Jeep’s J8 Ready for Duty

Before Jeep became the legendary off-road brand that it is today, it got its

start by producing vehicles for the military. The original Jeep (the Willys MB) served its tour in WWII and other battles, and from there, as they say, the rest is history. After being absent from military duty for years, Chrysler LLC has just announced a new military Jeep based on the Wrangler called the J8.

The J8 will be available in two body styles, a four-door (similar to the Unlimited; pictured), as well as a two-door version with an extended wheelbase. The latter was previewed earlier this year by the JT pickup truck concept vehicle, which will also be shown at this year’s SEMA show this fall. It’s not just a standard Wrangler, though, as Jeep has significantly re-engineered the frame. While the J8 wasn’t intended to do patrol routes, instead it’s supposed to be an ambulance, troop transporter and communications vehicle. It can be ordered with armor plating. In addition, the J8 can be transported by air or helicopter thanks to its heavy duty bumpers with hooks.

A vehicle that’s going to serve duty needs to be built strong, which is where the uprated underpinnings come into play. The J8 receives heavy-duty leaf springs at the back, which give it an impressive payload of 2,952 lbs. That’s about three times as much as a standard Wrangler, which has a payload of 1,000 lbs.

But perhaps the item that will get Wrangler fans here riled up is its engine. The J8’s main powerplant is a 158-horsepower 2.8-liter four-cylinder turbodiesel with 295 lb-ft of torque. It’s the perfect engine for military use, delivering the fuel economy most needed for long stints between fill-ups, and as importantly the durability that vehicles in service need. Fitted with a newly designed snorkel system, attached to the left hand side of the hood, which gives the J8 the ability to ford 30 inches; it can also sustain up to five hours operating time in a severe sandstorm.

What’s more is that having the diesel gives the J8 a much greater towing capacity than the standard 4.0-liter V6. Combined with its five-speed automatic and Command Trac four wheel drive system, it can haul a maximum of 7,716 lbs, which is significantly more than the 2,000 lbs that the short-wheelbase Wrangler can tow or the 3,500 lbs of the civilian Unlimited model.

Jeep is planning on making the J8 available to governments and agencies around the world, as it is building the J8 in both left and right hand drive versions. However, this awesome machine - perfect for the true off-road enthusiast - won’t be sold to the public. Bummer. The J8 won’t be built in Toledo, Ohio either, but rather Cairo, Egypt at a joint venture plant, and will be made starting next spring. Savvy 4×4ists will want to look for future government auctions to pick up a pre-owned version in coming years.