Diesel Gladiator with a Manual!!! Is it coming 2020?

Beowulf

Expedition Leader
I just finished listening to Matt Scott and Scott Brady talk about how the Gladiator is the perfect Overland Platform.

What caught my attention was during the last 50 seconds.

Matt mentions that in 2020 this platform would be available with a manual and diesel. Maybe my hopes are high and he meant that a gladiator could be bought with a manual or diesel depending on what build spec was chosen, but it was an interesting comment.

Podcast #7: Building a Jeep Gladiator for Overlanding
 

Beowulf

Expedition Leader
Sadly, I think you’re right. Sometimes you hear what your dreams want. I’ll still end up with a diesel and auto as long as it proves to be a good engine in the JL.
 

Buliwyf

Viking with a Hammer
Better be one heck of a good engine and transmission.

All that jeeps are missing is an engine and trans worth being proud of. Not since the 4.0 has the Wrangler had anything nice. No manual in Wranglers is the dumbest move ever. They were the perfect easy vehicle to learn manuals in.
 

Regcabguy

Oil eater.
Emissions increase at the shift pts with a manual diesel.
Same deal when California wouldn't allow us to have manual cars sold outside of the state.
The 4.0 I-6 was their best engine. Lots of low end torque,cheap to rebuild.
 

shortbus4x4

Expedition Leader
Better be one heck of a good engine and transmission.

All that jeeps are missing is an engine and trans worth being proud of. Not since the 4.0 has the Wrangler had anything nice. No manual in Wranglers is the dumbest move ever. They were the perfect easy vehicle to learn manuals in.
This is so true. I have a 16 unlimited Rubicon with a manual. Every time I drive it I wonder what it would be like with a 4.0.
 

roving1

Well-known member
Better be one heck of a good engine and transmission.

All that jeeps are missing is an engine and trans worth being proud of. Not since the 4.0 has the Wrangler had anything nice. No manual in Wranglers is the dumbest move ever. They were the perfect easy vehicle to learn manuals in.

Hard to understate this for me. I had a rusted out XJ I needed to replace. The Liberty was not for me. The minivan engine in the JK and the JK in general was not for me. Then they put the diesel in the lLberty and not the Wrangler. Then never released the pickup (until recently). I bailed and went to used Toyotas.

4.0 was just the best damn engine for off roading. I had a rental Jeep in Moab once and my group merged with another as the trails got way worse than anticipated. Since I was the only one with good technical driving and good clutch skills I drove all the vehicles over the really bad sections myself. After driving other stuff to hop in the tourqey 4.0 was such a pleasure. While I owned other 4.0's this rental was the only manual I had driven off road with the 4.0 and it just filled me with literal joy every time I hopped in it. I still keep an eye out for clean XJ manuals even though I am not really looking seriously, but just in case lol.
 

billiebob

Well-known member
The reason manuals are disappearing is because no one understands how to drive them.

You read any thread about regearing, lugging, perfect rpm to cruise in, and it is obvious why manufacturers are not building them. Go drive an eight speed automatic with correct.... STOCK..... gearing and note how often it shifts, automatically. Since we won't do it right..... the manufacturers are leaving the shifting up to the computer.
 

jadmt

ignore button user
i learned how to drive in an old international pickup, My first car was a 38 Plymouth all my vehicle were manuals until the later 90’s when i bought a gmc with 454 and auto. Autos are so nice now i would never go back especially in a jeep.
i have been test driving gladiators and the 8 speed is well matched to the 3.6 and i bet its even better with the 3.0
 

SBSYNCRO

Well-known member
This is so true. I have a 16 unlimited Rubicon with a manual. Every time I drive it I wonder what it would be like with a 4.0.

Even slower than it already is. Remember that 4.0 even in the “HO” version was only something like 195 hp. That’s nearly 100hp less than the 3.6.

I’m no fan of the 3.6 but I would not want the 4.0 in my ‘17 JKUR. A nice AMERICAN turbo diesel, hell yes! But not the 4.0.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

ram2500_24v

New member
You will be wishing you had the 4.0 engine in your new jeep after you do some repairs. The new over-head cam engines are very technical and expensive to fix.
 

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