I had already started to think that the global auto industry had finally fizzled out and surrendered to dull suburbanites with their "family values" like a huge TV in the living room. But then the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited appeared — and I breathed a sigh of relief, realizing I had buried the industry too soon.
When the car arrived at our editorial office, all the staff poured out into the street. Even those who hadn't come out to look at the Hummer. The newcomer was circled, touched, and sniffed.
THIS IS NOT A WRANGLER
By its appearance, you'd never guess what's hidden under the body. We drove the Unlimited onto a lift and carefully examined the chassis. This is a completely different machine. It has almost nothing in common with the familiar Wrangler TJ, and there's no hint of any "stretch" here.
While the Unlimited hung on the lift, the entire "4x4 Club" team crowded below, clicking their tongues approvingly. The newcomer's design exceeded all expectations. The frame is like a truck's. The rear axle is a Dana 44. The driveshafts are as thick as a leg. The transfer case is borrowed from the Dodge Ram (the "forty-first" model). Such internals will easily survive both thirty-five-inch tires and an eight-liter engine, which the manufacturer doesn't actually offer, but who has ever been stopped by that...
BEND OVER, TRANSFER CASE
The safety margin is not just in the thickness of the metal. The engineers managed to solve the problem of the short Wrangler with its critical rear driveshaft angle. Under the belly of the Unlimited runs a serpentine rear shaft with CV joints instead of crosspieces, which butts up against a transfer case tilted so that the angle between it and the driveshaft is completely absent. This solution is more typical of a full-size American pickup like the Dodge Ram 2500 than a mid-size SUV.
If I say that Chrysler did everything possible to make us fall in love with this car, that would be an understatement. We haven't yet seen a Jeep with such potential for durability and readiness for the boldest tuning.
A COMPLIANT BRICK
For the test, we had an Unlimited with a six-cylinder 3.8-liter engine and an automatic transmission. And don't ask how it drives. The engine reaches peak power only at five thousand rpm, and if you don't have time to rev it up, it's better not to tempt fate when overtaking. And the four-speed "automatic" is always half-asleep.
But at any speed, you forget that you're behind the wheel of an American SUV with a gross weight of nearly two and a half tons and a solid axle suspension front and rear. It plowed ahead like a brick, not deviating a centimeter. It obeys the steering wheel clearly, which is filled with a pleasant heaviness. Not a hint of roll or comfort. It has a different path. It accepts no compromises and isn't going to please anyone... even when braking. Single-piston disc brakes slow the Unlimited without much enthusiasm.
Judging by the condition of the engine bay, the one who drove before us really let loose. Well, we didn't hold back either
However, we spend a minority of our time on the highway, and as soon as you leave the pavement, the Wrangler's suspension transforms and gives a respite from the harsh shaking.
LOOK AT THE LICENSE PLATE
Let's check the geometry of the new Jeep. The wheelbase has become noticeably longer. The terrain changes that the TJ handled easily are already problematic for the Unlimited, but not so much as to throw up your hands. After all, the Unlimited has solid ground clearance: 258 mm under the front axle and 253 under the rear, and in the version with eighteen-inch wheels (which are offered as a separate option) — 265.6 mm front and 258.3 mm rear.
If it does sit on its belly, it's on the sturdy transfer case protection or the cross member of the frame, which take the jolt painlessly. The sills are positioned smartly — higher than the frame level. The fuel tank is covered with serious metal protection and isn't afraid of impacts. The only weak spot is the plastic protrusion under the license plate on the rear bumper, made as if specifically to break off unnoticed in a ditch and then empty your pockets at the nearest traffic police post.
AND THE BRAIN IS SMALL
The test Unlimited was fitted with highway tires.
I even considered limiting myself to a light run on the sand. I really didn't want to dig it out afterward. But the scratches on the sides and the engine bay completely caked in mud said otherwise. The one who drove before me didn't even look at the tires.
In the nearest puddle, the road tires instantly got caked with mud. Nevertheless, only once did we have to resort to the winch of the accompanying "UAZ". The annoying mishap happened in a deep and long rut. Then, in retaliation, I drove through it two more times with obvious help from the traction control system (although its little brain only holds the simplest truths and is useless in a more or less complex situation).
HUMMER'S NIGHTMARE
High-mounted sills, optimal ground clearance, decent elasticity of the six-cylinder engine, and 32-inch wheels in the base. These are the components of the Wrangler Unlimited's success off-road. In my opinion, that's quite enough. But most likely I'm wrong, because many, and even the manufacturer itself, will find it insufficient. The engine bay and transmission are clearly designed for a V8 — Americans only seriously accept the "eight". The frame and suspension, as already mentioned, will easily handle 35-inch wheels. After that, no Hummer will sleep peacefully. I'm afraid they'll start forgetting about it altogether.
Finally, we got the car we had despaired of waiting for. And specifically for Chrysler: never give up!