or more beer!
Always more beer... :beer::beer::beer:


and gas to help you get back out. ;)
 
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JeepColorado

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There's been so much movement in this regard that I thought it might be worth an update. Especially now that AEV has moved not just beyond Jeep with full-size overlanding in the Ram Prospector, but past FCA altogether with the new Chevy ZR2 Bison.

I've been an off-road enthusiast for more than 20 years- I watched as rock crawling became the pinnacle of the sport and how recently go-fast off-roading started to chip away at that in the form of the Raptor, but Overlanding seems to be the hot new thing. Even the JL has an optional shelf for the tailgate to cook etc...

With these changes in mind i ask again, how do you think Jeep will respond? Those saying that there will be no off-road war I truly believe are being naive and complacent. I certainly hope Jeep doesn't follow their path. Jeep is facing more competition than it ever has and only more is coming. Traction control is catching up to lockers in it's abilities to maintain momentum and IFS equipped competitors not only offer a better ride, but some of them also have more power.

Mid-size trucks are a real threat to the Wrangler. If you've got 4 doors in a mid-size truck and a camper topper for the bed you've essentially got a structure similar in concept to a Wrangler. A brief view of the landscape below-

Toyota's Shot at the Wrangler- a snorkel equipped 4Runner with Terrain management and a Tacoma-
https://expeditionportal.com/the-2019-toyota-trd-pro-line-reviewed/

Ford's Ranger Raptor- I take this as a script for how the upcoming Bronco will end up; if it also has a removable top, Jeep has a real competitor-
https://www.caranddriver.com/news/2019-ford-ranger-raptor-officially-unveiled-news

Chevy really missed an opportunity with that cross-over Piece of S..t. they are unfortunately attaching the Blazer name to, but they knocked it out of the park with the AEV ZR2 Bison- great suspension, front/rear lockers, AEV collaboration- sound familiar?
https://www.caranddriver.com/news/chevrolet-colorado-zr2-bison-photos-info

Land Rover Defender- iconic- set to return to the US and is confirmed to include an SUV and perhaps a light truck version and an SVX off-road version-
http://europe.autonews.com/article/...land-rover-defender-likely-to-keep-boxy-roots
https://www.caranddriver.com/land-rover/discovery-svx

It looks like a Tacoma TRD Pro, Chevy ZR2 Bison, Ford Ranger Raptor and Jeep Scrambler/Rubicon JT shoot out will be here within a year or so!

I can't wait to see a comparison between a Wrangler Rubicon, a Bronco Raptor, a TRD 4Runner and a Defender SVX! It's high times for off-road enthusiasts and anyone who thinks that Jeep is not in the middle of an off-road competition has got their head in the sand thinking that if they don't see the lion it must not be there.
 

Shooting or Jeeping

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Here’s why an “off-road war” won’t happen:

• gas prices are low now, but they won’t be forever. Just as it did 10 years ago, spiking prices will drive people to fuel efficient cars.

• the industry is trying to get ahead of the hybrid tech. Though that can fit an off-roader, it isn’t a pairing that would start off together.

• off-roaders are a select group. Face it, Jeep isn’t popular just for off-roading. In fact, I would venture it’s actually the minority of owners. The convertible option Is more highly sought after. It’s why the current market has been at bay for so long.

• as cities become more and more compacted, traffic increases and people are looking for alternatives to transportation. The Millennials are marked for being the first generation in 50 years that have pushed ride sharing and other less automotive related transportation. Off-roaders really aren’t the first option on that path.

• last- cost. Off-roaders are expensive. When the complaint from the current buying public is “everything costs too much”- the top part loses buyers.

So like anything, it’s all speculation. But the thing is- jeep has been around for over 75 years. If there was a serious push to make off-road the common theme- you’d have seen it by now. There will always be competition, but there likely won’t be a “revolution “ anytime soon.
 

NFRs2000NYC

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I simply listed the Mercedes in reply to the guy citing regulations for why Jeep can't go bigger or more powerful. If Land Rover stays true to the Defender I'm not sure Jeep can beat it. They haven't lost integrity all of the new rovers are incredible machines
Defenders are not incredible machines. They are actually unreliable POSes. The current defender being built wouldn't get through most obstacles a bone stock wrangler can walk through, and neither can the G wagon. Modified, again, they are not even close. Dollar for dollar, you can have nearly 3 well built wranglers for the price of a G wagon, and a rubicon with the best parts you can find for the price of a stock defender.
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