|
Jeep Wrangler endures subtle yet substantial transformation
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
|
The adventurous path from Phoenix to Crown King, an Arizona mining camp perched high in the Bradshaw Range southeast of Prescott, follows rocky ruts in a tortuous climb that starts near Biscuit Flats off I-17 and skirts Fort Misery before slipping through Wasson Pass, notched some 6,400 feet above sea level in thin pine-scented air.
For sure-footed traction to navigate this route, a miner's burro would be the preferred pack animal, but among 4-wheeler mechanical species you need a Jeep.
A recent trek to Crown King employed a revised Jeep Wrangler, which permitted close scrutiny of changes effected on the vehicle which has become a virtual icon among 4-wheel-drive enthusiasts.
In its new 1997 trimmings Wrangler, tracing to the original off-road vehicle of World War II fame, has been restructured inside and out. It wears new sheetmetal outside, carries new hidden suspension components and improved new safety systems, then adds new gear in the passenger compartment for comfort and convenience.
But if you take only a quick peek at the new stuff, you'll think you're seeing an old Wrangler.
To distinguish the two, check the headlamps: New ones are round -- like a WWII Jeep -- with the old ones, square.
Jeep purists -- they number in mega-digits -- were critical of the square lights, which came in 1987 when the previous generational upgrade occurred. The new design, while progressive in terms of systems added and aerodynamic rounding of Wrangler's squared corners, remains true to the original Jeep's styling concepts.
That initial Jeep, the Willys MB, may have helped win the big war, but it was not a comfort machine. My ride across Omaha Beach on the French coast of Normandy in a restored edition used for the D-Day invasion 50 years earlier proved the point by rattling bones and jarring teeth -- although it still cut a sure path across rocks and dunes.
More bones rattled for two days last summer while bumping the former Wrangler over California's Sierras on the Rubicon Trail, most daunting of all 4-wheel-drive routes.
While that Jeep could perform automotive tricks mere cars could not conceive -- like ripping up stairstep walls of granite or slipping down rocky chutes too treacherous to walk -- it, like the original Willys MB, would also jar you senseless due to a suspension system comprised of leaf springs akin to the kind on a horse-drawn buckboard.
By contrast, new Wrangler sports car-like coil springs in a revised suspension set-up which enables a front wheel to travel up to 27 inches vertically (7 inches more than the predecessor) before tipping the other wheel off the ground.
Combine that feat with the strengthened ladder-frame chassis and increases for ground clearance as well as angles of approach and departure, and new Wrangler has unmatched capabilities for traveling into the outback world.
During the climb to Arizona's Crown King, new Wrangler exhibited an uncommon smoothness in ride quality despite the irregularities of terrain. While the vehicle at times careened when running over rocks or creekbeds, it did not deliver the bone-crunching vibrations of predecessors.
After hours behind the wheel, I didn't feel exhausted, either, as a former Wrangler produced on the Rubicon.
Despite its many improvements, Wrangler's changes appear so subtle I found myself constantly consulting the crib sheet to chart all that was new and different.
Although more than 75 percent of the new version amounts to changes, it still looks like the earlier edition.
Regarding sheetmetal, though, only doors and tailgate were retained, as all other sections use new components. In side-by-side comparisons, note the rounded nature of corners on the 1997 Wrangler, or expanded front fenders required for the increased vertical articulation of wheels.
Wrangler's front cowl rises an inch in height to make room for a new heating-cooling system tucked within. As a result, the hood slopes up from front grille to meet a larger windshield -- which, as before, folds forward onto the hood when desired for serious off-pavement romps.
Other Jeep traditions also continue, but with improvements for exposed hardware like tow hooks, hood latches and gate hinges that now fit flush to body.
For power, Wrangler extends its proven plants, a base iron-block 2.5-liter 4-in-line or the optional mega-torque 4.0-liter V6.
Jeep's base four, producing 120 hp, feels entirely adequate for in-town traffic maneuvers, but for aggressive off-road romps the V6, mustering 181 hp with 222 lbs/ft of heady torque at hand, becomes an awesome performer.
These engines combine with either an optional 3-speed automatic transmission or the standard manual 5-speed -- yet to me a Jeep is not a Jeep without that clutch and a shifter stick.
As Mark Smith, Jeep's pioneering off-road leader, will coach, the driver should keep both feet planted on the floor -- off the clutch or brake or accelerator -- when navigating up or down the toughest terrain. Wrangler's strength in engine torque will hold it on a steep slope, and the fact that you may crank up the engine without depressing clutch provides additional grip in dicy situations.
On the steepest pitch in my Arizona tests, Wrangler literally walked itself over the worst obstacles -- and all I had to do was steer. No other vehicle can match that.
Inside Wrangler's redesigned cabin, you'll find uncommon comforts, beginning with the front bucket seats which now travel fore-aft 1.6 inches more for adjustments.
The rear flip seat, always a pinch for two, has been expanded in width by 8 inches due to revised rear wheelwell design so two will easily fit.
A new deep instrument panel provides twin front airbags, plus analog gauges (the black-on-white design reminds me of the original WWII Willys) and easy-to-use controls for integrated heating-cooling and sound systems.
Wrangler's image of open-top motoring continues in the new model, which adds a new soft-top cover that's far easier to raise and lower than the unit it replaces.
A hard top which bolts into place but can still be removed (some assembly required) becomes an option.
Models begin now with Wrangler SE, which lists for less than $14,000 and includes the 2.5-liter four. Wrangler Sport adds more serious hardware, while the top edition, Sahara, gets downright fancy with trimmings.
1997 JEEP WRANGLER
|
| Vehicle Specifications: |
| 1997 JEEP WRANGLER Specs |
| Description: |
2-door sport-utility |
| Model Options: |
2-door sport-utility |
| Wheelbase: |
93.4 inches |
| Overall Length: |
147.7 inches
|
| Engine Size: |
OHV 2.5-L I4
OHV 4.0-L V6
|
| Transmission: |
Manual/5, Auto/3 |
| Drive: |
4WD |
| Braking: |
Power disc/drum/ABS opt. |
| Airbags: |
2 |
| Gas Mileage: |
17/21 mpg |
| Price: |
$ 13,500 to $ 23,500 |
|
|
