DETROIT -- Spy photographers have captured the first public images of Fiat Chrysler's upcoming midsize pickup based on the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited.
The photos indicate that the as-yet-unnamed pickup will get the Wrangler's design cues and off-road chops.
The pickup is projected to be at U.S. dealerships in 2019. Production is scheduled for the current Jeep Wrangler line at FCA's Toledo, Ohio, assembly complex after the plant receives a new paint shop next year.
The pickup will follow the redesigned Wrangler SUV, which FCA plans to begin producing in November in Toledo. Both will feature a new fuel-efficient eight-speed automatic transmission and improved aerodynamics.
Most of the spy shots we've received of the Wrangler pickup have been from a bird's-eye perspective. However this time, one of our spy photographers got up close the truck at ground level. The new view shows us some interesting details regarding the truck's suspension, as well as the placement of the spare tire.
Immediately evident is that the Wrangler pickup will have the same sort of suspension design as its SUV sibling. Solid axles are employed at the front and rear, and it appears that the rear axle is coil-sprung, since there are no leaf springs nor shackles present underneath. The photos also reveal that the truck won't have a tailgate-mounted spare tire like the SUV. Instead, it will have a more traditional truck location beneath the bed.
Few other new details can be seen from the spy photos. This prototype sports the same production-style bed we've previously seen. The photos also really show just how long this Wrangler pickup is. With such a long wheelbase and rear overhang, the pickup will have more difficulty with hills than the bed-less versions. Of course, it will also be able to carry more than those Wranglers.
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