Will the Jeep Wrangler soon give up on diesel power? According to a post at JL Wrangler Forums it's guaranteed, but at this point, it's just a rumor. Motor1.com has contacted Jeep for more information but as of yet, our query hasn't been answered. We will jump in with an update when we hear back.
That said, this is an interesting rumor for multiple reasons. For starters, it stems from an alleged dealer email that includes details of a new special edition Wrangler called Farout. If that sounds familiar, it's the name Jeep used for a Gladiator diesel concept overlander in 2020, so there is a diesel connection to the name. The forum post includes a photo of a Wrangler Rubicon with a black grille, a bold 3.0 diesel hood graphic, and a plethora of standard equipment. It's also listed as being a limited production Wrangler and the "final edition of Rubicon diesel."
Gallery: 2020 Jeep Wrangler EcoDiesel: First Drive
A few other forum members claim the Farout Wrangler is legit, but nothing else beyond that is mentioned. We'd be more skeptical of all this if Ram hadn't recently announced the end of the EcoDiesel in its pickup trucks. That was an official announcement, with the company stating orders for the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel would be accepted through November, culminating with the end of production in January.
We'd also be more skeptical if Jeep wasn't taking more steps towards electrification. The Wrangler 4xe plug-in hybrid debuted a while ago, but a new Willys version just arrived for the 2022 Detroit Auto Show. In short, there are many factors that support this rumor being true.
The current-generation Jeep Wrangler debuted for the 2018 model year, but it didn't receive the 3.0-liter EcoDiesel option until 2020. In the off-roader, the turbocharged engine makes 260 horsepower (194 kW) and 442 pound-feet (599 Newton-meters) of torque. It's only offered in four-door models and only paired with the eight-speed automatic transmission.
Get more on the latest Jeep and other new debuts in the Rambling About Cars podcast, available below.
