2019 Jeep Gladiator

It's possible the military will get a version called the XMT, built by AM General. 

Apparently I should start building the 2 door pickups to sell to you guys.

The Blue Jeep truck is the J6 concept from Easter Jeep Safari 2019. It's a concept vehicle built on a Wrangler frame, not the Gladiator frame. All of which means don't hold your breath. And IF they built it like you see it, it would only tow 3500 lbs max, although it does have a 12" longer bed than the Glad, cargo rating would be puny.

But damn, don't it look cool!

ultraclyde said:

And IF they built it like you see it, it would only tow 3500 lbs max, although it does have a 12" longer bed than the Glad, cargo rating would be puny.

You say that like you expect the people that buy it will use it for doing truck stuff

pimpm3 said:

I ended up fiddling around with the configurator and came to the realization that you can't get the max tow package with the manual.  Suck!

Why do you want to tow with a manual? If I have to tow anything, I prefer to use an automatic. 

Am I the only one that thinks these things look kinda goofy in the flesh? The proportions of the bed and roof seem really off to me. And the taillights look like they're just tacked on haphazardly.

In reply to bigdaddylee82 :

I've really struggled to make my peace with 4-door Jeeps and with non-stripper 6-cylinder 1/2-ton pickups, and I just can't.

freetors said:

Am I the only one that thinks these things look kinda goofy in the flesh? The proportions of the bed and roof seem really off to me. And the taillights look like they're just tacked on haphazardly.

There are two that park near me at work. I think they look really, really weird (and I like weird trucks) - I agree, the proportions just seem off somehow. And in stock form, they look surprisingly UN-tough. They just look cheap in a way that Wranglers never do.  Totally agree on the taillights, like they're an afterthought. 

Part of the appeal of the Gladiator to myself and a lot of the folks here IS the ability to do truck stuff. 

At stock height and with stock tires they look horrible. With some height and big tires the proportions start to look a lot better, but then you also kill truck usefulness. It's a catch 22. 

llysgennad said:

It's possible the military will get a version called the XMT, built by AM General. 

 

I'd be surprised at that. The biggest knock against the HMMWV (Humvee) was its limited GVWR, which was easily maxed out with all the equipment it was required to carry. The replacement program (JLTV) already made its selection for replacement (a truck made by Oshkosh that is heavier-duty than the Humvee), and SOF forces are one of the primary drivers behind it. Other than that, all the new Army stuff is MRAP-style with IED protection being the #1 requirement. miltiary ground forces are going heavier and "more protected" vice lighter. 

Meanwhile, the ultra-light vehicle (GMV Flyer, as I recall) for airborne insertion missions and rapid SOF ops, was already won by General Dynamics a few years ago, I think. And most of its requirements wouldn't be met by anything based on Comanche.

And seriously, the Flyer is way more badass than the XML concept lol

 The AM General-Jeep "milspec" XMT is just a manufacturer marketing concept. I don't follow the programs closely enough to say for sure, but I'd be pretty surprised if it had a place in the military order of battle, at least here in the US

Maybe they can sell them to the Libyan militias or Taliban or something, or to 3rd-world armies in Africa or somethign. Toyota pickups are getting pricey these days and those guys always need something to mount a rocket launcher or machine gun on (semi-serious here).

XMT still loooks cool though. If they're smart they'll just produce it as a consumer vehicle and sell it to the Raptor crowd that wears Punisher t-shirts. I guarantee it would be a best-seller among junior enlisted (non-SOF) servicemen who get their reenlistment bonuses - at least based on all the bro'd out Jeeps at my workplace driven by those guys. 

No Time said:

ultraclyde said:

And IF they built it like you see it, it would only tow 3500 lbs max, although it does have a 12" longer bed than the Glad, cargo rating would be puny.

You say that like you expect the people that buy it will use it for doing truck stuff

 

There’s lots of truck stuff you can do with a 6’4” bed and 3500 lbs of towing capacity. Sure, you can’t tow a train but you could run a pretty good kart trailer or drag a couple of Harleys around. The bed’s big enough to be useful. Not everyone is trying to run a construction site like in the commercials. And heck, if you need 40,000 lbs of towing capacity there are other options. 

I saw it in person. It pushes buttons, and I own a real truck.

Also, the taillight design is going to sell a lot of replacement taillights as they get peeled off. It’s been a Wrangler problem for some time, the lights look like cheap trailer lights but are not. 

In reply to Keith Tanner :

My crew cab Silverado has a smaller bed than the Gladiator single cab concept and it's never been a problem. As far as towing, the only thing I can't tow is a car, I'm ok with that, I don't tow cars any more. Like you said, I can tow motorcycles and it will do all of the home improvement truck things that my truck currently does just as well. 

A truck like this would be in the same category as buying a Miata. It's less good at being a car than a Corolla or even a Mustang, but it's better at being awesome.