Wrangler/Gladiator vs Bronco
 

Monday will bring the official debut of the new Bronco with an optional 3.7l ecoboost. Suddenly Jeep is showing images of a 392 powered Wrangler or Gladiator. Good to see some real manufacturer rivalry and while not really a Dodge guy, I admire them for their line up including the late Viper ACR.

I would be surprised to see a 392 go into a Wrangler or Gladiator, but I'm open to it... Chrysler did put the Hellcat motor in the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, but that seems a more substantial platform.

I have a 392 in my Challenger and it's a pretty sweet motor. Smooth as glass, makes 485hp with a good ET, and gets 20mpg on freeway commutes. It sounds great running up the tach with 3/4 throttle, but gets pretty loud under full throttle. I saw a video somewhere with some Mopar guru saying the 392 is a better motor in every way compared to the 426 Hemi. I have no doubt that's true, but the old 426 was groundbreaking like the Hellcat was. A friend of mine has a Hellcat Charger, and it's just warming up as it accomplishes what the 392 does. There's a whole next gear in that thing that's fairly insane, let alone the Redeyes and Demons. We're in a new muscle car era and that's a good thing as far as I'm concerned.

The new Bronco looks like it'll be a good retro tribute like the 2005 Mustang was. I thought the 2008 Challenger was an even better retro tribute. I wish BMW would make a 2002 retro tribute... The Gladiator is polarizing. To me it looks good with the right wheels and tires, but would be so much better as a 2-door.

They ate coming out with a Hellcat pickup and Hellcat Durango.

I think the Jeep with the eco-diesel makes more sense than the 392.

I had a chance to drive a ‘20 Gladiator recently. Yea it’s macho and all but honestly I wasn’t too impressed. It was a pig and drove like a truck. The off-road capabilities are very real. The highway feel was horrible - drifting all over the place. But if you’re just fooling around and seriously doing off road, it’s plenty capable. Power was no problem. I do agree with you - I despise the 4-door “Jeeps”. The proportions are all wrong. The Gladiator’s “open roof” only is for the front seats so there’s really none of that classic “open” Jeep feel. It’s a box with no roof, with a box WITH a roof glommed onto the back of it, with a kinda pointless pickup truck bed glommed onto the back of THAT. It’s like it doesn’t know what it wants to be when it grows up. Keep some of the styling cues, make it a 2-door, un-stretch the cab / shorten front-to-back, keep the off-road capability (amazing!) and offer a cap for the pickup bed and that’d be super. And don’t get me started on the window switches being inexplicably in the middle of the dashboard, not on the doors (which aren’t removable like they should be in a real Jeep). Give me a classic Wrangler or Willys any day, I don’t care how “outdated” they are. Same with the classic Broncos with the open roof. Those were seriously cool. Doubt I’d ever get one for myself but I always kinda like ‘em when I see ‘em.

Gladiator is cool if you need to go spend $50,000+ for something to go rock-crawlin’ with or if you need some penis compensation. Otherwise it’s a solution in search of a problem.

Funny. Penis compensation on a Porsche / BMW forum.


Everything comes off the Gladiator, just like a Wrangler.
The top, the doors. I think the windshield also folds down if you want.

Example of Gladiator door removal.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CruztN_aNNk" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>


Another video here of a different person taking it all apart.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AhyLVxH83IY" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Th Gladiator has grown on me looks-wise. There are some color combos that are really nice. I also like the size. As I have said many times, I love my Tundra but hate the extra sheet metal.

I have not driven a Gladiator but Crusty bought one and I'd be interested in a longer term report.

Another video:

<iframe width="1017" height="572" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FVY0Hy-D7XE" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

The biggest advantage the 392 has over a 426 is that its much lighter than a 426 Have you ever taken a New 392 apart vs a 1957 or 1958 392 The new heads arent true hemi . 426 platform is making 11 thousand hp in top fuel ..here is mine..


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The Jeep Gladiator needs a Turbo Diesel in it

My wife has been looking for another small/midsize SUV that is rugged 4x4 with a manual transmission. She liked the 7 speed manual listed as standard on the new 2021 Bronco.

Jeep as a penis compensator on a Porsche forum.....lol. Around here Jeeps are so ubiquitous that they in no way stand out as a symbol of your status or manhood. They drive like a truck because they are, it’s why they’re so good off-road. And there are few things better than a Jeep with no top or doors to cruise around in. I’ve had three and will own another, in my opinion it’s very difficult to have more fun for less money.

Ok I have a little more appreciation now seeing the vids and that the Gladiator is more “Jeep-y” than I originally thought in terms of being reconfigurable and with open sides / top. I still think it’s monstrous and not at all agile (and there’s something all wrong about the proportions) but I can’t get over how capable it felt off road. It’d be awesome for (say) hauling ski gear up mountains or something. I do like the idea of a classic “real” 2D wrangler at some point - it’d be short enough on the wheelbase to have some traction over the rear wheels (although you do pay a stability price for that too). I guess the Gladiator just seemed overdone and kind of obnoxious to me. Yes neat, but kind of silly. I guess if that’s your thing though...

This thread is rekindling my thought of looking at Wranglers - it’d be nice to be able to toss a surfboard or bike into the back seat without having to deal with roof racks or caring too much about scuffing things. It’s liberating. When I went from an RT to a GS it was the same thing... I stopped worrying about dropping it and started being able to get more aggressive, especially on dirt roads. Nobody cares too much if an adventure bike has a few battle scars. It’s expected.

Hellaphant motors displace 426ci (but are also supercharged to 1K HP) in a modern Hemi aluminum block architecture--so it is doable.

YAWN. More asphalt heroes driving them to high school and soccer practice.

Personally, I could not live with a Jeep, unless it towed behind my travel vehicle, and mixed feelings on the Bronco until I see it in the flesh.

I am turning into an old curmudgeon - most these retro vehicles leave me very cold. I had a 95 Bronco - that was fun. :)

G

Yes. The world needs more Accords, Camrys and Impalas.

If I had the garage space I would buy a 2000-ish Wrangler with a six cylinder and a stick, Rhinoline the interior, put on waterproof seat covers, and drive it everywhere with no doors or top. Maybe just a bikini sun shade when it gets really hot out.

Also while I get the concept of the Gladiator it seems like the worst of both worlds between a pickup and a Wrangler Unlimited. Definitely not for me.

My brother has one of those SRT Challengers. I think there is a fuse you can pull so it does not do the skip shift thing. Fairly light clutch, considering the forces it is wrangling. I don't know about a Jeep all ate up with that motor, though my brother in law would certainly disagree.


Speaking of which, dig the Gladiator, like the size of it and the Tonka of my youth.

Reminds me of a joke.





What do you call a smiling Roman with a hair in his teeth?

I’ve owned a early 70’s jeep and a 69 Bronco. I currently own a 2017 jeep 4 door wrangler.

I owned my first jeep in the mid 80’s, that thing would go anywhere and I never had any problems with it. Except keeping the rust at bay.

The bronco I owned in the late 80’s, early 90’s. I really got a lot of practice with a wire welder, that thing would rust sitting in the garage. I only took it out into the woods one time, had to leave it as the distributor crapped out. There was always something wrong with the bronco. But it was very easy to work on. I replaced the engine, wiring harness, painted it, and to many other things to list.
I sold it to a guy for $5,000, he picked it up on a flatbed. He was taking it out to his farm, had had one years before. I said at least he knew what he was getting.

The new jeep gets poor gas mileage, around 18mpg, doesn’t ride well, and is slow. But it’s handy to be able to throw things in the back, and four will fit in it. It’s not the easiest for some to get in and out of though. But I knew that when I bought. And if I get tired of it there always seems to be a market for them. I’ll take a bit of a hit as I bought it new, but I paid less for it than my wife’s bmw x-3, and its probably worth more now.

I love Jeeps... We will always have one. Always. One of the 392 late-model hemi's would be pretty fun in a Jeep.

angela

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