The Jeep Scrambler -- FCA US' Wrangler-based pickup that has been years in the planning -- will come with an optional droptop, Automotive News has learned.
A source with direct knowledge of the design says the Scrambler, like the current and next-generation Wrangler, will come with an optional soft top capable of being removed or lowered, making the Scrambler a true convertible.
The Scrambler is scheduled to go into production in November 2018 at FCA's Toledo Assembly Complex. It will be built on the line that assembles the current-generation "JK" Wrangler.
While engineering the JL Wrangler, which officially debuts at the Los Angeles Auto Show next week, designers had to redesign the roof supports to meet updated roof crush safety regulations, which also affect the Scrambler.
In 2016, Jeep hinted at a soft-top pickup with the Crew Chief 715 concept at the annual Easter Jeep Safari in Moab, Utah.
The Scrambler is expected to adopt a number of the Crew Chief 715's styling cues, except for the grill, which is expected to share a more traditional Wrangler look.
Besides off-road ability and boxy design, the Wrangler's other signature feature is its convertible top. And while the top was implemented on the four-door Unlimited, there has never been a guarantee that the upcoming truck, sometimes referred to as Scrambler, would have the same kind of roof. But the odds are looking better than ever now that an anonymous source told Automotive News the pickup will have some sort of convertible top.
Spy photos show Jeep's as-yet-unnamed pickup will boast Wrangler design cues, as well as off-road chops, when it adds a rear bed. The pickup is projected to be at dealers in 2019.
We've reached out to Jeep for official comment, and a representative there was unable to give us any comment regarding the Wrangler truck's roof.
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