Will Jeep build the Wrangler JT pickup?

DaimlerChrysler organized a concept car drive today that included some of its most notable cars and trucks from this year's auto show circuit. Sliding behind the wheel of cars like the Chrysler Nassau and Dodge Demon concepts had its moments, but the vehicle that really got our attention was the Jeep Wrangler JT.




This is the Jeep pickup we've all been waiting for, but don't get your hopes up just yet. The Wrangler JT is a one-off concept built by the engineers at DaimlerChrysler's special projects group. It started life as a leaf sprung, military spec Wrangler, but the engineering team swapped in a standard coil spring setup from the latest Wrangler Unlimited. The coils themselves are a part of a 3-inch lift that clears the way for a set of 35-inch mud tires.



It has a 116-inch wheelbase like the Unlimited, but instead of rear seats the JT gets a five-foot pickup bed. Major modifications include a rear bulkhead between the bed and the cab and a new back window. According to Jeep designer Aaron Pizzuti, very little fabrication was needed to build the JT. "The idea was to build a Wrangler pickup that required minimal changes to the standard configuration," he told us.



Behind the wheel, the JT drove like any other Wrangler. A stock 3.8-liter six-cylinder engine provided the power so acceleration was leisurely. Numb steering was no surprise either given this Jeep's nearly three foot tall mud tires. Compared to the other concepts we drove, however, the JT was clearly a more complete vehicle. In fact, Pizutti said the JT made its public debut in Moab, Utah about a month ago and made its way through some of the toughest trails in the park.

Clearly, Jeep is trying to figure out a way to build a Wrangler pickup and the JT is the closest vehicle yet to making it happen. Of course, there's still that issue of actually making money on a Jeep pickup and so far it doesn't appear as though DaimlerChrysler has quite figured that one out yet.--Ed Hellwig, Lead Senior Editor