While speaking with the Detroit News during the North American International Auto Show this week, Jeep has confirmed earlier reports that it will release its first pickup since discontinuing the J10 in 1988.
The News reports Jeep global chief Mike Manley confirmed that the company “will produce a pickup based off the next-generation Wrangler.”
The Wrangler pickup will likely be a 2018 model released in late 2017.
Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne then confirmed that the truck will be produced in Toledo alongside the Wrangler.
“Sergio and I work very, very closely on the Jeep product portfolio, and both of us have been a fan of a potential Wrangler pickup … For me, there is a historical place in our lineup for it,” Manley said.
Despite nearly a 30-year absence from the pickup segment, Jeep has released at least two pickup concepts including the Gladiator in 2005, shown in the photo above and to the right. The Gladiator was built on a Ram 1500 frame and featured Wrangler styling on the front end with a crew cab and full-size bed.
Last year the company unveiled the Red Rock Responder, shown in the photo above. Built for the Easter Jeep Safari, Jeep has toted the truck around to various shows. It is built on a Wrangler frame and powered by a 3.6-liter Pentastar V6.