Yeah, kill might be a strong word...it'd dig into the Grand's profits fo sho.

Maybe dig into the Grand's sales, but I'd guess they make more % on Wranglers than on the Grand, so Jeep would likely come out ahead in terms of revenue and PFO. Even if they "only" offered the 5.7L HEMI, and "only" in the 4dr JLU, the damn thing would sell like hotcakes. The only real downside, for some folks, would be a drop in JK/JKU resale as the market gets flooded by JK owners upgrading to a HEMI JL.

Werd.

I'd drive an LS Wrangler like it was stolen. And it probably would be if I were driving it

I came across this article that shows them "converting" the 4-door to look like a stretched 2-door.

http://www.fourwheeler.com/project-v...sets-bar-high/

Time and money. There is a stretched 2 door JK on the market right now. I've seen it in Moab and it's killer, I'll have to go find it.

Edit: https://forum.aev-conversions.com/fo...stretch-w-37-s

https://forum.aev-conversions.com/fi...photoid=248871

It has nothing to do with the Grand, they're totally different markets. The packaging just isn't there for a V8. They can be shoehorned in by the aftermarket but would never meet OEM crash standards. Between that and the ever increasing MPG and emissions standards we'll never see an OEM V8 Wrangler. Hell, even the full-size truck market is moving away from them, there's no way a Wrangler will move toward it.

You've mentioned that before but it still seems totally crazy to me given the comparative sizes of the JK/JL vs the Grand Cherokee. But at the same time, the Pentastar in my JK feels cramped compared to the HEMI in my MIL's WK2. :dunno:

Just a difference in how they can build the unibody Grand vs the BOF Wrangler?

Mopar makes/markets the lift kits now, something that would not have been heard of 15 years ago. Could they put together a crate engine kit with all the hook ups and software ready to go. Just bolts, plugs, and a thumb-drive for a competent mechanic to do in a day; and stay in compliance with the law? Do it at the dealership and they give you credit for the delivery mile only Pentastar?

Mopar did that for a while actually, back around 2012. I'm not sure what became of it though...

From an FCA press release for SEMA 2012:

Interesting. Being it was from the "off-road division", was that to mean non-street legal applications or the Fourwheeling crowd? The 5.7 would have been fine for me. I wonder what the install time/cost was at a dealer.

[goesbackintime] tells the AMC guys designing the first CJ-7 that 50 years from now the Italians will design the tailgate as a cast magnesium piece with a AL shell [/]

:getshungfortreasonandwitchcraft:

How's that a problem? It's strong and light for hanging big asss tires on it. The hinges even tie into the body structure in the fore-aft direction to better handle the load. Don't hate on change just because it's new, they used advanced materials and manufacturing processes to make a better product in many ways.

i'm impressed by and all for it, good on them for making things better.

but back in the day, think about what they'd think. 1) the Italians ... 2) what would have been exotic construction, and on a jeep

Or what they'd think about if you told them about the XJ... 1) the French!... 2) and unibody construction, on a Jeep!, with an aluminum, chain-driven transfer case...

(or that at one point in the future, the Germans (!!!) would own Jeep...)

I put about 130 miles on a lifted JL Sport this weekend and was very impressed. Power was great with the new 3.6 and 8 speed, normal driving was plenty of pep and it straight up scoots when you get into it. It shifts more than I'm used to or prefer on the highway, but nothing awful. That's pretty much unavoidable with that many gears and the aerodynamics of a cinder block. 35" mud tires don't help the situation either.
Ride and drive was very nice as well, no complaints there. Major road disturbances made it dance a little, but it's still very good for a solid axle rig. It was never sketchy or troublesome.
Interior is very comfortable and quiet, adequate space for a pair of car seats in back with room to spare. Freedom panels just BARELY fit in the rear cargo area. The storage bag they provide is nice but not that well thought out. The divider flap attaches at the wrong end IMO, makes it a pain to get them in and out of the bag from within the cargo area.
Very nice Jeep overall, I could happily DD one of those.

JK's freedom top bag kind of sucks too. Is the rear cargo area smaller or the JL's width that much wider than the JK?

Not sure. I don't think it's any smaller, but with the large bump inward on the tailgate latch area the panels have to be positioned a certain way for the tailgate to close.