f there is a car loved by Namibians, it’s the Jeep Wrangler. No car seems to embody Namibian culture as well as it does.
The culture of exploring the outdoors, fun, adventure – celebration of life and freedom. Top Revs has driven a few over the last two years and we were yet again privileged to get behind the wheel of the all-new Jeep Wrangler Rubicon long-wheel-base (LWB).
The Wrangler owes its success to its hardcore, off-road ability. Available in variants such as Sport, Willys Wheeler, Sahara, Moab Rubicon and Rubicon Hard Rock, among these, the LWB versions have gained much more acclaim thanks to their spaciousness, qualifying them to be a good family cars with exceptional safety ratings. They are also proving to be the ultimate all-weather on-the-go SUV.
Jeeps never change their basic style and architecture, hence you may be fooled to think the new Wrangler is just a cosmetic version of the previous model, but at a closer look, you will notice a more bulged bonnet, advanced lights and even modern finishes such as appealing panels and paints.
The trademark seven slit grill, round lights and pronounced mudguards are carried forward, as per tradition. Unmistakably, it carries a military aura, even in the design detailing and decor.
Power up the engine and its hum will tell you it’s worlds apart from its predecessor. The new Wrangler is more refined in every sense, also packing more of a punch. It just runs with grace and sophistication.
The new interior was made with women in mind and oozes refinement. It is a combination of leather, aluminium and hard plastic. The Wrangler is a full house, incorporating air conditioning, navigation, automatic climate control, Bluetooth connectivity, music storage, satellite radio and leather heated seats, to name a few.
To go with its character, it comes with an Alpine eight-speaker rocking sound system with an all-weather sub woofer in the rear. It also sports two smartly placed overhead speakers, making it some sort of mobile club.
As per tradition, the Jeep is packaged with a Torx tool set that’s standard on all models, allowing owners to remove the doors or lower the windshield wherever they are. It can be completely converted in 15 minutes.
Our test Jeep Wrangler Rubicon is powered by a 3,6-litre, V6 petrol delivering 209kW and 285 horsepower channeled via a new eight-speed smooth shifting automatic transmission. Pressing it hard, it vigorously goes from 0 to 100 km/h in just seven seconds, which is awesome for a car so far from sport status.
A new lightweight build, engine and gearbox change the game, delivering a way smoother and refined drive. They also give more oomph on demand.
Off-road, the Wrangler is in its element, and it tackles it in a playful manner revealing its true character – a hardcore rugged terrain SUV. It’s no surprise that in 2007, the Wrangler set the Guinness World Record for highest altitude attained by a four-wheeled vehicle.
Talking safety, it has dual front airbags as standard, as well as side airbags and tstability and traction control and a four-wheel drive system.
The Wrangler has an uncompromising image and powerful off-road ability. Auto industry analysts have stated that markets don’t really favour very bold cars and that they tend to be more comfortable with gradual changes – this is the reason the Hummer was phased out and the Toyota FJ Cruiser discontinued. True in a sense, however, the Wrangler standing alone also means opportunity and that it occupies a unique position. We say it’s here to stay, especially in Namibia.
